The Washington times., 1915-03-25

To save the crops that will be har-
vested in the world in 1915 will be one
OF the biggest problems that the dom
mating organizations OF society the
world over will have to meet. 1t Will
be second only to the problem of or
ganizing. financing. and carrying on
the unprecedented war of the world.
Never since tho ancient times when
famines fell upon unrestricted areas
and could not be relieved by import
ing the surpluses Of other areas has
the world been so pressingly in need
to save everything 1t produced and TO
make the most OF it. That Is the Key
note to the strenuous efforts that are
being organized all over the world to
conserve the soils fruit OF this year
1916.
Wheat the Index.
Wheat is the index to the worlds ag-
ricultural production. The Inter1ation-
al Institute Of Agriculture has just re-
ported that in the fall of 1914 the wheat
area sown in seven countries exceeded
that of the preceding year by IA per
cent. 1t Is fair to assume that this
is about the ratio in which the sowing
was Increased in the other wheat coun-
tries; likewise. 1t was probably smaller
than the ratio of increase that will be
developed in the spring-wheat plant
ings of those areas which raise spring
| wheat. In other words, the wcrld
| stands to have from II to 20 per cent
| more wheat in 1915 than it had the pre-
ceding year.
Taking the institutes report, It is
found that statistics are given tor sSrit-
ish India. Canada, Denmark, England,
and Wales. Italy. Switzerland LuNem-
Australia. and Argentina, the other
most important wheat countries, are
not covered in this report. but II is
known from other sources that they are
| all keeping step in the increase OF acre
| age with those on which statistics are
given.
| No matter whether war continues or
peace comes. the world will need every
bushel of cereals 1t can get together.
and the problem OF harvesting and saw
ing it is Of intense Importance. That
lis why the governments of Canada, AUS
tralia, the United States, Germany
| Russian fact all the important coun-
tries-are making special arrangements
| TO facilitate the work of the harvest
season.
Organizing For Harvest.
| Our own Department of Labor, CO.
| operating with the Postoffice Depart
ment and the Agricultural Department
Is organizing a system for handling Ia
borers who may be utilized to harVest
the coming seasons crops. III Iie
United States the problem of unemploy'
ment In acute. and there is special rca'
sEn 70 desire to make the organization
SfaIASAs as possible, because the lapoi
up~}N tAp hire. That Is true also IN Ar
eeStsSnN; it Is not true to considerable
Natent in any other important grain,
growing country, because those otnei
countries are involved in the war, anu
their manhood has had to stand terrlh'
drafts to keep armies filled.
Thus. in Russia and Siberia, the cropE
were largely put In last fall before lh'
war demanded the men; special ar
rangement have been made in tht
spring wheat sections to get the larScs
possible acreage planted this spr1ns
In Roumania the wheat acreage is gont
to break all records. but in Serbia-alsc
an important wheat country-it Will b'
pitifully small despite the desperate CT
forts to harness the women and children
to the chariot of industry once more.
But everywhere 1t Is easier to get ths
CT ops planted than to get them harvest
ed in exactly the right time. Never he
fore has the peak of the worlds labol
lead been SO sharp as it will be at the
harvest time in this year 1915. The wal
unless the unexpected happens mean
ume-wiu- be demanding. the utmos