The Benson signal., 1917-08-25


ping becomes further shortened by con-
tinued submarine destruction, less ton
mage can be devoted to fodder, and fur
ther reduction of the herds must en-
| sue. These destructive forces have
| given rise to reactions in many direc-
tions. The worlds supply of meat and
! dairy products, of animal fats and in
dustrial fats, wool and hides, are all
involved not only now, but for far into
the future.
The immediate problem is to fur
nish increased meat supplies to the al
lies to maintain them during the war.
| An important factor contributing to the
| present situation lies in the disturb
! ance to the worlds trade by destruc-
ton of shipping resulting in throwing
a larger burden on North America, the
nearest market. Shipments from the
| Australasian, South American and
from the continental countries into the
| allied countries have been interfered
with. Their contributions must be re-
placed by increased shipments from
North America.
The growth of American meat ex-
ports since the war began, most Of
which have been supplied by allied ma
tions is revealed by the following fig
| ureS:
Three-year pre-war average, 493,-
S48,OOO pounds.
Year ending June 80, 1916, 1885,
10000 pounds.
The impact of European demand
upon our animal products will be
maintained for long period of years
after peace. We can contemplate a
high range Of prices, for meat and
for animal products for many years to
come. We must undertake to meet the
demand not only during the war, so as
to enable our allies to continue to fight,
but we must be prepared to meet the
demand after the war. Our herd can
not be increased in single night or
in single year. Our producers will
not only be working in their own ul-
innate interest in laying the founda-
tiOn of larger herds and fiOcks but
will serve our national interest and the
interest of humanity, for years to come,
if the best strains of young animals
are preserved. The increase in herds
can only be accomplished if we save
more of our rOughage and raise more
fodder grains. 1t is worth noting that
after the war Europe with lessened
herds will, pending their recuperation,
require less fodder and will therefore
produce more bread grains and i'm
port less of them, so that we can after
the war safely reduce our bread grain
production to increase our fodder. But
we must lay our foundation in the
meantime to increase our herds.
There is only one immediate solution
to the short supply of meat for ex-
port pending the increase in our herds
and fiocks which will take years. Dur
ing the course of the war, we can, just
as with the cereals, reduce the con-
sumption and eliminate the waste par
ticularly among those classes which
can best afford it. In the meantime, in
order to protect all of our people, we
must carefully control our meat ex-
ports in order that the people shall not
be denied this prime necessity of life.
Dairy Products.
The worlds dairy supplies are de-
creasing rapidly for two important rea-
sons. First, the dairy cattle of Eu-
rope are diminishing, for Europe is be-
ing driven to eat its cattle for meat /;
second, the diversion of labor to war
the shortage of shipping has limited
the amount Of imported fodder and
therefore the cattle which can be sup
ported and the productivity of the indi-
vidual COW have been reduced. Even
our own dairy supplies are not keeping
pace with our growth of population, for
our per capita milk supply has fallen
from 80 to Is gallons annually in the
past Is years. Yet today we must ship
increasing amounts of dairy products
to our allies.
The dairy supplies of the allies in
degree from western Scandinavia HOl-
land and Switzerland, but under Ger
man pressure these supplies are now
partly diverted to Germany. The men
under arms and the wounded must be
supplied with condensed milk in large
quantities. The net result of these
conditions, despite rigorous reduction
of consumption among the adults Of the
civil population in Europe, is that our
allies are still short of large quantities
and again the burden of the replace
ment Of this shortage must fall on
North America. The growing exports
of dairy products from the United
States to the allies are shown in the
following table:
| Three year Year ending
average. June 30,1913.
Butter ........ 4.457, 900 lbs. 13,487,C 600 lbs.
Cheese ........ 37SO.OOO lbs. 44,394 900 lbs.
Cond milk. IT. 792, 900 lbs. 159 SIT, 900 lbs.
The high price of fodder and meat in
the United States during the past few