Arizona republican., 1918-02-24

production of livestock under existing conditions
 :. The inability of transporting live stock to market at proper time of ship ment.
 If I am correct in the foregoing analysis, it would seem to me that the department of agriculture and the food administration, working in the closest cooperation, should promptly agree on | a clearly defined national livestock policy based ;s follows:
 A carefully prepared detailed esti mate of the probable needs, including amount and class of livestock products for the ensuing year.
 Sound economic principles which would put us in a position to meet the | critical readjustment period which is bound to follow the conclusion of this 1 war.
 "A recognition of the facts that to Win the war the producers of the country must be maintained on a pros porous basis. All waste in distribution must be eliminated, manipulation and speculation at the central markets stopped, and plan outlined for sim pifying the present excessive costs in retail distribution which form so large a share of the price of meat products to the consumer.
 Such comprehensive policy should, in my judgment, cover a period from the birth of the calf on the range or the farm until the finished product reaches the mess tent at the front or the table of the civilian.
 It occurs to me that such a policy might be worked out along the fol- lowing lines:
 Inc T a small commission representing vari- ous branches of the livestock indus try. composed of level headed men of practical experience known for their patriotism and with records of real public service, who should be given definite power to promptly investigate the present unsatisfactory situation and recommend without delay con- structive remedies.
 7. The definite policy which such commission would be instructed to work out should probably include the following:
 Ca) An investigation of range con- dltlons, which l believe would show the desirability of putting the public grazing lands under federal contro similar to that existing on the ma tional forests, thus greatly increasing eiiOii pi OuuCtlOI value. (b) prompt investigation and . fair adjustment of the present abnor.
 maly high prices of stock feeds. (c) A consideration of whether tn, prices of livestock products now main. tained by the food administration were sufficiently>[emunerative to encourage the producer to continue and increas, production.
 (d) A definite effort in CO., operation With the department of labor to fur nlsh an adequate supply of agriculture labor at reasonable prices. (e) An investigation of the desir ability of adopting a standard type a
 beef carcass for the use of our allies and the army and navy, toward whicl standard feeders could plsn in thei operations.
 d) A consideration of the desir aplllty of establishing in the larger cit les of the country public retail market, under government control, where tn,
 consumers would have the opportunit, of buying wholesome meats at slaught erlng cost plus a small profit. tg) A study by trained men of th
 transportation needs of the livestocl industry that plan might be evolve, 10 supply cars at the time of aetna need
 Personally. I feel that the livestocl
 producers of this country should rec
 ognize clearly that the time has com t9 bring about more complete co 7 operation between the producer and tn consumer. In other words. that tn
 producer must do some of his thinkin
 Tn the language of the consumer. I be
 lieve that we must all tighten our belt
 and get behind the government in determined spirit of patriotic service
 that we may back up our boys at tn
 front to the limit and thus do our fu
 share to win this war.
 Yours sincerely, DWIGHT B. HEARD
 Tn our work in Washington in con
 nection with a constructive nationa
 livestock policy, we were everywher
 met with helpful cooperative spiri
 from the president down. I think tha
 Is largely due to the fact that whil
 we recognized that the situation wa
 not good. we had something definit, practical and constructive to offer i