Show What We Think By Frank Dixon The meat shortage has come to the front as the major problem inthe in inthe inthe the thinking of many citizens of this country today Consumers have accepted as a matter of course coulse the shortage in clothing su su- sugar sugar sugar gar washing machines and the tho like as one of those things that our natural fruits of war and which must be endured until the country has had an un opportunity to adjust itself from war time production and ancl return to normal With meat however it seems to tobe tobe tobe be different It is difficult for people to lo understand why in a country in which meat has always been plentiful there should be bo a shortage of it now that the war is over and the nation is returning to its peace time tune activities It might be generally said that I there are arc two reasons for the short ago of oC meat The first is that the country is at the present moment in the most prosperous plo condition in its history The lime result I sult is that more people than at any time in the past have haveth havethe the th money with which to buy meat The extra demand cuts into the thc amount to the tho extent that production even eyen though it were at its would not be more than enough to supply the tho demand The rho second reason why there is isa isa isn a n scarcity of oC meat is the fear and the district dist lct and the uncertainty that has been caused by the tho efforts of the 0 P l' A to control meat prices The full Cull extent of this uneas uneas- uneasiness iness and distrust is not easily un tin understood by any anyone one except a pro pro- producer producer producer ducer of oC beef and anti pork Ills His situa situation tion is entirely different than that of the producer of washing ma ma- machines machines a- a chines S electric irons and ancl similar equipment While uncertainty as asto asto to lo the future frets producers of these items it docs does not create the tho consternation among then them that the uncertainties produced by the operations of the 0 O P A do among the time producers of meat neat If the 0 j jA P l' lA PA A cuts the margins of oC profit through the tho imposition of ceilings to the point where the producer of washing machines cannot real- real realie realize i e a profit on his product he merely stores it in his warehouses and waits wails until market conditions are arc more favorable The producer of or beef 1 and pork perk cannot do that When the beef and pork is ready for market it cannot be profitably held heil back bICk very long It must be besold sold If H between the time lime the steer or 01 the hog was obtained by the feeder and tho limo time it is ready for forthe forthe the time market new 0 O P l' A conditions arc are imposed the feeder is caught with wilh a product on his labs hands which he cannot he held for long 1011 for a favorable f market but must mu t be sold soldat soldat soldat at the prevailing price Feeders and aid producers dont don't like to take these chances and run the risk ri k of losing lo in their theil shirt The Tho feeling is that with controls off normal production lion of meat meal will ensue and with its normal market market- marketing marketing ing conditions The Tho very nature of the meat production business rend renders ors ers artificial control practically impossible It 11 is the one outstanding outstanding ing instance in which it is believed among producers the law of sup sup- ply and demand should operate Incidentally there is another an ther im im- important important important feature Unless some change is made Meat producers in laying their plans for next year are going to curtail operations by reducing breeding stock and pro pro- This condition cannot be corrected six months from now Producers must plan ahead What What- Whatever Whatever Whatever ever is going to be done should be bedone bedone bedone done now else the shortage next year will be larger and much more difficult of correction |