Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-04-27
The Urgent Need
Of a National Food Surrey.


make immediate survey of the food supply to
determine just what the countrys resources are"
Secretary Houston. of the Department of Agricul-
ture. touches fundamental need. ANY well-con-
sdered plan stop food speculation to regulate
food prices must be based on reliable and cOmpre-
hensive knowledge of what the available food sup
ply is and where it is located Such knowledge is
essential moreover. TO effective efforts for improv
ing our methods of food distribution. and it will
go a ICns way in fostering efficiency in the con-
servation of the food output. Indeed every en-
deavOr. whether organized individual, solve
the all important problem of food supply as related
needs. will be enlightened and promoted by
adequate survey of the cOuntrys food resources.
This would be good thing to do in any circum-
but it is imperative at a time when the
ton is in q war whose outcome depends largely on
Americas ability keep allies well prOvisiOned
Whatever else may contribute to the great cause
We have espOused, must contribute foodstufs.
The energies of England and France taken up
entirely in the terrible heat of battle For nearly
three years their productive power has been di-
verted from agriculture to the grim tasks of war
a war in defense of the principles believe in and
the rights We live by At last they have attained a
degree OF military preparedness and a point of
vantage at which they not only hold the enemy
at arms length heretofore but also press
home victorious offensive and bring Prussian
militarism to satisfactory terms-if they sus-
tanned By us as they should be in the fundamentally
important matter Of food supplies. But without
due support OF this kind, their efforts and flu
ture efforts will be dangerously crippled if not
frustrated altogether.
But our ability to provision England and France
will be determined by the efficiency with which we
ho in
conserving the food output and more scientific in
using it as well as more widely industrious in in
creasing its quantity. We must stop wastes, not
merely in the kitchen-important though it is that
efficiency should begin at home-but also in the
distribution and marketing of foodstuffs. Partic-
ularly must we see it that food spectators and
axtOrtoners are prevented from playing their trea-
sonable game. All this requires first essential
the food-suppIy survey which Secretary Houston is
urging To just what extent such survey will be
serviceabIe may be inferred from its demonstrated
value in Germany. a close student of the economic
problems and methods of Germany has said that
her amazing economic resistance is due mot only
to summary measures against speculation, such as
the fixing OF maximum prices of food, but especially
TO the fact that she organized her agricultural
army and counted every COW, pig. straw and kernel
OF corn" For example:
.Ou the twenty-second of October. 1915,
she toOk a census OF bread-corn, oats and -four
M the eleventh of November. national oil
and fat census. On December LIST she counted
all animals and fixed the prices of such seem
ingIy unimpOrtant commodities as venison,
hares and -pheasants. On the fourth of
December. having taken full account of these
stocks she fixed the wholesale and retail prices
of white cabbages and turnips, green cabbage
and kaIe. savoy and red cabbage, carrots and
onions And on the next day OF carp. tench.
pike, red-eyes and fn-scales.
And OF course she counted every parcel of
open ground and considered what crops each
acre was best fitted to yield. She counted
her brooks, rivers. ponds and lakes. and safe
guarded their schools of fish She granted
liberal aid to her rural cooperative societies
She organized her supply of steam plows.
motor plows. reapers. scythes, sickles and
spades and supervised their effective dis
tribution, exchange and Nothing
left to chance"
But for these precautions. Germany would hav
crumpIed long ago. After nearly three years of
continually Tightening blockade her food resource
are critically low and it is merely a matter o
time of course-though probably longer than
commonly assumed-when she will reach the limi
of endurance. But Il Is noteworthy that at tn
negrnnng OF this spring the prices Of potatoes AM
bread and even OF some meats were cheaper Il
Germany than they were In England the Unite
States.
The skilIful organization by which these re
suits were accomplished rested on the accurat
and comprehensive knowledge which was obtaine
by the food census. tken in the early part Of tn
war and repeated as occasion required IL tn
United States is to meet the heavy responsibilities
which it's own and its allies needs place upon Il
Congress should authorize at once the surve
which the Department of Agriculture asks t
make and then upon the facts thus brought on
should base such measures of regulation ma
be needfuI and just