Evening star., 1942-07-28
District Supply
Of Meat Viewed
As Sufficient
But Choice Cuts
Of Beef and Pork
Aren't Available

Washington will not have 20
tighten its belt for lack of meat
supplies in coming weeks, but per-
sons with fancy tastes in beef and
pork undoubtedly won't be able to
get choice cuts
That Is the real story of the meat
shortage" as pictured by Govern
ment offlcials. local wholesalers and
packer organizations.
They agree that supplies of beef
and pork are short and in some cases
acute, but lamb and chicken ale
available as substitutes to provide a
full quota of proteins.
SpokeSmen for both private and
Government agencies agreed that
the cause of the situation lies in a
number of factors directly due to
the war. Relief measures have been
taken. but their effect will not be
felt probably for four or six weeks.
Camps Taken Care OF.
Local Army camps, hospitals and
hotels are reported being taken care
Of in full.
One District meat firm said its
beef and pork supplies were better
today than yesterday, but that the
demand was such that stocks might
not last through tomorrow.
R. C. Briggs of the Briggs Meat
Products Co., which deals mainly in
sausage products, said his supplies
are ample"
Sidney Kolker of the washington
Beef 6 Provision Co. said he was
very, very short" of beef and pork.
with stocks running from 30 to so
per cent of normal. He was able
to buy only five head of cattle on
an order for 40 yesterday, he re-
ported. -
James Witt of Witt Il Mirman
said. 1--WE have no beef and can't
get any," adding that his firm was
short" on pork.
Farmers Hike Production.
A spokesman for, the American
Meat Institute said, however, that
Eastern States, which consume ap-
proximately two-thirds of the total
United States production, will be
able to get reasonable quantities of
meat, even If it is. not what is
wanted"
Back of the national meat situa-
ton are many factors created by
the war. -
Farmers, asked to produce grain
as well as livestock in unprece-
dented quantities, have responded,
and meat on the hoof is more
plentiful than ever. But against
that is the demand from the Gov
ernment for food fox &Dldiers-
American and Allie1SsSnd for -aivil-
ian consumption ajjnder lease
lend abroad. HigfSf incomes In
the United States have increased
domestic demand for choice meats.
Farmers are busy these days and
haven't had time to market live
stock. They haven't, furthermore.
had an economic incentive to do
50 because they are comparative well
Oh and their pastures are green.
Transportation Involved.
Transportation has had its effect.
Much livestock moves on trucks
from farm to railhead and from
wholesaler to retailer-and trucks
mean tires.
The cause OF the tight" meat sit
uation most uniformly mentioned is
the effect of price ceilings. The
once of Price Administration has
put ceilings on beef and pork cuts,
but there is none on cattle and hogs.
The livestock prices have gone up
with the result that packers, partic-
ularly the small ones, have been
squeezed"
Government of1icials make no ef-
fort to deny that has been a con-
tributing factor to the Eastern
shortage" Packers would rather
sell to the Government, or to areas
where retail ceilings are highest. or
not handle beef and pork at all.
To combat those influences, the
Agriculture Department last week
took three steps:
l. It announced lower prices on
Government purchases, intended to
lOlOC PdShCAS W cCCh AiAOA ASoo WV
side the Government.
Buying Of Fish Urged.
2. 1t ordered that the difference
between the prices it pays in the
East and in the Midwest-the East
Is normally higher-would be in
creased to provide an incentive to
increase Eastbound meat shipments.
8. It notified packers that it would
buy the greater portion of their out
put-a move designed to assure them
q profit. keep them in business and
alleviate the effects Of the price
squeeze"
The OPA, meanwhile, has asked
packers to ship to various Eastern
areas In the same ratio as in pre-
vious years-in other words. to give
each region its fair portion of ex-
isting supplies based on normal con-
sumption and forgo shipping only to
areas where ceilings are highest.
It also has asked the public to
concentrate its meat buying on poul-
try, lamb and fish.