The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1914-08-06
WAR AFFECTS
APPLE MARKET
EXPORT TRADE is DEMORALIzED
Officers Of Different Agencies Give 0pin-
ions Domestic Markets viii
Be Cultivated

That the European war, IL prolonged,
will seriously affect the apple export
trade, is the declaration OF local snip
ping concerns. Trans-A Atlantic COM
merce is already badly demoralized,
and in case Of general war will be
thrown into a chaotic state. Even
though transportation facilities were
maintained, the European states, torn
by conflict. would hardly be able to
receive the fruit.
All northwestern apple districts ship
block of their fruit abroad. A big
lot of the best apples are consumed
aboard the Transatlantic liners. Last
year Hood River sold for export trade
approximately 300 carloads of apples.
The seriousness of possible disaster
to the export trade can be estimated,
when il is considered that more than
one.fourth Of the local apples were
consumed abroad.
No one was more eager last week for
war news than August Paasch. When
he heard that Geramny had declared
war on Russia, he remarked that his
export business would be demoralized
and made impossible for the year. MIR.
Paasch. a native of Germany, thinks
the war will be terrible disaster.
81 was too young to 20 to the Franco
Prussian war, he said, "but reiaem-
ber it. | had three brothers in the
war. Two Of them never came home"
Milo Ogden Frank, step son of Joe
Steinhardt, Of the big New York firm
of Steinhard & Kelly, who has been i'll
at the local hospital with poison oak.
has been eagerly studying the war dis
patches. "In case Of grave conflict"
he says, mot only will great block
of box apples not be exported. but the
New York barrel apple interests will
suffer likewise.
Contemplation Of export apples to
Europe from this country can be rele.
gated to the things that were." said
W. F. Gwin, manager Of the North
western Fruit Exchange. ''ln case of
general war being waged in Europe or
even while the scare is on, the plans
for exporting to those countries might
as well be discontinued. or course,
conditions may be changed over night,
and of course the possibility still exists
for our working that field, but with
rumors 50 plentiful as they are at this
time we are congraulating ourselves
that our domestic organization is so
complete, for In case of war we will
most certainly have TO rely upon local
connections to their fullest efficiency.
"The war would not only cause q
cessation of exports from the north
/ hui ka A
large quantity of fruit. probably mil
lions of barrels would be thrown back
upon our domestic markets. In that
emergency the capacity of all distrib-
uting organizations will be taxed to the
fullest extent.
"AppIes are not a necessity and can
not be classed with wheat, barley, rye,
etc, and in making way for these ac-
tual necessities the apple would suffer
more in comparison than any other
commodity. Even If Europe craved
our apples and demanded same, il is
doubtful II it would be possible to get
adequate shipping facilities. II 10 too
early to pass expert opinion upon what
the result will be. However, it is the
concensus of opinion that European
warfare would be disastrous to the ap-
pie markets, specifically in export and
generally domestic. Already the ru-
mors of a conflict has caused the delay
of arrangements for boat space on ex-
port products.
c. A. Malboeuf. manager OF the
| Eastern Oregon Fruit Association, how.
ever. is optimistic. He says: r.
''No one can forecast whether the
war will be short one or long one,
but it is safer to assume that IL is
more likely to be brief than long.
'instead of looking at the situation
from the standpoint of possible disas.
ter, we should take into consideration
the two sides of the question. In the
frt place, Great Britain is our greatest
customer, especially of apples, and
should they, as seems entirely prob
able. retain the control of the seas and
maintain lines of communication be-
tween their ports and our own, the sit
uation offers the possibility of sharp
demand for all food products in which
fruits play very important part with
the British people.
"lf the war is short also, that condi-
tion should obtain, or IL English ports
are open and Transatlantic service Ia
maintained the effect should be to at
tract more fruit from America than
usual because of the apparent impossi-
bility for the continental countries to
supply it. Britain imports every year
about SIS, 900, 900, worth of fresh fruit
and only very small portion of that
is shipped from Canada and the United
States.
1.-THE present shortage OF foodstuffs
in the European countries is the strong
est feature on the horizon, and inevit-
ably means a very sharp demand the
moment conditions are sufficiently nor
NAL. We look upon the whole matter
calmly and with perfect confidence
that whatever the situation is. the
orderly control of tonnage through the
North Pacific Fruit Distributors ample
warrant that the interest of its men,
bers will be fully protected"
Manager Stone of the Apple Growers
Association states that every effort is
going to be made by the Association to
cater to domestic markets this year. on
account of the European war.
The growers. he says. have been
prompt with their estimates. He
urges that all attend to this as early
as possible. in order that the shipping
agency may be prepared to handle the
marketing condition, embarrassed by
the Decentralization of the export trade.