Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-12
us. PACKERSDENY
BRITISH CHARGES
Price Fixing Here in Attempt
to Capture Market
Abroad Secuted.
BYJ. ii ROYLE.
Special Despatch 10 The stas.

Special Dispatch TO The Stae
NEW YORK. July 1.-THE British
are not satisfied to buy the roast
beef of Old England" at less tran it
costs to ship 1t to them. Apparently
they want sole control of the English
market besides.
That is what provision men say is
back of the complaints voiced in Lon.
don over the price war between the
English and American packers OF
Argentine beef
English packers aliege the price of
meat is being boosted in American
markets in order to pay the expenses
OF the fight of the American packers
against their English rivals. The
English papers are out to get the
about this. The American packers
{ say these charges are absurd.
There are upward of ] 400 packers
in America and only one or two are
involved in the Argentine English
fight. These latter are not in a posi-
ton to boost prices arbitrarily, ana
their domestic competitors would NOT
follow if they did. American packers
say beef prices already are SO high as
TO affect domestic consumption, Que
TO the advances in live stock markets.
The fight, however unquestionably
will have an effect on the American
farmers. Few of the latter realize
this, for Argentina seems far away
and unconnected with their own Situas
ton. They point out that COMPARE
lively little beef is exported from
America to Great Britain and Europe.
1t is true that the day when cat
tie were shipped on the hoof to Liver
pool has gone. and that little reIflg-
Grated beef is sent from American
ports abroad. But the fact that Eng
lish and continental people can puy
Argentine beef at extremenly low
prices means that they will buy more
beef and less pork products, which
are extensively shipped from America.
This will affect every hog and corn
raiser and packer to some degree.
Argentina now is the country where
range cattle can be most advan-
tageously and economically raised Its
plains provide cheap feed and Ameri-
can and English packers, reaiiMns
this fact. have established huge plants
there. Brazil also is regarded as nav
ing splendid prospects for develop
ment of the cattle and packing in--
dustry, but many claim it will be 20
years before the live stock industry OF
that country is developed. Australia
now is supplying practically all the
English "Southdown mutton and II
is proposed to add i0.000.00 cattle TO
the Australian ranges. The British
are practically supreme there, al
though Swift & Co. has some interests
in the Antipodes.
1t has always been a fight for the
Argentine British trade, however.
Vestry & CO., the largest English con-
Germ in Argentina, now is building
near Buenos Aires one Of the largest
refrigerating plants in the world. and
is building q fleet Of its own refr1g-
orator ships. The visit Of the Prince
of Wales to Argentina and Brazil was
not unconnected with the advance
inent of this section of British COM
fnerce.
In the meantime American packers
have had some difficulty maintaining
their margins of profit. Live stock
prices have been high and hogs have
been in short supply. Cattle. sheep
and lambs are now selling in more
normal supply and prices are some
what easier. Meat and lard prices
are more in line with live animal
costs. and the statistical position OF
the industry is stronger than a year
ago. Meat stocks are about 22b,O0O,-
600 pounds less than at this time last
wear. and lard stocks have fallen on
over 80 900 900 pounds. These facts
will tend to nulify to some extent
and decrease purchases of pork prof
ucts in England.