Evening star., 1948-09-04
U.S.. Sees 1917 Decline
In Meat Production
In Next -Four Months

In Next -Four Months
Republican and Democratic po-
litical sallies on the high cost of
living issue filled the air today as
the Agriculture Department offered
new figures to show that the meat
supply this winter will be far from
adequate to meet the demand.
Meat production per capita for
the rest of 1948, the department
said, will be about 10 per cent less
than in the final four months of
last year. The department would
hazard no guess as to prices.
The forecast followed anothe. hot
attack by Secretary of Agriculture
Brannan on Harold E. Stassen and
the Republican Party, issued at a
press conference late yesterday. Mr..
Brannan said Gov. Dewey, the Re-
publican presidential candidate,
"and the Republican leadership
have now openly launched very
sinister attack on the price support
phases of farm programs"
Stassen Charges Assailed.
He characterized Mr.. Stassen's S
general charges against the Agri-
culture Department. issued after a
StaSSen visit to Gov. Dewey on
Thursday, as more characteristic
Of a sophomore at the University
of Pennsylvania than of potential
president" Mr. Stassen recently
was named head of the university.
In rapid succession came two
other related statements:
Senator Jenner, Republican, OF
Indiana compared current Agricul-
ture Department policies to those
when Henry A. Wallace was its Sec
retary. He said in statement dis
tributed by the Republican National
Committee:
"Mr. Wallace killed the little pigs
but Mr.. Brannan doesn't even want
the little pigs to be born"
Stennis Defends Program.
Senator Stennis, Democrat, of
Mississippi defended the Govern
ment farm price support program
with a declaration that the sup
ports, designed to give the farmer
a small degree of protection at a
subsistence level, are far below the
present general price average for
consumer products as whole"
The Senator added that some Re-
publican leaders had attacked the
price supports in "a demagogic at
tempt to provide a panacea for in
fiation, for the big voting cities to
follow"
The whole row grew out of state
ments by Mr.. Stassen blaming the
Agriculture Department for high
prices but without detailing how
the department was responsible.
Mr.. Brannan told reporters yes
terday that he assumed "even Mr..
Stassen" would not accuse him of
doing something Illegal" He
added that you really can't blame
us for asking fellow to be little
specific even in political year"
In Philadelphia, Mr.. Stassen de-
MED that his earlier denunciation
Of the Truman administrations ag-
ricultural policies were an attack on
the price support system.
He said that If President Truman
wishes to show his good faith in the
food question, he should promptly
publish the total Government pur-
chaSes- of food in August and the
amount on hand in the Federal pos
session. Then he should announce
the Government purchase plans fel
September and October and regu-
larly publish weekly purchasing"
Mr.. Stassen offered this program
for lower prices: That the Govern
ment stop abusing the food purchase
program, that consumers be CATE
full in their spending and buy only
abundant commodities and that the
Government be elert in exposing
proflteers and boarding of food on
the part of professors or dealers.
When told that Secretary Bran
nan had challenged him to specify
commodities purchases of which he
was criticizing, Mr.. Stassen said,
THE whole range of goods, includ-
ing fats, cereals and peats."
Truman Attack Expected.
Indications today were that Presi-
dent Truman will continue the same
Democratic attack on the Repub-
licans in his Labor Day speech in
Detroit. He called In DR.. Edwin G.
Nourse, his top economic adviser, to
60 over the latest cost of living fig
ures and the general economic sit
uation.
After his White House call yester-
day afternoon, DR. Nourse told re-
porters the price situation is mod.
erately reassuring" Although prices
are still going up, he said, they are
Creeping advances" rather than
running away" He said "it is very
encouraging that they have not
broken loose"
In a lengthy and detailed de-
fense of the price-support program
Secretary Brannan coupled attacks
on the Republicans with figures de-
signed to prove that price supports
are helping the consumer by en-
couraging production" and putting
the blame for failure to control in
flation on the Republican Congress
Brannan Cites Figures.
Mr.. Brannan cites figures to show
that prices of meats, poultry. eggs
bread and other commodities are
far above even theoretical price sup.
port figures.
One target of the Brannan attack
was the big grain dealers" whom
he called special interest group
which had helped to cripple the de
partment's program to provide ade
quate storage facilities for the cur
rent huge wheat and corn crops.
Mr.. Brannan, in reply to questions
said it would be too late next yea
to change the price support pro
gram as it applies to the 1s4s whea
crop, but that the supports coul'
be altered by the new Congress TO