The Benson signal., 1918-04-27
American Meat Restrictions Be-
Iaxed to Effect Greater
Wheat Savings.
ARGENTINE ARRIVALS SHORT.
Meat Supply Here Considerably En-
Iarged Food Administration.
However, Warns Against
Waste. -

LneSe enlarged ueInanuS DelHS CduSeu
to some degree by shortage in arrivals
from the Argentine. 1t is, therefore,
necessary for the U. S. Food Admins
tration to urge a still further reduction
in the consumption Of bread and bread
stuffs generally if we are to meet our
export necessities The Food Admin
istration has issued statement ex-
planning the Situa tion in detail partic-
ularly the reasons which lead it, for
the purpose of centering effort for the
time being upon the cereal situation
to relax temporarily the restrictions Oh
meat consumption.
Experience shows this statement
says. that the consumption Of bread
Stutfs is intimately associated with the
consumption Of meat. For various
reasons our supplies of meat for the
next TWO or three months are cOnSid-
erably enlarged, and we can supply the
allies with all of the meat products
which transportation facilities render
possible and at thc same time some
what increase our own consumption.
In these circumstances the Food Ad-
miniStrati0n considers it wise to relax
the voluntary restrictions on meat con
sumption to some extent with view
to further decreasing bread conSump-
ton.
justed to meet necessities from time to
time. for neither production, nor al
lied demands are constant factors. nor
can any of these factors be anticipated
for long periods in advance in the dis
turbed conditions in which we 1T pres
ent live While the world situation is
not one thai warrants any relaxation
in the efforts to elm, nate waste or to
relax economy in food, the Admins
tratiOn desires TO secure better adjust
ment In food balances
SO long as the present conditions
continue the only special restrictions
we ask are the beetless and porkless
Tuesday.
The mcatlcss meal and the porkless
Saturday are no longer asked
The farmers Of the United States
are responding to the national call to
increase hog production. Their in
crease, to all appearances, is being at
tanned more rapidly. Of more imme-
diate importance, however, are several
complex factors which have effected
all immediate increase in meat sup
plies.
The transportation shortage before
the government took over the rail
roads, the bad weather in January and
early in February, the large percent
age of immature corn in the last har-
vest and the necessity Of feeding this
corn as rapidly as possible to save it
from decay. have not only resulted In
backing up the animals-particularly
hogs--on the farms for a longer Pc
riod of feeding, but have resulted in
great increase in their average weight
and will result, with improved trans
portatiOn conditions, which already ap-
pear, in larger than normal arrivals at
market for the next two or three
months The weight Of hogs coming
to the market for the past two weeks
indicates an increase In weight Of
from an average Of 203 pounds last
year to the almost unprecedented
average Of 232 pounds, or a net in
crease in their meat value Of over Is
per cent. This Is a distinct addition
TO the nations meat supply. 1t there
fore now seems certain That we have
such enlarged supplies for at least
some months to come, that we can not
only Increase our exports to the allies
to the full extent Of their transporta-
tion facilities, but at the same time
can properly increase our domestic
consumption.
The response of the public to our re-
quests for reduced consumption Of
meat during the past few months has
been most gratifying, and this service
alone has enabled the government dur
ing this period to provide such sup
plies as transportation to the allies
permitted.
The Administration also suggests
that in those parts of the country
where the old fashioned home preser-
yation Of pork is still the custom, this
practice should be extended at the
present time, as 1t Will relieve the bur
den upon transportation 10 and from
the packing houses and is economical
ly sound as saving the cost of packing
opera tons and at the same time will
provide home supplies Of pork to last
over the months of decreased supplies.
The Food Administration desires to
repeat that il does. uO1 want TO give
the impression that these are times
when simplicity and moderation Of liv-
ing are not critically necessary, but
that its sole desire is to secure an ad-
jrstment between our different food
supplies d I'd meet changing conditions
from time TO time and TO keep the pub
lie fully and frankly advised of it's
position with the full confidence aud
reliance that whenever it becomes nee
essary renewed appeals for saving viii