The Cordova daily times. [volume] (Cordova, Alaska) 1914-1947, 1918-02-05
ARE
COOPERATING
WITH HOOVER
(By Associated Press)

date neeu or broader neld for dis
posal of beef, mutton and lamb, If pro-
duction of those meats is not to be
reduced, was asserted in the report of
the market committee of the American
Live Stock Association, presented to
the twenty-frst annual meeting of that
body here recently.
The report praised the food admin
istration, commended David +. Hous-
ton, secretary of agriculture, for his
efforts to prevent speculation in nee
essaries due to the war, and gave
hearty approval TO the federal food
investigation now being carried on by
the federal trade commission, with
special reference to meat. f. L. Burke
of Omaha, Neb., chairman of the com
mittee, read the report.
The recommendations of the com
mittee were that the work it had COM
mended be prosecuted vigorously, that
the incoming market committee bear
in mind existing war conditions and
"omit no act that will help win the
war: that the same powers be given
the new committee as those of the re-
firing one, and several technical pro-
posals.
Listing accomplishments of the
committee, the report said:
ut secured the investigation of the
packers by the federal trade commits
sion assisted by the department of ag-
riculture. The committee furnished
the federal trade commission with sug
! gestions and assistance.
1.-The committee, assisted by G. F,
| Wattles, federal food administrator for
Nebraska, secured withdrawal of a
| schedule of commissions at South
Omaha which advanced prices for sell
ing amounting to 25 per cent on cattle,
A per cent on hogs and as much as so
per cent on sheep. The increase for
South Omaha alone, If it had been al
lowed to stand, would have amounted
/ to more than $45O,OO0 per annum,
based on 1916 receipts. Other eX-
/ changes would no doubt have followed
suit had South Omaha proved success
full. The saving alone to the live stock
interests of the country in this matter
alone would run into millions"
The committee urged every cooper
alton between stock raisers and the
food administration, and recommend
! ed that all the members of the asso-
citation take a hearty interest in the
progress of the meat investigation To
provide finances for work in support
of this inquiry it suggested that volun-
tary subscriptions be taken, the former
plan of assessing members of sub
sidiary stockmen's association half
cent for each head of stock they own
having proved unsuccessful"
Concerning the licenses OF packers,
recently put into effect by the govern
ment the report said this action was
what we have wanted for years" A
close relation, it asserted, should be
maintained between prices of live
stock ION foot" and dressed" 1t
continued: Big declines in prices
on foot should be reflected promptly
in corresponding declines in wholesale
prices of meat"
There seems to be something wrong
in the operation of this very simple
principle. 1t is one of the important
things which should be checked at
/ frequent intervals.
Summarizing market conditions, the
report said there was a tremendous
shortage of hogs, moderate shortage
of sheep and liberal supplies of cattle
in the United States. There is no dan
ger of any other country invading the
American stockmans market for some
time to come, owing to shipping short
ages, it went on, and there are unusu-
ally large numbers of sheep and cattle
in feed lots and liberal receipts of fat
cattle and lambs at cOngested markets,
which are selling at heavy losses to
producers" 1t added:
"Curtailment in domestic consump-
ton of meat on patriotic and econom-
ical grounds, the limited exports of
! beef, owing to the lack of shipping IA
j. cilities, and the growing danger that
producers of beef and mutton will be-
come discouraged on account of heavy
losses and lose faith in the represen-
tations of the food administration and
curtail production next season
There is need of prompt action on
the part of the food administration to
avert this
There is need also, the report said,
of a better understanding of producers
problems and a more sympathetic at
titude on the part of the public toward
them.
The report presented a mass of fig