The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-08-16
COUNTRY FACES
MEAT FAMINE
Federal Officials See no Way
to Keep Up Supply.
SAY SITUATION IS CRITICAL

Stringent Rules May Debar Beef From
Other Nations-Drought In Middle
West Has.ens Crisis.
Washington, Aug. 16.-Not only does
the United States face famine in its
domestic meat supply, but stringent
rules covering meat importations may
debar meat and cattle from other great
meat supplying nations.
The situation is critical" said DR.,
D. A. Ram se", chief OF the inspection
division OF the bureau of animal in
dustry. The crisis in meat exhaustion
has been approaching for years, but
has been fastened by the great
drought over Kansas, Iowa, Indiana,
Illinois, Nebraska, Oklahoma and the
southwest. simultaneously contagious
diseases of live stock in Argentina,
Australia, New Zealand and the Indies,
the only other sources of supply, have
developed.
"The department of agriculture now
and New Zealand studying conditions
there so that we may formulate en-
trance inspection regulations for dress
ed meats and live stock. Advices indi-
cate that in Argentina particularly
there are epidemics of the virulent
hoof and mouth disease and ticks.
These diseases will prevent the en-
trance OF Argentina meat, for this
country must protect itself. We have
had several scourges of this nature,
and it has cost the country millions of
dollars.
There is a great deal of talk about
how free meat in this new tariff mas
ure will relieve the stringency. l can
not foresee that result. Dressed beef
now only carries 10 per cent duty, and
even if meat is free it will have to
come in under the departments meat
inspection rules, and Argentina-the
greatest source of supply-at present
does not live up to them.
The drought in the middle west
has been most serious. 1t means that
Mexican cattle and the grass fed cat
tofore been driven to the middle west
ern 'tattening corrals will have no
haven
The visible supply in the drought
section is being sold by the thousand
head in the open market now because
stockmen have no feed and foresee al
famine this winter. The immediate re-
suit OF course win be a lowering Of
prices because the supply exceeds the
demand. But later in the season,
when the demand becomes greater and
prices soar the supply promises to be
gone
Dr. Ramsey pointed out that with
excellent crops last year the meat i'm
ports for 1912 for the first time in the
history of the country exceeded eX
ports.
partment of agriculture figured that
the outlook for the corn crop was not
much better than so per cent, as
against more than IS per cent last
year. On Aug. l, the date when the
last official figures were compiled, the
corn crop was estimated at 75.5 per
cent. Since then the drought in the
middle west has taken on its most
serious phase and wrought it's greatest
damage.
Oats, it is estimated, will not yield
over 60 per cent, as against SIS per
cent last year. On Aug. 1 the percentage
was 1871 per cent, as against 90.3 per
cent over the corresponding period of
1912.
During the first five months of this
year 20 per cent less live stock was
slaughtered than during the first five
months of 1912. This decrease also oc-
erred before the drought, when feed
was plentiful.
Department Of agriculture officials
declared they saw no remedy to pre-
vent the approaching meat famine.
Sheep, hogs and cattle have greatly
decreased in number, and of this bal
ance, thousands are being rushed to
the market, with no demand.