382 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



same men that were in the September conference, and other states had 

 similar representation. The large packing concerns were represented by 

 men high in authority. Upon the meeting being called to order, Mr. 

 Hoover proceeded to deliver a most scathing lecture and rebuke to the 

 packers for their lack of good faith in keeping their agreement in regard 

 to the October price on hogs, and said some things that would not look 

 well in print. And your representatives did not mince words in informing 

 both the Food Administration and the packers what they thought of the 

 treatment that had been accorded to swine producers, both in the appli- 

 cation of the principle of the thirteen-to-one ratio price and also in regard 

 to the way the packers apparently had disregarded the October price 

 agreement. Some stormy sessions were held, in which your representa- 

 tives contended most tenaciously for advancing the price of hogs for No- 

 vember back to the October price of $18. But the packers apparently 

 had come to the meeting with their minds made up that they would not 

 attempt to maintain anything in the form of a price agreement higher 

 than the old $15.50 minimum price of 1917. But they were soon forced 

 from their position by the Iowa representatives and a few others that 

 stood with them, and the fact that a minimum daily average price of 

 $17.50 at Chicago for all hogs, except stags, pigs and throw-outs was 

 adopted, was due largely to the splendid fight made by your representa- 

 tives at this meeting. Not wishing to appear in any way as of a bragga- 

 docia type, I just wish to say to you, seriously and candidly, that had not 

 the Iowa men attended this conference and made the fight which they 

 made for you, that your hogs would have been selling for the last ninety 

 days for a much less price than what they have brought. We were unable 

 to secure for you all that we felt you were entitled to, but you did get, 

 we believe, a great deal more than you would have received had we 

 stayed out of the conference. And as you are aware, the minimum price 

 of $17.50 has been continued by agreement thru the months of December 

 and January. 



Referring briefly to the announcement made by the Food Adminis- 

 tration on November 3, 1917, to the effect that the Food Administration 

 would do all in its power to see that the farmers received for their pigs 

 farrowed in the spring of 1918 a price per hundred equal to the price of 

 thirteen bushels of the corn fed into them. In regard to this whole mat- 

 ter, I do not wish to enter into any extended discussion, further than to 

 say that in my judgment the Food Administration could have avoided a 

 great deal of embarrassment and very severe criticism if it had only 

 come out frankly and openly, early in the summer, and defined just where 

 and how both the price of corn and hogs would be arrived at, and just 

 what it really meant by a price per hundred pounds of live hog equal to 

 the price of thirteen bushels of corn. This, however, it failed to do, and 

 the farmers were laboring under the impression that the price of both 

 corn and hogs would be figured on the Chicago market. And it is need- 

 less to say that this neglect on the part of the Food Administration was 

 responsible for the very serious controversy which developed over the 

 thirteen-to-one ratio price on hogs. And we cannot help but feel that 

 the farmers were made the "goat" in this matter, altho it was not so in- 



