Omaha daily bee., 1917-12-27
WHY j. s. AIDS HOGS
AND NOT THE OTHERS
Food Administrator Says Gov.
ernment is Buying 20
Per Cent Of Pork
Output.

Under the control OF the federal
food administration the government
buys 20 per cent of the hog output
of the country, while it buys less than
5 per cent of the beef output, and
still smaller per cent OF the mutton
output.
This is one Of the reasons why the
government felt obliged to lend spe-
cial encouragement to the production
of pork, and to establish minimum
price for next years hogs.
Breeders of sheep and cattle have
on several occasions complained of
the fact that the food administration
has thus encouraged the growing Of
hogs, and has left the growing Of
cattle and sheep to work out its own
salvation. These complaints have
been forwarded to Washington by
Nebraska Food Administrator Wat
ties and food administrators Of other
sheep and cattles states as a matter
of record. In reply, Melvin Green Of
the meat division OF the federal food
administration has made the follow
ing explanation of the meat situation:
Your telegram in regard to the sheep
and beef situation has been handed to me
for reply The difficulty OF the sheep mems
position is appreciated by the food ad-
.I..I. aLzln Nl.A - .,lN
II no doubt seems unfair to encourage the
pork industry and leave out sheep and beef.
Let me give the following points in ex-
PLANTATION; many of which are, of course,
already known to you:
l. The food administration was created
to help win the war, and its entire effort
is with that end In view. Now, the war
situation demands more fats, and hog pro-
duction had to he encouraged. In Wiscon-
sin hogs had decreased 20 per cent, while
cattle and sheep had rema ined stationary,
and the same condition was approximately
true OF the United States as a whole. Hogs
were taken up. not primarily for the benefit
Of hog raisers, but to carry on the war sue
cessfully.
.. The law creating the food admlnlstrs-
ton gives no power to fix prices. But 1t
does put the buying Of supplies for the army.
navy, Red Cross. allies and neutrals in our
control. We buy 20 per cent Of the hog
output, and this is a large enough proper
ton of the whole TO give US what almost
amounts to an abality TO establish . price
guarantee policy on hogs, On the other
hand, we buy less than per cent Of the
beef output. and considerably less still of
mutton This Is not large enough per
centage to give us any Influence on the
prices of these commodities.
s. There Is bill now on the way in
congress, giving the president power to
regulate and stabaze prices Of necessary
commodities, including beef and mutton.
Until this becomes law, the food ad
ministration can do nothing here, even
though war policy demanded action.
l. Feeds will soon be regulated and prices
REDUCED under powers which we now have
under the law putting milling under license.
This will help you somewhat
s. Sheep men who have wool for sale
find some help in the enormous prices they
receive for 1t.
e. II Is certain that prices OF all live
stock including cattle and sheep, will re-
main on a high level for years after the
war. while grains and feeds will be much
lower. Thus the farsighted stockman will
be he who carries his breeding stock
through any temporary difficulties and Is
on hand with the goods" TO take ad-
vantage OF coming favorable market con-
ditions.