New-York tribune., 1912-08-18
FRENCH WHEAT SUPPLY
slunder in official Statistics
Caused Famine Prices.
GOVERNMENT TO BLAME
a;gh Cost Falsely Attributed
to Speculation on Paris
Corn Exchange.
rBy Cable to The Tribune.

rBy Cable to The Tribune
poris Aug. f7.-The subject Of the
rrsnch wheat crop in its relation 10
,be supply of foodstuffs in France
.,ow. wide divergence of views be-
,u.en Official statements and expert
.,,n,ons. The Finance Minister re-
cen,ly laid the blame for the acute de-
sesncy Of wheat in France and the
serious situation that began to be felt
,,s, March on INSCRIPTIONS speculation
IN .be first necessary OF life. The gov
eminent was forced TO take action by
,He outcry raised throughout the coun-
,ry at the increasing price OF bread,
vhlch reached almost a famine figure.
,he four pound loaf costing even now
70 cents, or five cents pound.
The Minister OF Agriculture declared
nublicly that unscrupulous spectators
had formed a corner IN wheat and
thereby we're depriving the people Of
bread. Experts and operators on the
Paris Corn Exchange state in reply
that SPECTATORS could not empty the
rrsnaries of France Of all reserves Of
wheat, nor reduce the mills to idleness,
there being no grain to grind; neither
could they prevent the government
from temporarily admitting wheat into
the country duty free in order to allay
the distress among the poorer classes:
But the government declined TO reduce
the tax OF seven francs per quintal.
There was practically no wheat or
four left in France during the month
OF June, and the customs authorities
were obliged 70 admit foreign wheat in
large quantities after Parliament had
granted the temporary modification Of
the regulations applying to imported
cereals.
Relief Long in Coming.
But the foreign wheat WAS long ia
coming. and thus the crisis threatened
10 become a partial famine in soU:e
regions Of the country. Expert opinion,
holds strongly 10 the view that the
government was to blame in the first
instance for publishing erroneous re-
turns as 10 the area in France under
wheat cultivation. The government
possesses the only machinery to secure
accurate statistical figures through its
agricultural inspectors. The public and
the markets, by reason of gross depart
II
lieve that the stocks Of wheat in the
country were much larger than they
really were. The government report
gave the area of land sown with wheat
for the year Of 1911 az being only one
hundred thousand hectares, little less
;han two hundred and fifty thousand
acres, below the average of the last ten
years. According 10 this calculation
43, 424 hectares OF standing wheat were
counted upon last summer more than
was really the case. 1t Is reckoned that
hectare gives eighteen hectolitres, or
rather mtre than seven quarters of
wheat-that is 10 say. the shortage
was, in round mum bers, thirty-two
million bushels. The reason for the
deficit for the current year is thus
clearly established without accusing
speculation of foul play. The mar
kets we're led into error because the
Department Of Agriculture had hlun-
dered. Official orators In Parliament
threw upon speculation the RESPONSE
NIFTY for the shortage. charging II with
holding back wheat which did not ex-
ist
The exact results of this years pro-
duction are uncertain Some crops
have been harvested when almost
green, lest the grain should rot on the
ground in consequence OF the prolonged
rainy season and disastrous storms in
some regions. In certain northern and
western districts the crops have not
yet been brought into the barns. The
harvest seems 20 be about the average
IN quantity, though larger surface
was sown in winter and spring wheat
than during the previous season. but
the quality is likely to prove inferior
because the grain must dry after being
reaped, instead Of drying on the stem.
with the probability Of deterioration in
the sranaries.
indications received from the centre
and south OF France show that this
Years harvest will amount in quantity
'oa figure about half way between the
returns for last year and Of the year
1910
The entire wheat crop Of France
might be roughly estimated to repre-
cent this year something like seven
million tons Of wheat, but accurate and
nnal figures will not be known until
sesriy in September.