Omaha daily bee., 1919-07-05
Federal Supervision of Pack
ing and Sale Only Remedy
for Extreme High Prices
to Consumers, Say Officials.
NECESSITY FOR SAVING
NO LONGER IMPERATIVE
Survey Shows That High
Prices Are Not Justified by
Wholesale Conditions; Rates
to Producers Have Declined.

Washington, July 4.-Federal ST.
pervision of the packing, sale and
distribution of meat products was
declared by the department. of agri-
culture to be the only solution for
the present situation in which meat
prices to the consumer are so high
that he is denying himself and in
which prices for live stock, especial
ly beef and lambs, are SO low that
the producer is losing money.
The department emphasized that
Save food" signs should now be
disregarded as to meat, especially
beef and wheat products.
Faced by the largest wheat crop
on record and with many cattle
raised in response to the, demand
for meat production for the army
now maturing, the American people,
the department asserted, must real
ize that no necessity for conserva-
ton of such foods any longer exists.
Retail Prices Excessive.
A survey of the meat price situa-
ton, the department said, reveals
that the excessive retail prices now
existing are not justified by whole
sale quotations. Prices to the pro-
ducers have declined since the war,
it was said, but prices paid by the
consumer have not materially less
ened. The only solution, the de-
partment believes, is more strict
federal supervision.
The entire meat situation, based
on conferences with senator's and
Representative from live stock pro-
ducing regions was summarized by
the departme as follows:
There is no longer need for meat
conservation. The supply is plenti-
full, and patriotic citizens may freely
disregard the meat-saving placards
which are still displayed at many
eating places.
Europe needs our surplus pork,
but is filling its beef requirements
by importations from South Amer
lea and Australia. Prices of beef
cattle have fallen sharply since
March on account of the stoppage
of exports for army use and slack
demand for beef at home, due to the
continuation of beef necessary to
feed the people of Europe. Beef
producers and lamb producers who
sell their products at this time are
confronted with the danger of heavy
financial losses which would tend
to restrict production and cause seri-
Gus shortage in future.
Only One Solution.
The United States will never have
a satisfactory permanent solution
of the problem until the manu-
facture and sale and distribution Of
meat products are officially super
vised by authorized agents of the
government working in cooperation
with the state and municiple author
tiles 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 furnishing the
public all the facts with regard to
the industry and when the states
and municiple interests are enabled
by law to exercise similar supervi-
sion over Interstate and local bus
mess, then only can we expect to
have fair and stable markets in
which producer and consumer alike
will have a square deal" -