The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1918-12-11

Industry to consider the situation in til
The conference lasted for three d
executive committee Of the fifty packil
for pork products and With the membe
foreign pork purchases.
The conclusions Of the conference
The entire marketing situation has
90 changed since the September. joint
conference as to necessitate an entire
alteration in the plans Of price staDi-
lization. The current peace talk a
alarmed the, holders Of corn. and there
has been a price decline of from 70
cents to 40 cents per bushel. The fact
that the accumulations of low priced
corn in the Argentine and South Afri,
ca would. upon the advent OF peace
and liberated shipping, become avatla-
BILE to the European market has RI
ated a great deal of apprehension on
the part of corn holders. This decline
has spread fear among swine growers
that a similar reduction In the prices
of hogs would naturally follow. More
over, the lower range Of corn prices
would, II Incorporated in a 13-to-1 ra'
tho. obviously result in a continuously
falling price for live hogs. In view
Of these changed conditions many
swine producers anticipated lower
prices and az q result rushed theil
hogs to market In LARGE numbers, and
this overshipment has added to and
aggravated the decline.
The information of the Department
Of Agriculture indicates that the sup.
ply Of hogs has Increased about 8 pet
cent, while the highest unofficial esti.
mate does not exceed Is per cent. in
creased production over last year. On
the other hand, the arrival Of hogs
during the last three weeks In the
seven great markets has been u pei
cent more than last year, during the
corresponding period, demonstrating
the unusually heavy marketing of the
available supply. In the face Of the
excessive receipts some. packers have
not maintained the price agreed last
month. On the other hand, many
Of the packers have paid over the
price offered to them in an endeavol
to maintain the agreed price. The re
suit in any event has been a failure
to maintain the October price basis
determined upon at the September con
terence and undertaken by the pack
ers. Another factor contributing tc
the break In prices during the month
has been the influenza epidemic; II
has sharply curtailed consumption Of
pork products and temporarily de
creased the labor staff Of the packers
about Is per cent.
The exports Of 13O,OO0,OO0 pounds
OF pork products for October com
pared with about 100000 pounds
in October a year ago, n the
export orders placeable by the Foot
Administration for November. amount
to 10000 900 pounds as contrast
ed with the lesser exports o.
9aOOO,OOO for November, 1917. Thu
Increased demands Of the allies art
continuing, and are in themselves
proof of the necessity for the large
production for which the Food Admin
filtration asked. The increase In ex
mort demands appears to be amply
suf1cient to take up the Increase II
hog product III, but u~nfavorable mar
ket conditions existing In OCTOBER az
ford no fair index Of the aggregate
supply and demand.
It must be evident that the enor
mous shortage in fats In the Contra
Emnires and neutral countries woul'
Immediately upon peace result In ad
.ditiona} demands for pork product
which. on top Of the heavy shipment
to the Allies, would tend materlali.
to Increase the American exports. In
.smuch as no considerable reservoir 0
,n,nplies exists outside of the Unite'
States. It seems probable that tn
,present prospective supplies would b.
~.inadenuate to meet this world deman'
with the, return to peace. So far as !
ES DOSSlDle " AutSAPASS
pears that there should be wen
stronger demand for pork product
after the war, and therefore any alarm
Of hog producers as to the effect o
is unwarranted by the outlook.
In the light of these circumstance
II is the conclusion Of the conferenc
that attempts to hold the price OF hog
to the price Of corn may work out t
the disadvantage Of pork producers
It is the conclusion that any interpre
tation of the formula should be
broad gagged policy applied over
long period. 1t Is the opinion OF tn
conference that in substitution OF tn
previous plans Of sterilization tn
live Stock Subcommittee of the Ayr
cultural Advisory Board, together wit
the specially invited swine represents
e should accept the Invitation Q
the Food Administration to join wit
the Administration and the packers
determining the prices at which COZ
trolled export orders are to be place.
This will be regularly done. The II
finance NJ these orders will be directe