California's Black Meat

Before the California Legislature's special investigating committee last week packers and war-plant executives told the results of Los Angeles' three-month meat famine: black markets, malnutrition, fantastic prices, racketeering. Samples: > Northrop Aircraft knowingly patronized a black market to get meat for its cafeteria, where 3,600 workers eat. Said Northrop Official George Gore: "I can't tell you where we get our meat. If I did, we wouldn't get any more. It is more important to pay higher-than-ceiling prices and keep quiet."

>Famed Biochemist Henry Borsook found that Lockheed Aircraft workers' efficiency, morale and physical condition were approaching the danger point from . lack of meat.

> Douglas Aircraft's 75,000 employes who eat at company cafeterias are being "starched to death."

> Testified C.I.O.'s Richard Van Valkenburgh: "Our absenteeism is going to increase unless we can get meat."

>For 414 workers on the Government guayule rubber project at Indio, only 100 pounds of meat a week could be had: "The labor turnover is terrific because the men can't get enough to eat." > Said Packer Albert Luer Jr.: Southern Californians, under the current system, will be lucky to get 24 ounces of meat each per week.

> Los Angeles OPA Official Arthur G. Coons disclosed that about 34 million pounds of meat were available to Los Angeles civilians--61% of the January 1941 supply, while the population of the Los Angeles area has jumped 610,000 in the two years.

>Los Angeles storage lockers recently were so full of Army meat that no space was left for civilian supplies.

While the committee deliberated, OPA decreed emergency rationing of meat in Los Angeles (as in San Francisco and Rhode Island) to alleviate suffering, started criminal action against black markets wherever they could be found. Also California prison officials got State permission to graze cattle in Palomar State Park, the meat to go to Folsom, San Quentin and Chino prisons. Quipped the Los Angeles Times: "How to obtain plenty of meat--become a convict."

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