The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1914-08-28
May SWAY
GREAT STRUGGLE
Uncle Sans Wheat Crop
Factor in the War.
Russia Only Country Involved
Which Produces More Cereals
Than II Uses.

Washington Aug. 26.-Despite the
fact that the United States is taking
no active part in the European war
| it is apparent to all watchers that
Uncle Sam and his vast wheat crop
are playing a most important role in
the hostilities and upon the measure
in which the contesting countries
United States may depend the final
outcome of the struggle.
The United States produces more
wheat than any other single country
in the world. One of the warning
Powers (Russia) produces more
food than she needs for her own
consumption.
Germany and Austria are prac-
tically helpless in the market II cut
off from foreign production. Gov
eminent officials now go so far as to
predict that should we have another
civil war which would cripple our
internal industries and tie up ship
ping the rest of the world would
practically starve. All of which goes
to show the vital position held by the
United States, not only in the pres
ent war, but in the future of the
world itself.
In the present war the United
States, with bumper crops, wheat
production of 25O,OO0,OOO bushels
more than the average for the past
ten years, and occupying a position
of absolute neutrality with the pow
er to enforce that neutrality, will
be able to make it's own terms.
Aside from Russia only two ma
tions involved in war produce more
cereals of any kind than they need
for their own consumption. Germany
exports 7,054,907 bushels of rye an
nually and Austria-Hungary raises
annually 19,646,575 bushels more
of barley than is consumed within
her borders. e-
In meat products the countries
allied with the Triple Entente pro-
duce nearly twice as many sheep as
do Germany and Austria-Hungary
combined. The TeutOnic allies. how
ever. produce about one-third more
swine than do their opponents, but
pork makes poor food for a march
ing army.
Germany and Austria Hungary
with a total poulation of 110,432.-
TAO, face an annual shortage in
wheat Of 100000 bushels, the av-
erage yearly consumption per cap
'ita for these two countries being
about 3.s9 bushels under ordinary
circumstances.
The countries of the Triple En-
tente face a net shortage of wheat
of 90.000,000 bushels spread over
a population of 250.142,525. The av-
erage per capita consumption annu-
ally for the countries which do not
export is 7.73 bushels. Russia alone
of all the countries in the Triple
Entente exports wheat. She annu-
ally sends abroad 15O. 200, 900 BUSH
els. This average has allowed Rus
STA to maintain the lead of wheat-ex-
porting countries up to this year.
With the added advantage of the
war in Europe the United States will
jump far in the van, but first place
would have been hers anyhow on ac-
count of her bumper crops.
Russia has an advantage over all
the other countries engaged in the
war because If immense output of all
kinds of cereals. Aside from her ex-
port of more than $50. 900. 900 BUSH
els of wheat. her corn export runs
upwards of 100000 bushels and
her trade in oats is one of the larg-
est in the world.
In contrast to the figures of all
except Russia. statistics
for the United States show that of
the cereals we import only rice and
that. on the other hand. our exports
in many cases exceed the imports of
some of the larger countries.
The livestock figures for the coun-
tries embroiled in the war are quite
as interesting as are those for cere-
ais. Here Is the table prepared by
show how the sinews of war in the
Triple Entente and the Dual ALI
ance compare: