The Coconino sun., 1920-09-17
GOVERNMENTS REPLY TO
 MUTTON EMBARGO AFFAIR

III TeSpOnSe to letCer rom MT. M.
 J. Riordan, in last weeks Sun, asking
 what results were obtained from the
 resolution passed at the recent stock
 mems convention in Flagstaff, calling
 upon the president to place an em-
 bargo on the importation of frozen
 mutton from New Zealand, Fred w.
 Perkins, secretary of the Arizona
 Wool Growers association, has shown The Sun letter recently received from the department of agriculture at Washington, which says
 Your telegram of July Fist to the president, transmitting the resolution of the joint convention of the Arizona Cattle Growers and Arizona Wool Growers requesting the president "to cause to be declared through the proper governmental agency an em- bargo on all further foreign importa- tions of cattle or beef or wool and lamb or mutton", has been referred to this department.
 1.-The department of agriculture, of course, is deeply interested in all mat ters relating to the production and marketing of agricultural products and has observed with much concern the present depression in the market for live stock and wool. It fully ap- preciates the difficulties confronting the producers and it stands ready to do everything feasible, within the lim- 1t of it's powers, to aid in relieving the situation. The remedy proposed in the resolution, however, raises certain questions regarding the foreign trade policy of the country which are of far reaching importance and which should receive thorough consideration before any action is taken.
 While such an embargo as that proposed might result in temporary benefit to the sheep growers of the country, and perhaps in a more limit ed way to the cattle growers, it un- doubtedly would result in great injury to other branches of our live stock in dustry and to other lines of agricul- ture. It would certainly meet with protests from the countries affected, and result in retaliatory restrictions upon exports of our agricultural and other products to some of our best markets.
 "The importations referred to in your telegram are principally from Great Britain and her colonies, the ul- innate source of supply being Aus tralia and New Zealand. Great Brit ain is the best market for number of our principal agricultural products, including wheat and wheat flour, in which Canada and Australia are vigor- ous competitors, and is one of our principal outlets for pork products, in which Canada is competitor. If temporary embargo were now placed upon the importation of meats and wool, there would probably be a de- mand on the part of the British col onies for retaliatory action, and. it might result in permanent restnc- tions on the exports of some of our principal products, such as would be a serious blow to large part of our agricultural industry. It is perhaps reasonably certain that the colonies would themselves establish restric- tons that would affect the exports of our manufacturers, and, to some ex- tent, our agricultural products.
 "Such an embargo by this country would, of course, prevent the importa- ton of these products from South American countries, with which the United States is now beginning to de- velop an export trade in pure-bred livestock, in addition to the existing trade in manufactured products. It is reasonable to expect that these South American countries would promptly retaliate by adopting restrictions against this developing outlet for such stock and against our. manufactured products. Much that has been accom- plished in developing trade with South American countries during the war would be lost.
 "The placing of an embargo on meats and wool involves so many mat ters affecting both the temporary and the permanent interests of the pro- ducers and others that, it seems to me, the question is one for the consid- eration of congress in dealing with the foreign trade policies of the na-