Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-02-25

I bushels from 1913 gives a total avail
able supply of 100000. 900 bushels. 1t
takes five bushels of wheat for a bar
rel of flour, so the consumption is $780,
100000 bushels. Then 100000 BUSH
els are needed for seed, making total
requirements of 584,000,000 bushels.
Thus this year we had 316,000,000
bushels available for export.
Surplus Not Exhausted.
Since July l, 1914, at the end of
which month the war started, the
United States had exported 208, 100000
bushels of wheat up to February l.
Thus 108,000,000 bushels are left for
Europe. Some statisticians make the
amount 144,000,000. Taking the lower
figure, if we export at the rate of g.
100000 bushels a week, the surplus
Will not be exhausted until some time
in May.
This computation is very interesting
and is used by many persons as basis
for an argument that the prices of
wheat are fictitious and based on some
sort of conspiracy. But it is to be
remembered that the whole idea of
produce is to anticip@e future short
ages, and world shortage seems
probable, despite the bright prospects
this holds out for the United States
farmers.
The Italian government has been
buying heavily at Chicago, it is known,
and many believe other European
states are directly responsible for
much of the spectacular rise. The
French and English fleets have not vet
been able to force the Dardanelles,
and 150,000,000 bushels of Russian
wheat stay tied up in Black sea ports.
Russia is unable to ship this food to
her allies of the West, France and
Great Britain.
If the Ur'ted States chose to keep
al her wheat for herself, prices would
be very low in this country, certainly
below 81 at Chicago and quite prob
ably rs or so cents, which would mean
bankruptcy for the farmers.
In many sections of the country,
however, sentiment is growing for an
embargo act. There is the precedent
of the war of 1912 for this. Then an
embargo was laid on the expectation
of all foodstuffs in order to try to
starve out Great Britain, then our en-
envy. Officials of the department of
justice at Washington say that the
right to do this exists in congress I'M
der the federal Constitution.
Several senators and representative
have declared themselves in favor of
limiting the export of wheat, among
them Representative Farr of Pennsyl-
vania, who favors a partial embargo on
the export of wheat and -four because
he believes the standard loaf will go
to eight and then ten cents in price
before two months more Of the great
war have passed.
Advocate an Embargo.
Another strong exponent of an en-
barge is Mrs. Julian Heath of New
York city, president of the House
wives league, which represents ], 00O,-
600 American women. Mrs. Heath
says that the Housewives league has
realized for some time that increased
prices for bread were inevitable and
has been sending notice to its mem
bers to make no effort to attack the
bakers, because the latter are not re-
sponsible, but are forced to charge
more because their flour costs them
more.
The average housewife would do
well to learn more of the use of corn
meal" says Mrs. Heath. THE price
of cornmeal has not gone up to any
Gppreciable extent as yet, and, even
though it did go up, it would remain a
cheap and very nutritious food, and
could be made to take the place of a
part at least of the weekly bread sup
ply needed by a family"
Another measure of relief which is
widely advocated is the closing of the
produce exchanges. Many believe