The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-05-20
CONSERVE MEAT SUPPLY
BY SAVING CALVES
Drastic Regulations Proposed 10 Keep
Youn: Cattle From Butte hers
Knives.
s,oeO, 1000 KILLED YEAR
Had They Been Allowed tn Come &
Full size, They Would Have Given
Country Six Billion Pounds More
Meat.

Washington. May Is,-An alarming
shortage in the nation < supply OF
beef, declared by the government eN-
perts to lee far shor, Of wartime
needs caused the administration Is
so before congress today, seclid- i'm
mediate passage Of drastic war meas
ures 70 prohibit the ruthless s.a4G2-
ter of young beef cattle. Reprcsan-
tat'Ye Fret y Br.tten 81 chicago.
after conference NTH Secretary D.
Agriculture Houston and hts aides. In
treduceH the house bill fogo!ddtug
under severe penalt, he daughter OK
female cattle under six years II aS'
and male cattle under orc year IF
aEo. The measure wJu'a increase
the countrys supply of beef ut least
100000 pounds day. according 10
NrefL calculations made by The lee
pa.tmcnt ui aeri tulturu.
President Wilson and his spokesman
IN Aata -a!dG+-a4f- tAa-Lap4 tol--h eartlI+
supporting the proposal were ready
TO urge the enactment Of the bill at
tho earliest possible date. Latest data
showing present supplies Of meat to
be low and figures relating To tho
possibly lower output In the next year
were laid before the house Interstate
commerce committee, TO which Rep
reseAtatlyo Brstten,a bill was referr d.,
Chairman Adaarson. OF tho commit
tee. Indicated that he would 1T once
call upon Secretary Of Agriculture
Houston fer full report. Secretary
Houston, who sponsored the measure
before the council ~ national defense.
IS prepared to submit without delay
an exhaustive reply, experimenting his
report with focts and figures collect
ed BY his fold agents. This data fur
nishoz convincing evidence that
"meatless days VIII bc the lot Of the
whole country within few months
unless the rigid prohibitions mase Ct
fective by the Britten hiH are author
lzed by congress. \ favorable report
from the house committee Is expected.
Excludes baby Beevcs"
Representative Bgttens bin is
sweeping in Its terms, but specifically
excludes male cattle weighing moro
than six hundred pounds, commonly
designated baby beeves.
Tho real intent OF the measure Is
to prevent absolutely the killing Of
young cattle before they attain full
size
~ ne baNy beer industry SnoNta De
encouraged. as also should the pro-
lection 81 female cattle. whose period
of maximum productivity is between
the ages Of FIVE and six years" said
} Mr. Britten.
with the decrease Of cattle and
sheep, 1t is but a question of time
when onlv the rich and the war-taN
dodger can enjoy beefsteai. Ny fig
pres, based upon government tabu-
lations. show that there are 100000
less beef cattle in tho United state.
( TO-DAY than there were ten years ego
"hre beef cattle numbered 72.534,
600 head. Eight million calves were
killed Inst wear If these calves hat
{ been allowed to grow into beef. the,
would have produced 5000. 900, o0'
moro pounds Of beef than we have to
, day. Farther than this, we must con
slider the by-products. IF tho CalVe
o are allowed TO attain full growth. ou'
\ supply of hides and leather will b.
greatly increased"
g The packing interests Of the We7
and Middle West are understood e
have endorsed the Britton- measure