The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-11-28
FOOD PRODUCTION IN WAR TIME

Can each OF the countries 1nVolVeO
maintain in time of war the normal
rate of production? asks T. N. Carver
in the American Review of Reviews
for November, and he proceeds to
answer his own question: There is.
at present. no sufficient reason for
doubling 1t. Much depends, of course,
upon where and how the fighting &C.
ours. If any of the countries should
be overrun by invading armies which
sweep across wide areas. destroying
crops as they go, after the manner Of
Sherman's March to the Sea, it would
upset all calculations. Barring such
contingencies, there is no very good
reason for supposing that any country
at war will permit its supplies of the
necessaries OF life to run short If 1t is
possible to prevent it. It would be az
great a blunder to allow the food sup
ply as to allow the supply of ammuni-
ton to fail. We can expect, therefore.
that nothing short of physical impos-
sibility will stand in the way of pro-
duction.
The ordinary campaign. which is not
definitely planned to destroy crops
over wide areas, is not to be considered
as of more than local Importance in
reducing production. 1t is to be class
ed along with hail. winds. and floods.
which occur every year over areas
which seem large in themselves but
are a small fraction of the total pro-
ducing area of any crop. Sugar beets
are probably hardest hit because much
of the fighting has been in a region of
dense production.
The expectation that men will not be
available for the planting or harvest
ing of crops will come true only in the
most extreme cases where a country is
making it's last stand in defense of its
national existence. II each country
puts her entire available fighting force
in the field, she will still have left her
women and her old men and boys. AS
a matter of fact, all reports indicate
that there is a surplus rather than
dearth of labor. That is, men are out
Of employment. This would naturally
follow from the closing of factories
which are not producing basic neces-
saries. The fact that the peasant wo-
men In all continental countries are
accustomed to working in the fields is
Iof genuine importance here. 1t will in
volve no change of custom and no
shock to their sense of propriety if
increasing numbers of women should
help with farm work. Mr.. N. c. Muir
ray. of the United States department
of agriculture, is authority for the
statement that agricultural production
in the Balkan states was not much af
fected during their war.
As to the old men and boys, we may
be very sure that If they have to be
withdrawn from any industries it will
be from those which are not neces-
sary to national existence. That is.
they will be withdrawn from those
which produce luxuries rather than
necessaries. In other words, the con-
sumers will give up luxuries. The peo-
probably be the first to sue for peace.
That this abandonment of luxuries Is
already taking place Is evidenced by
the fact that many indoor industries
are shut down, creating surplus Of
laborers available for the outdoor in
dustries.
Another factor to be considered Is
that Germany. Austria, and Russia
produce more than two-thirds of the
beet sugar, and almost one-third of
| all the sugar. both cane and beet. of
the world. Both Germany and Aus
tria are heavy exporters of sugar. In
case their exports are cut Oft. and their
imports Of other foodstuffs as well.
they will undoubtedly devote a part
of this land. and 1t IL the most fertile
land in each empire. to growing crops
for home consumption.
1