New Britain herald., 1916-10-05
NO FAMINE IN
 MEXICO FEARED
HarVeStS 0bYiate All Chance Of
 Food Shortage

MeX1cO City, oct. b.-Ihe prOduc- ton of foodstuffs in Mexlco for the current year has obviated any chance of shortage, according to the depart ment of agriculture. The crops are said to be not only sufficient to pre- vent famine but will make Mexico practically independent of importa- tion of foodstuffs from other coun- tries, although @ certain amount of corn and flour will continue to be imported into the northern states from the United States because of superior facilities for transportation to those localities.
 The crops. it is admitted, will not reach normal production but will be sufficient to allow @ certain amount of exportation. The question of food supply is one of distribution rather than production, and it will be ne- cessary to transport to the more bar ren states products from those local ities where normal or nearly normal crops prevail. It is pointed out that while some undoubtedly died of starvation in the capital last year, this was due not to shortage of food but to the impossibility of adequately transporting what was available.
 Within the last few months, ac- cording to the department officials, means of transportation have in creased many fold. Regular train service has been resumed not only with the United States border but between interior points and railroads which have been idle for an extended period have resumed operation.
 The corn crop, the great Mexican food staple. will be in all portions of the Republic except Zacatecas, Dur ango, Chihuahua and San Luis Po- tosi. In each of those states dis turbed conditions have not only pre- vented planting but have left the farmers with an inadequate supply of seed corn. In the other states the corn crop has been excellent. The agricultural department also expects to add to the available supply a large amount of old corn hitherto held for large price advances.
 The bean crop, according to de-
  CT one will be sufficient to permit the exportation of old beans, the em bargo on the foreign sale of which recently was removed by a decree of the first chief. In connection with ment declare that the shortage of crops in Durango is due solely to the speculative operations of Rancho Villa
  movement took form in 1913, the rich farmers abandoned their ranches and fled to Mexico City. The poor people who had worked on these properties, however, proceeded to raise a tremendous crop of beans which were stored throughout the state. Villa, 1t is said, found this supply and shipped it to the United States for sale leaving not even enough for seed supply. It is esti mated he shipped over 1.500,O0 bush els of beans and officials say the state never has recovered from the scarcity which resulted.
 The production of cotton, it Is ad- mitted by the department of agri- culture, will fall 50 per cent. below normal but reports from the Laguna district as to the amount of water now in the streams which in some seasons are entirely dry, indicates a full crop next year.
 There Is a great need among the farmers for new parts of the more simple types of agricultural machin- cry and the department of agricul- ture now is preparing plan whereby such supplies as plOWpoints and other machinery parts will be bought in large quantities by the government and sold at cost to the small farmers
 Efforts already are being made by the government to establish a system of farm loans. Tn Colima a conn., mission has been appointed to dis purse 5O0,000 pesos provided by the among the more needy small farmers of the states. Similar organizations are being formed in other parts of the republic.