The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-07-09
The Departme of Agriculture is- sues the following statement:

The Departm ent of Agriculture is
 sues the following statement: With meat prices to the consumer so high that he is denying himself, and with the prices for livestock, es- pecially beef and lambs, so low to the producer that he is actually loos- ing money, the Nation is confronted with grave problem which requires solution if we are not to suffer a de- cline in the live stock industry. It Is an anomalous situation. The Department has endeavored to in- form itself the subject, and after conference with Senators and num- bers of the House who represent live stock producing regions and who also feel deep concern for the wei fare of consumers, deems it import ant to give the public certain out standing facts. which may be summar- ized as follows:
 There Is no longer need for meat conservation. The supply is plentiful, and patriotic citizens may freely dis regard the neat-sav1ng placards which arc still displayed at many eat ing places.
 Europe needs our surplus pork, but it Is filling it's beef requirements by importations from South America and Australia. Prices of beef cattle have fallen sharply since March 1 on account of the stoppage of eE- ports for Army use, and a slack de- mand for beef at home, due to the continuation of beef conservation un- der the mistaken idea tha+ such con servation Is still necessary to feed the people of Europe, beef producers and lamb producers who sell their prod . ucts at this time are confronted with the danger of heavy financial losses which would tend to restrict pro- duction and cause a. serious short age in the future.
 The United States will never have a satisfactory and permanent solu ton of the problem until the nanu facture sale and distribution of meat products are officially supervised by authorized agents of the Government, working in cooperation with state and municipal authorities, whose only aim Is to serve the public at large and not any particular class When the Federal Government is enabled by law to maintain a just supervision
 over the meat producing industry that will prevent unfair dealings, speculation and profiteering, by fur nishing the public from an unim- peacha ble source all the facts with re- gard to the industry, and when the
  by law to exercise similar supervi- sion over intrasate and local business, 1 then only can we expect to have fair l and stable markets in which producer | and consumer alike will have square | deal.
 Beef Industry Crisis.
 Some of the particulars of the sit uatfo4a are follows:
 | The beef industry in the United C4o4 | For a decade before the outbreak of
 war In Europe farmers and ranchmen | had been urged to increase beef cat tie production because the industry l was not keeping pace with the growth of population. The lowest ebb in l production was reached in the fis- ! cal year ended June 30, 1914, when | we practically ceased to have fresh l dressed beef for export, but began | to import 1t from the Southern Hem ! isphere. The campaign for increased production began to bear fruit with | the outbreak of the war and beef again gained in volume in our exports. l Price rose and farmers were en- l couraged to expand their beef-mak- | ing operations. With the entrance of the United States into the war a wig orous and successful effort was made to increase the supply of meat for our Army. especially beef by civil ian self-denial. Hotels and .estaurants at the request of the Government, re- duced the size of their beef portions and regularly left beef off their men us. Private families by thousands did likewise. Farmers and ranchmen ex- erted themselves to their utmost at great risk in order that our soldiers and sailors could have the best food that skill and loving care could pro- duce. The result Is history. From an export of beef and beef products of 51.0o0,0o0 pounds in 1914, we ex- ported 5s0,oOo,00O pounds of beef and beef products in 191talmost equalling the great surplus of 1901, when our population was 35,O00,O00 people less than now. The exports of 1918 were treble the three-year pre- war average
 The war is over In little while
 the presence of American soldiers in . Europe will be a memory of noble sacrifices. We must not forget that the principal use or the beef which we shippd overseas in such quantity was for the m>n in uniform. Europe, | lrt o. 1