Omaha daily bee., 1919-04-12
MEAT pR|CESTO
REMAIN HIGH,
IS PREDICTION
Packers Declare Shortage o.
/, Supply Prevents Reduc-
ton Until European Pro-
ductIon Gets Started.

Chicago, April ll.-The American
Meat Packers association. in ,
statement issued today, declares tina.
lower prices for meat may not be
expected until the war-stricken
countries of Europe are enabled to
resume their quota of production.
The statement reads in part:
THE situation today in the meat
industry is just about what Herbert
Hoover and other food administra-
ton officials said it would be, as far
back as the first of the year.
"That high prices are caused
largely by heavy demands rather
than any control aimed to stimulate
production has recently been illus
trated very clearly in the. case OF
hogs. When the minimum price
fixed for hogs was removed the food
administration predicted that the
prices might go still higher. The
prediction is now being verified.
Production Crippled.
"High prices will continue for a
long time. Each day THAI brings
final peace nearer means greater
call on this country for meat. The
supply of meat is dependent first
of all on the supply of live stock.
European herds have been reduced
by war. To that extent world pro-
duction of live stock is crippled.
Live stock on farms in the
United States at the beginning Of
this year exceeded the number at
the beginning of 1918 by 100000
cattle, 4,2l3,000 hogs and $4,000
sheep.
"But the armistice, instead of
having reduced the demand for
meat, has given US more than 200,-
100000 additional mouths to feed,
either wholly or in part. AS ship
ping becomes available, IN increas-
ing number of hungry nations will
be accessible for provisioning.
Big Shortage.
Great number Of meat animals
nave been dressed since the first of
the gear. Hogs are now coming
into American markets. in dwindling
quantities and in lesser numbers
than year ago. Yet pork prod
ucts must form large part
OF our exports. The price Of hogs
remains high.
Statistics now available as to the
effect of war On foreign herds indi-
cate that swine in Italy have de-
creased from 2,s08,000' in 1908 to
100000 in 1918; in France from
$4,000 in 1918 to 4,l68,000 in 1917;
in Germany, from 25,592,000 in 1918
to 12,000,000 in 1918; in the United
Kingdom, from 100000 in 1914 to
2,488,000 in 1918; in Denmark, from
$4,000 in 1914 to $4,000 in 1918,
and in the Netherlands, from $780,
900 in 1918 to 1,185,000 in 1917.
Germany Took Meat.
Germany sucked meat animals
out OF the countries she occupied,
according to Mr.. Hoover. Belgium
lost a third of her hogs and more
than three-fourths of her cattle.
Cattle decreased severely in many
other countries.
The numbers of liberated peoples
who were inaccessible before hostii-
tiles ceased, but who the United
States now will help to feed, include,
according to very recent statement
by Mr.. Hoover, nearly 100000 in
Belgium; 100000 in Poland; 49,
100000 in Czecho-Slovakia; 13,000,-
900 in Roumania; 100000 or 49,
100000 in Greater Siberia, and TO-
100000 in Finland, Armenia and
other countries.
This takes no account of the
food being sent into the central en-
pires in order to avert anarchy and
governmental insolvency.
United States Bears Brunt.
Mr.. Hoover estimates German
shipping around 20,000,000 tons.
This will gradually become avilable
for food cargoes. AS it does, a
larger and larger part of the de-
mand for food can be reached.
The brunt of meat export and
production will be borne by the
United States, South America and
Australia. Live stock in Argentina
has not increased as much as one
could wish. Australian herds, hurt
some time ago BY drought, are now
being replenished. Our own live
stock has not increased common
surately with foreign needs.
In countries where disorder is
now raging, there is tendency for
peasants not to market their prod
nets. The whole situation for some
time to come, then, probably will be
one in which the demand for live
>stock and its products greatly ex-
ceeds the supply.
This means that live stock will
continue to bring high prices.
Cheap bacon and cheap beef can
not be made from expensive hogs
and costly cattle, any more than
live stock can be raised cheaply on
high priced feed stuffs with ex-
pensive labor.
Low meat prices must wait until
European production is in good
swing again. Meanwhile, Ameri-
can farmers and packers can only
4 continue their strenuous efforts
and full cooperation with govern.
mental agencies, to keep produc-
ton at the maximum and prices al
he minimum possible"
The American Meat Packers as.
sociation is composed of the five
big Chicago packers and practically
all the leading independent packers
in the country.
Capturing Helmets