The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-03-07
'.'uAEs I1 Eq'lN!gN. y! :
HOUSTON CALLS ATTENTION 10
GREAT WASTE.
Secretary Of Agriculture Discusses
Csase Of Excessive Rise In Food
Products. 49,.

~'soS - EVVU
Products. 49,
Washington. Mar. 2.-Greater food
crops ana tho practice Of .household
economies were urged by Secretary
Houston today az measures to help
reduce the cost Of living. American
families. he estimated in a statement
on the food situation. waste in their
kitchens anndalfy moro than 's70o,.
100000 worth Of edibles.
There II nothing in the situation to
justify hysteria, however. he declared,
because there 10 no real shortage. of
food In the country.
Mr.. Houston emphasized the I'm.
portanee OF the food cost investigation
directed by President Wilson and held
out hope that increased acreages this
year may insure greater food supplies.
Wheat and potatoes. he said. were an
usually short last year but there Will
be enough to supply very nearly nor
NAL needs. :.
The food problem can not be solved.
in the secfetary's Opinion. through
price fixing by the federal or State
government but by Intelligent plant
Ing and constructive action in con-
junction with the operation Of nor
NAL forces" Urging q full inquiry
into the causes Of advancing prices,
he said:
"A full and satisfactory explanation
OF prevailing prices Is not possible on
the basis of existing knowledge. Where
the food supply To located. who owns
It. what may be the difficulties Of sc.
curing It. whether the local market
conditions are due to car shortage
whether there IN artificial monopoly
or control. no one can state with GER
tainty. It In essential that we have
the facts. not only because Of the light
they might throw on present condi.
tions but also because they are prere-
Quisite for the working out of per-
manent. Just ana economical system
OF marketing. The investigation di /
rected by the president ought to be
made promptly and congress ought to
give the federal trade commission ana
tho department Of agriculture the
necessary funds" =!
Limitation Of waste In the Kitchen,
he pointed out. would do much to.
wards affording partial nnd Immediate
relief from oppressive prices. Prices
must be maintained at certain level
or farmers win not increase their out
put. Mr.. Houston declared. ana either
the government or the community
must gusrSntee q reasonable price.
1T IL evident he said; 'that the
public has failed to look all facts In
voived. especially IN the case Of wheu..
The wheat crop FOR the current year
was reported to be go. .o00, 900 bushels
sgainst fsve year average of 7ss. .ooo..
600 and the record crop of fsfs., ,Ut l.,
oas.oso.oee Apparently the pubic
has compared the crop OF 1916 solely
with the record crop Of 1916 and failed
to take into account the unusually
large carry.over from that year into
the present year OF is4. .o00. 900, bushels
or more. .--' ~- ,-,.... 6
Furthermore. the public's atten- |
tion sas been fxed on the large ex-
ports Of the two years immediately
following the outbreak of the war. rht
exports Of wheat In normal times TIRE
approximately 105.000.oo0 busheis
Tho year preceding the war It was
146. 100000. In 1Stl-1s1s it wa,
sa2. 600. 600 and 1sl64to was 24:. .o0n.
900. Looking only at the crop o"
GEO. 100000 buAfIcls and having Il.
mind the possibilities OF exports
by the flgUre OF :32.O00.C0
for i914-15, the public naturally ap
pretended there would be lack Of
bread. Dealers and others beea n,c
unduly excited.
'The total available supply. includ-
Ing both the crop and carryovcr az.
srcgating 04.0O0.0 900 busheis--part Of
which it should be said was not suit
able for milling purposes-should
have been considered as won as the
relatively small exports for the nrst
SIX months Of the current year. Up
70 the hrst Of January exports we're
only 100000 bushels and they
nave tended to decrease. partly on .c-
count OF the disturbed shipping COM
ditions since the first of January. Our
normal domestic needs for wheat for
human food. for seeding purposes
ana for reserve to carry over into
the next years REQUIRE GAO. 600 ono