The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-01
IRELAND FACES
 GREAT FAMINE
 IN POTATO CROP
Harvest of 1916 Worst in More Than Half Century,
 Reports Indicate.

| potato crop is disquieting to many people in the United States who have 1 relatives in Erin. They have had the worst potato crop since 1S47. Thai was the year of the great famine that swept multitudes into their graves when men, women and children per. ished by the roadside.
 There are analogous conditions present to-day. In 1S47, on top o1 the famine in potatoes, there was much food in Ireland which was ship ped to England. In fact it was al- ways claimed that had the people ta- ken the crops many would have been saved from starvation.
 To-day England is c1amoring for food-stuffs. There is a falling off of imports So, while the potato crop is failure in many places, there is food enough in Ireland to prevent ut ter famine. Therefore the warning has been sounded to prevent condi- tions similar to those of 1S47. In this weeks copy of Ireland the situation is given as follows: There had been suggestions all Sum- mer that the crop situation in Ireland was not what coult be desired. Spring was cold and wet and the planting season was late. In Autumn anOth- CT long rainy spell set in, and pres ently the much dreaded blight appear ed.
 For years past they have been try ing to overcome the adverse influences of weather conditions upon the po- tato crop, and various devices have ~&&I %~ he 1. minishing the losses.
 Certain varieties have been found more resistant than others. precau- tions in planting and spraying have been found useful, and different soils have been found to give different re- suits.
 The net result of the bad Spring weather was reduction in potato area of S,159 acres. Bad Summer weather resulted in small crop of small potatoes Bad Autumn wealth CT resulted in blight, rot and failure to save a good part of the crop.
 In many cases it was observed that after the crop had been saved and the potatoes had been stored in pits as usual they began to rot in the pits.
 t'The crop is already selling in the town of Nenagh," says a letter from that place written on Oct. 23, "at fl per barrel, or l shilling per stone'' GA pounds).
 No Power to Stop Exports.
 As soon as the position was estab- lished, and it had been conceded that the crop would be one-third to one- half less than last year, Capt Done Ian, MP, brought the matter to mo- tict of Parliament, where. in answer to his question, MT. T. w. Russell said the anxiety did not warrant the term failure being used as yet
 He added that the Irish Depart ment of Agriculture had not power to prohibit the export of potatoes.
 This did not satisfy Capt. Donelan who asked, "In view of the fact that potatoes are the staple food of the Irish people, will the right honorable gentleman recommend that the expor- tation of potatoes shall be suspended pending furtf.er investigation as to the extent of the disease?"
 Mr. Russell said the question must be regarded as an open one. If :. ever did arise 1t would have to be very carefully considered.
 A later statement seemed to indi- cate that if the power to prohibit ex- port was not with this department it might exist in another, whereupon a correspondent to a southern paper asks. "How many deaths from star vation will it take to convince MT. Russell that it is necessary now?"
 MT. Russells own figures for last year indicate a crop of 3,710, ,463 tons, of which there were available for ex- port only 250,000 tons. If the crop has been reduced one-third, then the potato shortage amounts to about a million tons. If there is only half crop, then the shortage amounts to a million and a half tons.
 Whose Food Is It? When we remember that the diet of the Irish poor is based on pota- toes, these figures are staggering.
 The matter is complicated by two further facts. It will be difficult, per- haps impossible. to get potatoes in from other countries with which to make up the shortage.
 That is one consequence of the state of war, which has reduced the amount of available shipping to point where the greatest anxiety is now conceded in all the Allied countries.
 As compared with 1913, the imports of all kinds of foodstuffs into England in 1916 show a considerable falling off.
 Secondly, England will naturally, in the course of business, see.l to satisfy her town wants by buying potatoes from Ireland, thus further depicting the stock of food which stands be- tween the poor of Ireland and starva- tion.
 7. Because, as the Cork Examiner points out, despite the official a1lega- tions of increased prosperity, the mas ses of the people in towns and cities have not to any appreciable extent participated in the prosperity that per neates Great Britain and which has been brought about by the glut of employment and the higher wages that have resulted from the wide spread establishment of munition works and factories
 After two years of war they are still sta1ling off Ireland with soft speech and unkept promises when munition making is mentioned.
 Ireland Aghast.
 While there is no Irish authority that can be called upon to cope with the danger, at least with any expecta- x. n L