Bisbee daily review., 1915-02-26
AN AMERlcAN FooD sAoRTAaE

AN AMERICAN FOOD SHOFl ASE
 Germany, begir by enemies, with her commercial saeways closed is beginning to suffer for of food Can it be that our own rich country peace with all the world after the most bountful harvest of our hs tory is destined to suffer the same pinch? Is it con. ceiyabe that we too may have export embargoes ani warbread?
 The rise in the price Of bread actual in many ct tics and threatened all has brought the problem into every home sixcent loayes, or loaves frightened by two ounces or both are a serious matter to the poor and cause of serious reflection to everybody. The wheat market jumping nervously, huctuatng as much as ten points day with the pit in Chicago con tuuous riot and thousands of lowsaared men and wo- men stalking their savings the continued rise of the cereal-hese are rather ominous facts, to the ordinary uonspecustiug consumer who wants to be sure that war or no war his family is going to have enough to eat
 What is the likelihood then .of a genuine fool shortage?
 First let us take wheat This is, without doubt our most important food product but we're apt to exag- gerate both it's importance and its shortage. care u examination Of the situation seems show that we're
  going on rations and that even if the wheat out we could worry along without the usual supply for a while
 The wheat crop in the United States last year amounted to S91 OOOOOO bushels The surplus left from the year before made supply of 967oooOoo bush els We consume about five bushels apiece per year. 30 for our own use needed perhaps 52ooOOOoO bushels to run us until the winter wheat begins to come in toward the end of June. We need 9oOOoOoO bush. els more for seeding making total domestic demand of G1oOooOoO bushels That left us about 357OoOOo1 to export
 We've been selling that surplus abroad, at war prices and making a mighty fine thing out of Tor the farmers, and everybody else too, through the re- establishment of our national credit on a safe basil by the resulting favorable trade balance" The sit uation has been much the same as in 1897, when W, sold the surplus of crop at the high price. which preceded the Spanish war
 But have we sold all that surplus? By no means It appears that up to the middle of the present mont about 23OoOOOOO bushels had been exported. Ieayin. about l25OOOooo bushels still hand that don need. If that remaining surplus continued go abroa at its recent of about 100000 bushels day, would last until the crop began the market
 But it isn't likely to continue going so fast Tn present relentless war on each others commerce b. Great Britain and Germany is sure while it continues to curtal our food exports Moreover the Argentin, crop beginning move; there will be available iron that country lOOOOOOOO bushels for somebody-for us if we pay the price India will presumably export 7j 100000 bushels in May and June we might get som, of that Russia has surplus from last harvest Of moc than lOOOOOOOO bushels; if there should develop al outlet through the Dardaneles elsewhere, that whea would supply the European demand that have bee catering to- and leave for us.
 So we needn't worry over lack of wheat W have enough in the country The only question il who has lt. and how much are the rest Of us going be made to pay for t? Tie government is now engage with that problem We shall soon know whether tl farmers hoardng wheat the mllers are hoardiu it the big bakers hoardng flour, the speculs ors foreign and domestic have the surplus in the clutches
 But even if the price of wheat, Of flour Of brea rises further, we're not in such bad We hay plenty of plenty of other grains Wheat const tutes 12 per cent Of our food Poultry and eggs col stitute about the same percentage and they are a Ii tIe cheaper than last year Meat and dairy product making nearly half diet considerably cheap' everywhere-at least the wholesale price is Veg tables cheaper potatoes and apples oueth