The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-03-08

the stock Of wheat, in quarters, Is
as follows:
Quadruple Allies: France $4,000
600; Algeria and Tunisia 100000;
United Kingdom 100000; India 47s-
$4,000; Canada 42,030,000i Egypt
and the Cape 100000; Australia 49,
100000; New Zealand 1000, 900;
Italy 81, $4,000; Russia $4,000, 200;
Japan 2,95o,o00. Total s23,42o,o00
quarters. ~
Neutrals: Spain 100000; Portu-
gal 100000; Rumania 11,250,000;
Greece 100000: Holland I'll, 900;
Switzerland 4S5,000; Sweden 1,o00,-
600; Denmark $4,000; United States
126, 440, 900; Mexico 100000; Argen-
tina 24,000,000; Chile 100000; Uru-
quay 100000; Peru 600,000: Persia
t,700, 900. Total 189,1S1 900 quarters.
Central Powers: Germany 100000
600; Austria 100000; Hungary 49,
$4,000; Cretia and Slavonia 1,50u,-
600; Bosnia and Herzegovina SOC, 900 !;
Bulgaria 5,785,000; Serbia, 1900, 900;
Belgium 100000. Total 56.7s9,0oo
quarters.
There are Of course other factors
operating In this war game whtc Of
feet the foregoing stocks Of the va.
rious countries. Russia's vast stock
is practically sealed up, and while it
can supply her own army and people,
1t cannot get out through the Dardan-
elles, or westward across the Austro-
Herman lines, or northward through
the iceports and the German Baltic
fleet. Belgium's stock, also, while
controlled by the German occupants
OF the country, Is by arrangementNused
for internal needs. So that these and
some other small grain.producing
countries are out Of the worlds huc-
tuations Of grain rs the food'weapon
Of warfare
The recent government purchases
in Australia and Argentina are refer
red to in an official statement, which
says the British and French govern
ments purchased zoe, 900 tons Of wheat
from Australia, the share Of the Brit
ish government being 100000 tons.
The Argentina purchase, the state
ment says, was 100000 tons by the
British government. At the prevail
ing rate this would be about SIC. 000,-
900 for the Australian and $20, 000, 900
for the Argentina supplies. Details
Of the Rumanian purchase are given
in letters from Bucharest stating that
George Barclay, the British minister,
signed the purchase contract, which
the British legation announced was
made in behalf OF the government.
The purchase covered $4,000 car loads
at 1913 pounds per car load, or a total
OF ten, million sterling, $4,000 900.
Aside from it's effect on the Amert
can exchange rate, this gathering in
OF huge stocks OF grain appear to be
one OF the modern methodsfof war
fare, as a reserve food defense for the
armies and population, and as anoth-
er means OF wearing down the enemy
by shortening his food resources. This
has been urged in the past, notably
by Mr.. Yarburgh; NJ. Phi who claimed
that a wheat reserve was essential
as q first line OF defense for an insu-
lar country like England, liable to be
cut off from the. food supplies on
which 1t IL absolutely dependent: The
British navy has OF course been the
encircling protection against this pos
sibility. And yet, it appears to- be ac-
cepted as q wise precaution that a
great wheat reserve should be built
up as against any eventually, just as
much as gold reserve, The wheat
reserve OF London has been running
very low Of late, being only one third
what it was year ago, and there is
about the same falling on at the If
teen great ports of the country. So
that this new policy of government
wheat purchase Is going Into opera,
ton, with the double PURPOSE, Of grad
ually building up d great defensive
wheat reserve. and incidentally do
doubt keeping down the tate Of Amer.
lean exchange: II