Arizona republican., 1920-04-19
RESULTS IF MEAT
 CAMPAIGN DEPEND
 ON THE HOUSEWIVES

Doubt was expressed by number of meat dealers in this city after the close Saturday night of the Save Money or Meat campaign" as to the effect the efforts put forth by the Fair Price commission would have in making housewives change their methods O. meat buying
 one meat dealer said that he had CO., operated with the campaign, and put out posters, but said ne had a hard time in selling anything but the usual higher priced cuts. This dealer explained one reason why. He said that most of the women in his vicinity are never at honIe, and that just before dinner they run into the store and buy steak or some chops and rush home to get din- ner. They don't buy boiling beef or pot roasts because they are never at home to cook them, he said
 Another dealer said that after read : ing about the four minute talks and the Woman's club having taken hold of the campaign he made up his mind that the ladies present would get the ex- ample in economy and buy cheap meat, and so he accordingly laid in a large supply of the cheaper cuts. Few re- quests were made for them, however
 The dealer pointed out that if the public will not buy the cheaper cuts. it will have to pay for them anyhow in the price it pays for the choice cuts He said there was hardly any demand for corn beef, because people think it is tainted, and buy various kinds of meat made up into sausages.
 Another butcher said that he would willingly pay the cost of some one to demonstrate the use of the cheaper cuts if he could be assured that the housewives of Phoenix would buy them. This, he said, was the only solution of the high cost of meats. As long, said he, as the hindquarters must bear the burden for the whole side of the beef no cheap prices on the choice cuts are possible.
 Said this dealer: s'The Fair Price commission has no theories to advance and holds no brief for wholesaler or dealer. but the old law of supply and demand is just as absolute today as it was a hundred years ago. No power on earth can keep up the price of any article once the people cease to call for it.''
 Here you have the situation said the dealer: Production 100 per cent: demand 110 per cent; result, high prices. Production 100 per cent; de- mand 90 per cent; result, low prices. Demand is the only thing which creates value. Without it no value can exist. If nobody wanted diamonds some small boy would be using the Kohinor as a pebble to break windows
 Another dealer explained the high price of meat as due to the fact that all the world needs meat. und only a small part of the world is raising live stock. So live stock is dear now, and meat prices must keep pace.
 Competition, he said. will continue to keep the spread low so that the price one pays for meat will be as close as possible to what must be paid for live stock.
 The price packers have had to pay dealers declare, for cattle have gone up with the price received for beef. In fact, said he, it shows that the spread between cattle and beef prices has been gradually reduced during the past 5o years, owing to competition among packers, their increased efficiency, big ger volume and elimination of waste.
 Some retailers sell 33-cent sirloins. These steaks come from cheaper anil mals, said the butcher. Customers of other retailers demand choice steaks at 66 cents. These retailers buy meat from higher priced cattle. Also, the retailer who carries complete stocks to your door and lets you run a charge account. has to get bigger prices than the retailer who runs d cash -and-carry store.