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"Let Them Eat Cake"

By VVAW

In New York City, two men highjacked a truck that contained $1,800 worth of meat. Cattle rustling has been reported on the rise in the Midwest as beef becomes more and more scarce in the supermarkets. Two women, senior citizens, from Miami wrote a letter to their local newspaper explaining that they would continue to shoplift meat from the markets in order that they could eat.

The above items vary in the differing amounts of meat products taken, and vary in the intent of the individuals involved, but they all have one thing in common; the scarcity of meat in the markets is driving people in this country to get food in any way they can.

During the two week period ending August 13th, both Los Angeles and Chicago saw the price of eggs increase 28%, while the price of pork jumped 10% in Philadelphia during the same period. In one week in New York City, the price of food rose an average of 4 1/2%.

We are told that there is a beef shortage, but this is not true. Cattle ranchers have cows in their yards, but are not selling them. The prices of beef have been frozen by President Nixon and these ranchers are holding the beef waiting on the prices to go up after the freeze ends on September 12th. So, there is no beef on the market because the rich ranchers are opting for larger profits.

The hoarding of cattle by the meat producers is not the only reason for the increase in food prices. Last summer, the United States arranged for the sale of grains to the Soviet Union, which amounted to 440 million bushels of wheat within the first two months after the announcement was made of the wheat sales. The enormity of these sales increased the price per bushel by 50% during those two months, and by this May the price doubled to approximately $3.00 per bushel.

This sale drained the supply to farmers who had to pay more for feed for poultry, beef and pork which resulted in an increase in the cost of chicken, eggs and meat. In addition, the prices of bread and flour-based products also rose.

The question is who made profit from this at the expense of the farmers and the consumers? The answer is AGRI-BU$INE$$. Agriculture Secretary Earl Butz, a friend of agri-business and not of the farmer, saw it possible to tip off certain grain dealers and they held back selling their grains so that when the wheat deal was announced they could increase the price per bushel of their grains on hand. The result of this sale of grain to the Soviet Union has now made the prices of food soar out of proportion with the rise in the average income. Thus, families find it increasingly difficult to afford such staples as eggs and bread. On the other hand, large corporations such as Cook Industries, one of the biggest grain producers, showed profits five times larger than any time in their history.

The facts show that big business again profited at the expense of the people of this country. The shortage and increased prices of food are a direct result of the great American pastime; the profit motive. While businessmen get rich, the people of this country must resort to shoplifting, such as the two women in Florida have done, or face meatless days. Until there is a system of government that provides for the welfare of the people and not for the interests of business, there will continue to be food shortages and increased prices.