| Show z I r t. t I o S Asserts Black ck Markets I Could Disrupt Food Program I W WASHINGTON Feb 16 UP P- P Acknowledging that black market arket in beef Is very serious now Secretary Secretary Secretary Sec Sec- of Agriculture asserted asserted asserted as as- Tuesday that It can become become become be be- come much more serious and disrupt disrupt disrupt dis dis- dis- dis rupt the nations nation's war food pro pro- gram gram Informed by Senator Aiken R. R Vt at an inquiry into war food production of ot reports that beef beefsteak beefsteak beefsteak steak was selling as high as a pound in a New York black market market market mar mar- ket said he preferred to leave the problem to the office of price administration but added If this goes on without check it is going to be very difficult to operate the war food program The condition is serious enough now and it can be much more serious Labor Situation Bad Although General George C. C Marshall the army's chief of staff was reported to have informed a group of congressmen privately a afew afew afew few d days ys ago that he would refuse refuse refuse re re- re- re fuse to release soldiers for farm labor told a senate agriculture agriculture agriculture agri agri- culture subcommittee he would ask the arm army to furlough troops to help Belp elp with the harvesting rv sting of this years year's crops if if t the necessity arises I If the war production board board- wont won't let farmers have new ma machinery ma-I ma chinery for the harvesting of ot crops creps asked Aiken how is the I agriculture department for example exam exam- pIe going to make good on a promise promise promise prom prom- ise for incentive payments for added production of c certain e r t a i n crops If you dont don't plant a crop you wont won't harvest it replied I think the farmers will take their chances of getting in the crops There never was a guaranty on harvesting I Referring again to a black market market market mar mar- ket in meat the secretary asserted assert assert- ed th the total number of beef cattle on the range is at an time all-time high Marketing too he said surpassed all records until a few weeks ago Supply Short The liThe supply on hand he said is is very short But the American people today are consuming more I Ibee beef bee than ever before The demand I is higher because the national in in- come is higher than it ever was but the greatest difficulty in overcoming overcoming overcoming over over- coming a meat shortage is distri distri- distribution On the other side of the capitol meanwhile the house small business business business busi busi- ness committee heard a charge that price and quota regulations of meat have resulted in the worst black market In the history history history his his- tory of our country I r regret to say said Wilbur La Roe Jr counsel for the Independent Independent Independent Inde Inde- pendent Meat Packers' Packers union that the price policy of 0 O P A is keeping keeping keeping keep keep- ing meat both from the army and civilians and in addition is causing causing causing caus caus- ing an unspeakable black market which is almost out of control contro Asserting that members of the meat packers packers' association which consists of the smaller packers are suffering from one of the most unfair government regulations regulations regulations regula regula- I have ever known La Roe said tot the asserted unfairness is caused by the fact that the gov government government I gov-I fixed ceiling prices on meat production but failed to fix prices on live animals I |
