Evening star., 1951-06-06
Cattle Raisers Happy
After Talk 10 Truman;
Packers Are Gloomy
BY the Associated Pres,

AAC1C "CLC IlO UGGlS III WASH
Iington today on the price-regu-
lated meat situation, but elsewhere
in the country packers were cry
ing the shortage blues.
For rs minutes yesterday Pres
ident Truman and Price Director
Michael v. Disable conferred al
the White House with Western
cattlemen.
At the end of the session there
was this brief but cheerful COM
ment from the cattlemen's spokes-
man, Roy Turner, former Okla.
homa Governor:
I'VE are all very happy"
But even as Mr.. Turner was ex-
pressing confidence and Mr.. Di.
Sale was insisting there would be
no resembling of his price regula
ton, packers big and little were
curtailing activities.
Beef Dressing Bogs Down.
In Chicago the American Meat
Institute. representing most of the
packing industry, said beef dress
ing virtually has stopped in many
plants. Blaming the recent roll
back on beef on the hoof, the in
stitute said:
If present conditions continue
beef will become increasingly
scarce in retail stores next week
One plant, the Superior Meat
Products, Inc, of Gary, Ind.
wired President Truman and MI
Disable today:
Inability to secure beef for
processing meats forces us tc
cease operations and dismiss all
employes. Big Four packers have
shut of all beef supplies and the
independents in Chicago area
have virtually ceased operations
We are being helplessly squeezed
out Of business"
Big Four Deny Squeeze.
The Big Four tacitly deniec
squeezing practices by reporting
similar trouble. Armour g. Co.
said its Chicago operations were
cut SO per cent. Swift & Co. wa!
able to buy only lis cattle Mon.
day and Tuesday compared with
a three-week average of 1900 fo,
the two days. Wilson & Co. re.
ported it was able to buy only f
third of normal requirements.
John Morrell & Co. closed it.
Pittsburgh beef dressing plant
and another Pittsburgh firm, Os.
wald & Hess Co., halted it's bee
slaughtering. Similar stories wer,
heard at Cleveland and Philadel.
phia as cattle markets reported 6
sharp drop in cattle receipts.
The Chicago OPS regiona
office sent special crews intt
Chicago stock markets to checl
reports of widespread bidding ovel
the price ceilings.
Newsmen had asked Mr.. Disable
about previous packers statements
that his price regulation was
causing beef to disappear from,
the stockyards. He replied, lust
before meeting the President ano
the cattlemen:
Its simply an adjustment
He predicted the situation will
straighten out shortly. He said q
completed national survey indi.
Gated there is a "comparatively
good supply" of beef everywhere
especially of the grades for table
use.
Disable Declines Comment.
Mr.. Turner did not say what Il
was in the White House talks thai
had made him and the other cat.
tlemen very happy" Mr.. Disable
too, refused to comment on the
meeting. He told newsmen last
night in New York that any COM
ment would have to come from
the White House. And he denied
reports that the meeting was ar
emergency one. He said it was
scheduled last week.
Mr.. Disable had indicated ir
his brief exchange with newsmer
before the meeting that he was GO
ing to stand by his meat order. He
said:
Apparently some cattlemen anc
feeders are withholding livestock
from the market to see if the roll
back order will be rescinded.
"Well, it won't be-"
And Mr.. Truman had previously
said Mr.. DiSalle'S order had his
blessing and backing.