S92 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



war, and it is also pretty clear to my mind that they are going to end it. 



Of course, beef that goes abroad is all frozen or canned stuff. Great 

 Britian is accustomed, so far as she has a preference, to the Argentine 

 beef, which is considerably heavier in weight. There has not been a 

 normal amount shipped, but that Is practically in the hands of the ad- 

 ministration; they can take just about what we tell them to take. In 

 the army and navy they have been paying different prices for different 

 grades, but they have not settled down to a standard specification. The 

 last time I was in Washington that was the subject of debate- 



The packers are not~'guaranteed a profit, but I think they will get the 

 profit that I allow them. I just want to be clear on that. Generally 

 speaking, it is to the advantage of a packer to buy his stuff cheap, and 

 [ think he will always try to buy it cheap, other things being equal. 

 They are enormous borrowers of money, and they w^ant to keep those 

 borrowings down; and also on the cheaper price the consumers' market 

 is more active. I think the price can be aided by this division, and 

 that we can effect new outlets of supply by export. If I could get re- 

 frigerator space I could double the amount Great Britain takes. But 

 nobody can help a glut if everybody in the corn belt piles in cattle. 

 There is a big need of as much co-operation in marketing as we can 

 reasonably get. If the cattle are kept from the panic sales, and mar- 

 keting goes on as usual, I think we can do some good, but the govern- 

 ment can't prevent a bottomless pit if everybody in Iowa dumps his 

 cattle at once. 



THE BANQUET. 



On Tuesday evening, at 6 :30, was held the annual banquet of 

 the association, covers for 200 being laid in the Parrot Koom of 

 the Savery Plotel. After discussion of the viands (which this year 

 included turkey in place of the usual choice cuts of beef, Tuesday 

 being Meatless Day), an informal program of speeches occupied 

 the attention of the guests for a couple of hours, Secretary Wal- 

 lace presiding as toastmaster. A somewhat abbreviated report 

 of the addresses follows : 



The Toastmaster: Ladies and Gentlemen: I don't need to tell you 

 how glad Mr. Sykes and I are that so many have attended this meeting. 

 I don t know as we have any particular right to say that, because we 

 have no more right to welcome you than you have to welcome yourselves 

 or u?; but it is a great pleasure to us to see so large an attendance, con- 

 sidering the unfavorable weather. 'We are particularly glad to have so 

 many of the ladies with u^ tonight. Last year was the first time we 

 had ladies at our banquet, and I think it was about the best one we ever 

 had. We had hoped to have even more of them present this year, and I 

 think we w^ould if it had not been for the unusual cold. 



