Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-05-15
MEAT WILL NEVER
REACT To OLD PRICE,
MANLY DECLARES
Production VIII Barely Keep
Pace With Increase of Pop
uIation, Writer Says Follow
ing Investigation at Chicago
BY BASIL M. MANLY.

BY BASIL M. MANLY.
CHICAGO May ID have spent
today in Packinstown attempting to
discover the truth about the meat sit
uation.
win meat prices go back to the old
figures which fitted the average mans
pOckeubook or will they go even higher?
Is there an actual shortage or are the
American people victims of a hold-up?
Have we enough available meat to go
ahead with our normal consumption or
are we in for meatless DAYS? Have
high prices for meat reduced meat
consumption? How much meat is be-
ing shipped abroad and what kinds?
What is the hope for the future?
have talked to the best meat ex-
perts in the country. editors of meat
trade journals. representative cattle
men who are in. Chicago to sell live
stock, clearinghouse buyers and man.
ayers, and Chicago wholesalers and re-
tailers.
| wouldn't accept the statements OF
any one of these alleged authorities.
Each has his own business interests,
and however honest he may be, his
view of conditions is sure TO be biased.
The composite opinions of all these va
ried interests ought tobe somewhere
near truth. however
There are only two points on. which
these varied interests are in accord
The American people will never again
he able to eat in the care-free style of
the good old days when company din
ner without two kinds of meat was a
snide affair. nor will meat prices ever
go back again to the old levels. There
isn't enough meat now on the farms,
The ranges. and i'm the feeding yards to
supply the demand of the people who
are ready TO pay fancy prices for meat.
Some of the cattlemen think it will
be possible, under stimulus of present
high prices for stock on the hoof to
keep the supply up to the increase in
population, but that's all.
IF you are going to blame anybody
you will have to pick on old Dame
Nature, who provided that cattle, hogs,
and sheep should be able to increase
and multiply their kind only a little
faster than human beings. IF we could
plant cows like corn there might be a
way out: but we can't!
The limitation on increase has been
increased by Cattlemen. who specialized
on steers. which unfortunately don't re-
produce, because they brought the high
est price. and by the sale of calves,
lambs and young pigs. which went to
slaughter before they had a chance to
reproduce.
But you will have TO bear your share
of the blame for this-spring lamb and
veal always looked good to you, and you
were deaf to pleas of agricultural ex-
perts. who for ten years have proclaim
ed that unless we quit killing young
stock we would face shortage.
1t is a fact established by. official
statistics that our population increases
faster than our meat supply. This be-
ing the case there are just two ways
in which prices can be brought down
to anything like old levels-a decreas-
ed demand through general curtailment
of meat consumption. and the looping
off of any excess profits that may exist
in the business of meat production and
distribution.
Is the demand for meat decreasing?
Note first that we are now supplying
meat for almost the whole of the civil
lized world-Germany, Tibet, and Cen
trail Africa not coming within the def
milton of civilized. During the years
just preceding the war our exports of
meat had been constantly decreasing.
and it looked as if We might keep our
meat supplies up to our own population
increase and get back to the days of
2O-cent steak But fighting men don't
get results on the rations that had been
CONSIDERED EOOu enough LOT y
industrial workers. so we are back again
as big exporters. The indications are
that as long as there are ships, pur-
chasers for foreign consumption will
least by half I'm the last two years.
But all the figures available show
increase.
1t might be expected that with the
constant increase in the price of meat
American consumption would decrease.
Everybody knows families that have
cut down their meat consumption at
least that I'm spite of high prices Ameri-
cans. taken as whole, are eating more
meat now than ever before. Nobody
knows exactly what happened but in
dications are that high wages paid mu-
ntons workers have put large num-
Der Of people who before had been
eating only a little meat in position
where they could afford to buy all they
wanted
Whatever the cause, the fact remains
that in spite of high prices Ameri-
consumption, unless the government
takes a hand and establishes meatless
days or meat cards or some other dras-
tic ccheme.
Instead of increasing the supply, the
record prices for all kinds of live stock
now being paid at the stock yards are
actually working strongly to decrease
it. Farmer and cattlemen lured by the
high prices are sending to market
breeding cattle and young stock. Also
lean cattle which Should be fed until
they gain 200 or 500 pounds are going
to slaughter. It's the bird in the hand
and two in the bush The farmer is
going to get his while the getting is
good.
With these facts regarding decreased
supplies and increased demand before
us. we may as well give up any hope of
lower meat prices through the workings
Of the law of supply and demand. 1t
cant happen.
The fact remains. however. that the
only possible hope of meat prices with
I'm the reach of the common people lies
i'm complete government control over
the meat industry from the time the
animal leaves the range or feeding yard
until il reaches the consumer. This is
not my conclusion alone-it has the
backing Of no less an authority than !.
ogden Armour. who has suggested that
during the war the federal government
should assume control OF the entire in
dustry
la irnoh In Tha RUH