Evening star., 1947-10-21
NewP|an Drawn
For Eliminating
Pou|try|ess Day
Industry Proposes
Saving Grain From
Feeding Chickens
BY the Associated Press

Poultry and feed men came
forward today with their second
plan to eliminate poultryless
Thursday from the food cam
paign.
After working late into the night,
industry spokesmen announced they
were ready to bring the Citizens
Food Committee specific new pro-
posal to save grain for Europe by
taking it away from chickens.
"We think we've got something
acceptable said an official of the
National Poultry Producers Fedora
ton, whose first suggestion was re-
jected last night by Charles Luck
man, Food Committee chairman.
The federation, working in CO.
operation with the commercial feed
industry, said the new plan would
be in shape for Mr. Luckman to take
into a meeting of President Tru-
mans Cabinet Food Committee this
morning
Will Meet Again Today.
In the afternoon the poultry and
feed industry men planned to meet
again with Mr.. Luckman, who last
night declared his readiness to re-
store chicken and turkey to Thurs
day menus if an adequate substitute
means of conservation were offered.
I'VE will entertain any specific
program to conserve grain at the
source, rather than at the consumer
end" the chairman told newsmen
after a flve-hour conference with
industry spokesmen broke up in a
stalemate.
The first industry plan boiled
down to this: Abolish poultryless
Thursdays, start an eat-more-
chicken campaign, enlist the support
of farmers in feed-saving drive,
rely on the discipline" of poul-
trymen and on the cooperation of
the feed industry.
The Government could save f.
250,000 bushels of grain a week if it
would encourage rather than dis
courage poultry buying the Ma
tional Poultry Producers Federation
told Mr.. Luckman in a statement.
Would Market Chickens Soon.
Under such program 340,0OO0 900
chickens would be killed and mar
keted in the next 80 days, the fed
GRAFTON said, instead of staying on
the farm where poultrymen must
continue to pour scarce and expen-
sive grain into these birds to pro-
tect their investment"
Mr.. Luckman said his assignment
of saving 100000, 900 bushels of grain
for Europe this winter would not
permit acceptance of so general a
program.
Il feel impeled to ask for the
specific measures and steps by
which they plan to achieve conser-
vation," he asserted.
Mr.. Luckman suggested two mea-
sures which might warrant the
abandonment of poultryless Thurs
days:
l. An agreement to eliminate GER
tain grains from commercial feeds.
and a curtailment of the use of
other grains. The Agriculture De-
partment has advised him that this
is possible through the use of sub
stitutes, he said.
2. An effort by the poultry raisers
to exact pledge from breeders
and hatchers for Is or 80 per cent
cut in the Matching of chicks. The
poultrymen indicated they might be
able to do this, Mr.. Luckman added.
Eggless Day Favored.
| Whether the "eggless" menu might
be abolished along with poultryless
meals on Thursday, Mr.. Luckman
said, was something to be considered
when the poultry issue was settled
| Government officials have indi-
Gated they favor keeping the eggless
day in any case, since drop in de-
mand for eggs might encourage
farmers to kill their "stewers" old
chickens which produce few eggs
but eat full share of grain.
The industry statement informed
Mr.. Luckman that the poultry pro-
ducer docs not want to feed these
birds-they have passed the eco-
nomic feeding level and diminishing
returns face him from this point
onward" The statement continued
"Yet he cannot recover his costs
in a glutted and artificially de-
pressed market. Farm to market
movement of these hundreds of mil
lions of hungry birds has stopped
but feeding of grain has not
stopped"
Demand Whitfield Down.
The voluntary food conservation
drive has indeed whitfield down the
demand for chickens. Late last
week the report was mo market fol
poultry at any price the industry
group said, from such centers as
! (see FOOD, Page A-5.D