Show WHY WI A MEAT SHORTAGE where is the meat everyone asks this question it is a legitimate one the ranges are crowded with cattle and sheep why cant we have more meat it is the bungling of government bureaucracies or is the shortage cause caused d by insoluble e factors of production here in utah bureau of labor statistics tell us that we have more meat per capita than any other state in the union in utah there is an abundance of cattle and numerous packing houses this makes it all the more necessary to remind people that a steer on the range is not a steak on the block live animals must be processed this takes skilled labor plant space refrigeration and shipping no one would argue there is a surplus of these facilities does anyone think that even the united states can fight a global war supply eleven million men and women in the armed forces of the united states feed millions of prisoners of war and contribute something to the starving millions in war aravag ed countries without feeling the pin pinch chi government requirements for military and other purposes have increased 27 times since 1939 in 1945 military needs will take 27 per cent more meat than in 1944 civilian consumption in 1944 rose to lbs ibs per person a new high 21 pounds more than was consumed during the depression years shall we civilians consume the lions share or shall we ration it so that our fighting men can have what they deserve how about canada this nation has no meat rationing are canadians eating more meat than we are statistics show that with all meat rationing restrictions removed the canadians consumed only lbs ibs per person last year with rationing we in the united states consumed six more pounds of meat per person canada also has a land and water area considerably larger than that of the united states with a population but one twelfth as great some groups are urging congress congre Ss to raise the price of meat pr profits are not high enough they say but a study of meat corporation profits made by OPA accountants shows that hat packers producing three fourths of the total production made nearly seven times as much gross profits in 1943 than during the years 1 1938 to 1939 A larger sampling of t the he industry shows profits after tax taxes es 1 in 1943 two and one half times larger than in the base period does this indicate that raising the prices of meat would increase production no we cant have our cake and eat it we cant fight a war on land on the sea and in the air maintain the best fed best equipped and best clothed army and the world and not suffer some restrictions however the new OPA program should bring some relief to consumers living in heavily populated areas distant from producing centers government loans will be extended tended ad to small packers so that they may equip themselves to meet federal inspection requirements a and n d ship in interstate commerce farm slaughtering regulations are to be tightened subsidies are being adjusted so that livestock raisers feeders and small packers will be given a greater incentive to produce there is a meat shortage but it is caused by conditions arising out of the greatest economic crisis in history more meat is being produced than ever before more meat is demanded than ever before it Ss Is a na nat t ural consequence that under such conditions the consumer should not have all the meat that his appetite demands |