The Elbert County tribune., 1917-08-24
TABLE NO. !.
Commodity.

~ff-NFfrfF
Totals ..,................5.525.i0 10000
---~-~~-~~>~~-~-~-~~---~-
United States. on which they were ac-
customed to rely before the war. The
Russian supply cannot be got out
Bulgarian and Roumanian supplies are
In the hands of the central empires.
The voyage from Australia and India
is three times as long and therefore
requires three times ms many tons OF
shipping as Is required from North At
| antic ports. II is also twice as dan
gerous because of the longer exposure
to submarine attack. There has been
a large failure in the South American
countries and the new harvest from
that quarter will not be available In
Europe until next spring. AS already
said, all the allied countries are and
have been for some time vigorously ad-
minlstering and economizing their
| food In Belgium, the relief commits
| sion has been compelled to reduce the
| consumption of cereals by nearly 90
per cent: this brings the food supply
so low that the population are in
capable of labor.
From the above tables 1t will be
seen that on normal bases of consump-
| ton the total allied wheat import re-
quIrements are 577.000000 bushels
against North American surplus of
| 20S,00O0o0 bushes-and from our
| United States supplies we must re-
serve certain amount for neutrals
| from which we receive Vital supplies
| and also an amount to protect our
stocks better next year than this last.
| There Is therefore on normal con
sumption deficit of over 4OO,OOO.ooo
bushels. In the other cereals used in
Europe mostly for animal feed, the
| import necessities of the allies on nor
NAL consumption basis are about GA
100000 against North American sur
plus of 950.000.000. But again a re-
serve for neutrals and Increased "cnr-
ry over" win absorb all the margin.
In any event 1t means we must multi
ply our exports of these cereals 20
times. However, upon the basis of our
present crop prospects we should be
able to supply their requirements in
cereals other than wheat.
Wheat Situation Difficult.
The situation in wheat Is one of
great difficulty and concern. and must
be met by an elimination of waste and
reduction of consumption on the part
of the allied peoples and ourselves. in
one word. by an effective ndministra-
ton of the available supply.
| The allies are unable to use other
cereals alone for bread They can
use them only as added to wheat flour
to make the war bread now in uni
versal use in European countries. Ex-
| cept in Italy, whose people normally
consume much corn. our allies have
few corn mills and cornmeal Is not a
durable commodity and therefore can
not be shipped in great quantities!
Moreover, for generations they have
| bought bread from the bakeries; they
have no equipment nor do they know
| how to bake in the household. Every
| American knows that 1t is infeasibe
| to distribute corn bread from bakeries,
| and IL is therefore necessary for us
to furnish our allies with sufficient
wheat to enable them to have wheat
| basis for the loaf. However, they can
use and must use other cereals for
mixture in their war bread, and by
this substitution and by savings on
their part a great deal can be accom-
plished. On the other hand. n deficit
of 400.000.000 bushels can be at least
partially overcome If we can increase
our exports from SS000000 to 220,-
100000 or nearly triple. This can be
accomplished IL we will substitute one
pound of other cereals for one pound
of wheat flour weekly per person; that
is, II we reduce our consumption of
wheat flour from five pounds per week
to four pounds per week per person
1t will be no privation to us and will
reduce the privation of our allies.
Food Animals.
Owing to the ascending standard OF
living, the world was already strained
to supply enough animal products tc
meet the demand before the war be
gan The war has injected into an al
/ 'ady difficult situation number OF
vicious conditions which are jeopardiz
ing the ultimate animal products sup
ply of the world. The production OF
fodder in Europe has been diminished
by the diversion of productive labor tc
war and Its import has been curtailet
by shortage In shipping and by the
isolation of markets by beligerenI
lines. From these causes not only are
the actual numbers of animals de
creasing in Europe, but the average
weight and the annual output of dairy
| Dro1uCtS Der animal. are decreasing