Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-09-08
MOVE TO FORBID
CALF SLAUGHTER
Bill Presented in. Congress to
Make Two Years Minimum
Killing Age.

Washington, Sept S.-A phase of
the high cost of living problem is to
come before congress in a bin which
Representative Britten of Chicago in
troduced today. Mr.. Britten, aims to
restore to the American his diet of
good red beef The bill prohibits the
killing and interstate shipment for
slaughter of beef cattle under 2 years
of age.
In discussing his bill, Mr.. Britten
said he has found:
That out of every thousand beef cat
tie born in the United States only a
very small number are actually
brought to maturity.
That cattle raisers and dairymen
generally are selling their very young
calves and as consequence the beef
producing cattle of the nation are
threatened with determination. The
beef supply of the future is being so
alarmingly curtailed as to become a
distinct menace.
Beef, which ten years ago." said
Mr.. Britten, was the foundation OF
the ample meal eagerly looked for
ward to by every wage Garner, arti-
san and business man at the end OF
hard days labor, has today become
such a luxury that it can only be
thought of by the man of moderate
| income as the piece de resistance OF
the Sunday dinner or the special dish
for gala occasion. Something must
be done to conserve this important
| food supply, or the people of the
country, instead of eating meat once
day, where their fathers ate it fol-
| breakfast, luncheon and dinner, will
eat meat but once a week as they dc
abroad and horse flesh may become e
delicacy for the poor.
'The price Of meat cannot go VI
forever and some provision must be
made for continued supply of beef
The conservation of calves is one o.
the answers to the problem and a law
must be passed melting out punish
ment for their destruction.
When you see a little, new borI
calf staggering on its thin, weak leg
in the field, you see in front of you
the possibility of 1,400 pounds of goo'
meat. But the calf is killed and II
place of 1,400 pounds of good meat
two years from now, you have few
pounds of bad veal scarcely fit 70
anyone to eat.
THE number of calves slaughtere
has increased 100 per cent in the las
ten years. During 1911 there wer
slaughtered 100000 calves, weighin
$50, 100000 pounds. If my bill ha
been law at that time and thes
100000 calves had been allowed t
live for two years and allowing lao
: pounds as an average weight for
2-year-old COW or steer, they woul
have produced 11,2OO,OO0.00O pound
Of beef to supply the scarcity we nov
feel.
> Argentina and other South Amel
lean countries are now shipping quar-
titles into the United States. The
have plenty of cattle for sale and wi
Why? Because in these countries til
killing of COW under z years of ag
: is forbidden by law.
/ There were 51,500,000 head of BET
cattle in this country Jan. l, 100
i while at the beginning of the preser
r year there were but 36,000,000.
these figures it is easy to see the e
D feet the enormous slaughter Of calve
: has had upon the beef industry {
r the United States.
Personally l am of the opinion tn;
J. the time is near at hand when ii
e government will offer a premium c
the importation of Mexican and Can
k dian cattle to be fattened for mark
e in this country"