South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-12-28
AGRICULTURE
World Still Needs American
Foodstufs; Exchange a
Barrier - Packers Relin-
quishment Of Stockyards
Important to Producers.
The prices paid for grain and live

The prices paid for grain and live
stock. declining below war levels i'm
,ome instances. while other COM
modify prices rose. have been a sub
jet OF grave concern 20 the farm
ers.
with the depletion Of herds, ac-
companies by decrease in the per
capita consumption OF beef and q
general downward movement IN
meat prices affecting hogs most
radically, widespread fears are en-
tertained as TO the future OF the
live stock IN iustry. While opinions
differ. the statement has been made
repeatedly that recent cattle and
hog quotations did not meet cost
of production. and BY eliminating
profit. would remove the normal in
cenuve 90 engage ia animal hus-
bancry.
More recently the advancing price
of corn has discouraged feeding and
and helped 20 flood the markets
with hogs and Hl-fattened cattle.
wnereupOn prices touched new low
points for the season. Yet prevail
ing wages and the inflated condition
Of all commodity prices suggest the
maintenance OF food products on a
corresponding level. No alternative
seems just.
Now comes Herbert Hoover with
assurance that European demand,
long a sustaining factor, is still op
erative on a large scale. Millions
viii star-ye unless they receive food
and the entire worlds crop surplus
as now estimated. is no more than
adequate 70 feed comfortably the
nations which have not yet recover
cd from the devastating sweep Of
war. The heavy buying Of wheat,
oats. rye and barley for expert is
significant and confirms the former
food administrator warning
America has no very unusual sur
sNAus from any crop this year. al
though money values were higher.
Winter wheat acreage for 1920 is
estimated as 100000 acres less
than last year in the absence of the
government guarantee and under
recommendation that a smaller
acreage be sown- The rye acreage
is also less. Condition on Dec. l
stood four per cent below the 10
year average. InrOads Of the Hes
sian fly. which constitutes a Serious
menace 20 the 1920 wheat crop, are
reported from every state in the
winter wheat belt IF good rains
are lacking next spring. the fly may
do very great damage. a scarcity
OF seed likewise threatens 10 reduce
the acreage of spring wheat. Eighty
million bushels of the total north
west crop Of $4,000. 600 bushels has
already passed into consumption.
>Itesort TO Canada may be necessary.
Ten month ago European needs
were named a. an Hl-important fac
TOR iu the grain and love stock mar
kets For "a time this Importance
steadily diminished. Now il pre-
SCENTS a different aspect The only
bar TO liberal exports is exchange.
Hoover would have the Grain cor
porltion extend credit TO Finland,
Austria and Poland without stint
The Edge bill has passed, and gem
eral credits may be available.
All things considered II seems
MlINlrf 10 NNUu N4lf' lllttA nets at
prices which many think are maxi
mum. hut which may prove other
wise. France Will need S47,O0O.0 0O
bushels of wheat this year And so
it goes At least part OF the de-
preston which foodstum prices
have suffered is due 20 artificial
rather than natural causes. and a
reaction is not improbable Hogs
are. perhaps, the exception.
The packers decision TO abandon
various subsidiary lines has genuine
Importance for livestock producers
and farmers generally. The pack
ers control over stock yards and
warehouses has led 20 Unfair prac-
ices on more than one occasion
and tended 20 stiie legitimate com
petition The packers should be
less factor henceforth i'm price
fluctuations.
The decision = important TO the
farmer as a consumer as well as "a
producer. BY this concentration OF
energy tho packers will confirm
their hold upon the meat industry.
General grocery prices are apt TO
rise. now the keenest element of
competition has been eliminated.