St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1947-07-11
Packers Blamed
For High Meat
Prices by Group


according to figures obtained this
week by the Minneapolis League Of
Women Shoppers, a consumers
group.
People Must Organize
"The only way the people can
fight the organized power of these
great corporations (Armour, Swift,
Cudahy, Wilson, etc. is to or
ganize too" a League spokesman
said. "Women especially must get
into the fight against the high cost
of living, because they do most of
the buying. They should join their
unions or auxiliaries, their consum-
ers' clubs or coop groups"
The Leagues information was
obtained from the research depart
ment Of the United Packinghouse
Workers of America, CLIO, and from
talks with AFL and CLIO union Of
fcials in the meat industry.
Wholesale Beef Up $50
The League found that whole
sale beef prices at New York in
the first two weeks of June, 1947,
were 95 per cent higher than they
were in the corresponding period of
June, 1916.
Farmers and retailers, however,
did not get in on this gravy train"
Prices paid by the same wholesale
meat packers to farmers at Chi
cago were only 81 per cent higher
this June than last. Retail meat
markets in New York, due TO con-
sumner resistance, could not pass on
the full increase charged to them
by the big packers, but raised their
prices only rs per cent over June
Of 1916.
Farmers, Retailers Squeezed
In June, 1916, when price control
was still in effect, the big packers
could sell their beef to the New
York retailer at a price only %
per cent higher than they paid to
the farmer at Chicago. In June,
l947, this spread" between the
farmers and the wholesalers price
had risen to 62 per cent.
The retailers, on the other hand,
have been caught in a reverse
squeeze. The New York retail price
for beef in June, 1916, under OPA,
was 63 per cent higher than the
packers wholesale price. This June
the New York butcher could sell his
beef for a price only 40 per cent
higher than the amount he paid the
wholesaler.
Big Packers PrO6teeT
The take" by the big wholesale
meat packers is reflected in their
profit reports. The League found
that profits in 1916, after income
tax deductions, for ten major meat
packing firms (including Armour,
Swift, etc. were 124 per cent high
er than in 1945, and totaled $75,-
100000. Armour alone made near
ly $1O,OOO,OOO in the first half of
1916; but in the second half Of the
year, when price control was killed,
Armour's net profits were over $780,
600, 900 more than double!
Meat Companies Killed OPA
The League of Women Shoppers
pointed out that the big meat pack
ers were leaders in the campaign
to end price control last year, and
that the packers thereby reaped
tremendous profits at the expense
Of the consumer, the farmer, and
the retail butcher. The League
offered to give information and help
the unions, auxiliaries, and other
organizations and individuals in
terested in fighting the high cost
Of living. Telephone is Locust
1910.
League Officers
Newly-elected officers Of the
League of Women Shoppers are
Marjorie Kirkpatrick, chairman;
Mary Hall, first vice-chairman;
Jean Nudell, second vice-chairman;
Sylvia Becker, recording secretary;
Mabel Brink, corresponding secre-
tary, and Rosemary Black, treas
urer.