Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-10-05
SWINE RAisERs GIVE
VIEWS OF PRICE AND
BREEDING PROBLEMS.

chot Oh pennsylvania, and E. {. La
safer Of Texas made addresses in
which they set forth the government
| attitude In It's plans for the winning
of the war by supplying food for this
country and its allies. Henry c. Wal
lace and Premier Norris of Canada,
also spoke and urged the necessity of
Mr. Hoover making an early state
inent of the food commissions program
concerning the production OF pork. The
| farmers want an immediate answer, so
they can nix minimum price for iioss
In accordance with the price of corh.
Tho shortage OF hogs at present is
about per cent, and the farmers have
been asked to increase their production
Is per cent, so that means that next
years production must be an increase
of "a per cent.
The following resolutions were
formed by a committee of seven
men appointed by Mr.. Wallace, and
they will be sent to Mr.. Hoover at
Washington:
Waterloo, Iowa, Oct. 3. 1917. Hon.
Herbert Hoover, U. S. Food Admini-
s,ra;or, Washington. d. Give rep
resentatire swine growers of corn belt,
aSStuioltu a. -" dlcEIOO.
Iowa, this third day Of October, 1917,
do hereby respectfully make the fol-
lowing recommendations. which we
consider vital to the early stimulation
Of pork production so essential to the
successful conduct and termination OF
the present war:
I've endorse the report made by
certain members OF the Live Stock In
dnstry committee to you on Sept IS,
1917. and respectfully urge that prompt
consideration be given same, followed
by definite action.
"2.--Notwithstandin the high price
Of hogs during the past six months, the
still higher price of grains has made
it Improbable to feed corn to hogs
and has caused the premature market
ing of a large number of breeding sows
and immature stock, thereby greatly
reducing the prospective meat supply.
The crop of pigs this year is at least
from 10 to 20 per cent less than last
year. The crop Of pigs this fall Is very
Tar below normal. The unsatisfactory
experience of hog growers this past
season has tended TO discourage an in
crease in the number OF sows bred
Sit is our opinion that no consid-
cradle increase in the number of hogs
next year can be hoped for unless hog
growers are assured that when their
hogs are finished sor market, they will
sell for enough to fully cover the cost
OF production and yield fair profit
in other words, that hog prices shall
meet President Wilson's definition of a
just price.
IRA frfn tzx,< hA M
administration that there exists a vital
necessity not merely for the mainten-
ance of normal hog production, but
for an Increase of Is per cent above
the normal during the coming year.
There is AT present q deficit in hogs in
the United States. as compared with
last year, of not less than 10 per cent:
the present tendency unless checked
promises further decrease Of at least
an equal percentage by the new year.
Immediate action Is therefore neces-
sary to meet the actual decrease,
cneck the prospective decline, and
stimulate the vitality needed Is per cent
increased production. Accordingly we
urge upon the food administration that
1t shall make such arrangements as
will assure to the producer now called
upon largely 20 increase his product
a price sufficient to cover the cost Of
production and a reasonable profit
this being the one way in which this
Increase can be secured.
we therefore propose that the food
administration, thru an appointed
commission of experienced men,
shall ascertain the cost OF production
OF hogs (Which production cost shall
cover the grain and other feeds
consumed. labor. interest, shelter.
and particularly the risk from dis
ease and death) these costs to be
measured in bushels of corn There
fore, We urge the food administra-
ton to establish the price of hogs,
same TO he based on the Chicago
market price tor cash corn during
the months In which it was consumed.
this price to be established monthly.
or preferably on the weekly basis, in
advance at the principal market CEN
ters.
TO stimulate the much increased
production appealed for, we most
earnestly emphasize that he equiv
alent value OF 100 pounds average live
hog In Chicago be equal to not less
than the value of fourteen bushels
80 III = snA during thn n,nrtha
previous to market. This ration Is
necessary and essential to secure the
much above normal pork production
so urgently asked for by the food ad-
ministration.
Attic We believe in normal times
that the general law OF supply and
demand should rule, yet in these emer-
ssncy days the results from the
normal working Of such natural
economic laws comes too slowly 10
meet the situation of scarcity Of
pork products. we understand that
minimum ratio OF fourteen to one
is to stimulate production at the
earliest possible moment by encour-
aging our people to feed their swine
for spring farrow. The ratio there
fore should apply to next springs
1918 crop. and should be applied
beginning Aug 1, 1918, when the
crop starts coming to market at
the age of months and over. There
fore, We further doubly emphasize
that the minimum ratio be established
at once, and be given the widest DOS
sible publicity before Nov. /, at which
tim the breeding season Is opened.
we believe that the only practical
means OF securing an Increased
amount of meats, particularly fats
for this winter will be for the food
administration to put into effect .
system OF differentiais by which a
liberal premium will be paid on I'm
isl1ed hogs over 225 pounds in weigl1t