Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-13
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

57,500,000 cattle ready to feed them.
Today, there Is a human population
of 117,135,517, with no increase In
cattle. In 1920, when our population
was 106, 41s,224. we had 1900, 600
head of cattle-the increase due to the
stimulation of war demands and
prices. Today. we have a. population
estimated by the Census Bureau OF
$4,000, 900, but our cattle supply mas
dropped to $500. 000-just what II
was when our population STOOD al
75.994,575.
That does not tell the whole story,
for there are several grades OF beef'
recognized by the markets:
The best grade Is called prime
and 1t constitutes only about Per
cent Of the total. Boston hotels hke
to list on their menus prime roasts.
and 1t is the hotels and restaurants
which are now leading the beef
marty bovcotters. Even statesmen DO
not feed in Washington on prime.
and perhaps today Bostonians are
not getting prime" beef, but. are
getting ''choice"-the next grade
that means well bred cattle. which
have been corn-fattened six or nine
But that grade also 10 linn
tied to per cent Of the total.
Next comes good" grade slaughter
steers--like Washingtonians eat.
Could 1t be possible that some OF that
grade Is being foisted onto Boston:
TWENTY-FIVE per cent of the total Is
counted good" Believe 1t or not,
We Washingtonians! That leaves
only Is per cent as common" ana
Gutter" Boston has named park
after that next to the last grade. put
no cattle really feed on the Common.
Why the park IL Bostonians always
eat the prime?
The wholesale price of quarter OF
choice beef, on December 3, in New
York and Boston. in 1928 was ~
cents a pound: in 1897, it was 20
cents. The Washington quality on
the same dates was 1895 cents III
1926. and 17.25 cents in 1927.
At retail, in Boston and New YORK,
in 1926 a porterhouse cost STA Genus
a pound; in 1927, 1t cost IS cents. a
of Washington's best,
December 3, 1926, cost 371a cents and
in 1927 the same cost so cents. Is,
then, that Boston strike sending
forth another "shot that will be heard
round the world" even to the Nations
Capital? Tough luck--or something!
y y
Has the farmer profited by the rise
in retail or even wholesale market
prices On cattle? The Department Oh
Agriculture says:
The purchasing power OF cattie
and calves advanced during 1926 ana
has gradually worked upward since
1892, but has a considerable way to go
before reaching the high level reached
in 1914
Taking the average price of cattle
from August, 1909. to 1914, as 100.
the price in 1910 was rated at 80; IN
1914 at 123. and 1920 at IS. 1922 at 81
and 1895 at a. That is the purchas
ing power. not the price. Today, the
is so per cent higher than one year
ago, but the department assigns prac.
tically all the rise to shortage OF
supply
On last January 3d. the Department
of Agriculture issued Circular 10l, pre-
dieting market conditions for 1927.
In that, 1t said:
1.-THE number of cattle marketed IN
1927 will probably be materially less
than in 1925. Unusually heavy
slaughter of cattle and calves during
1926 reduced numbers on farms ana
ranges in the United States to the
lowest point in many years. The de-
mand for beef is expected to continue
at about the same level as last year
when total domestic consumption was
the highest on record. No prospect
of increased competition from abroad
or from other meats in the domestic
market is in sight. Prices of slaush,
ter cattle are expected to average
somewhat higher than in 1926. Stocker
and feeder cattle will probably meet
a strong active demand Throughout
the year.
Cattle numbers decreased In 1925 be
cause of the continued heavy slaugh,
ter of cattle and calves. The inspector
slaughter of cattle was the third lars
est on record, exceeded only by the
slaughter of 1917 and 1918; the IN
spected slaughter of calves was Inc
In 1925. me combinea
slaughter was second largest, eXceeo-
ed only by the slaughter of 1915
#&* y
What are we going to eat in place
of beef, to get the same calories per
dollar?" was asked of the head OF
home economics of the Department OIL
Agriculture.
I'VE don't get caiories from beer
we eat beef for its protein and favor
not its heat-energy. for calories do not
exist except in the fat. and few people
eat the fat, except Jack Sprat's wire.
Oh. for good cut of reindeer, Inc
main trouble about beef is the spoiiing
in its cooking. II is generally over.
done, or steamed until it loses its ma &
vor. Now the way to cook roast is
But that's another story too I'M