Evening star., 1917-05-27

q success, since the banQueters were
enthusiastic over the virtues of corn
bread served with champagne. But
there was no means by which the mass
champagne with their corn meal, and
the Importation of corn products from
the United States did not materially in
crease.
There are communities along the
shores of the North sea who deSpfse
the use of herring as food and look
down on people from other countries
who are willing to have them for that
purpose instead of for bait. In the same
way the common people of Europe look
down on those who use corn meal for
food.
Educated Europeans are equally in
tolerant until they learn the virtues
of the cereal, which they call maize.
Many a cultured Englishman. coming
to the United States, is Mortified to see
hotel patrons eating roasting ears of
sweet corn. but whenever he is per-
suaded to try them himself he becomes
a devotee.
The broader question now relates to
means of inducing the European popu-
lation to use corn as food. There is
some pertinence in the query why it is
so urgent for the United States to sup
ply the allies with wheat to the COM
plete exclusion of corn. The answer
is. that even military discipline would
and the French poilu or peasant SOL
dier, to corn ration. This may be
true but if the civilian population is
hungry it might be left to take the
choice between a corn diet and grow
ing hungrier.
Of corn as food during the remaining
years of the war, the bulk of 1t would
come from the United States. so fas as
supplying the allies goes. Austria H un-
gary raises about 200.000,000 bushels
annually, and Rumania. which is now
under German military control, 1o0,-
100000 bushels. Germany is not a
corn-raising country. 1t is not un-
likely that, under the stress of mill
tary persuasion. the Germans and Aus
trians are using corn for food in larger
quantities than previously but. as has
been stated. rye is their principal sub
stitute for wheat.
Among the entente allies Italy is the
only country which produces corn on
a large scale. Her crop usually ex-
ceeds 100. .000, 900 bushels. Some of this
is used up in food products. but not
under such homely forms as the hom-
inv and corn pone of the United States.
Austria Hungary, Notwithstanding her
own production, is an importer of corn.
crop of her own; 1t rarely exceeds
10000. 900 bushels. and ordinarily she
imports about the same quantity The
United Kingdom, which is not a corn
growing country, does not import large
quantities in proportion to the popu-
lation. The imports range from 49,
600, 900 to 100.000.000 bushels.
Next to the United States, the Argen-
tine Republic is the chief corn-pro-
ducing country in the western hemi-
sphere. Her crop sometimes exceeds
800, ,000, 900 bushels. The domestic con-
sumption is not great. The native pop
ulation uses corn as food, but large
proportion of the people of Argentina
are from the Mediterranean countries,
and are not accustomed to this diet.
even when they are themselves the
producers.
In 1914, when Argentina produced ap-
proximately 263.000000 bushels, she ex-
ported about l40,000,000 bushels. The
balance was used for stock feeding.
This year it is understood that crop
conditions will make available a con-
siderable quantity of corn for export
to Europe. If the allies want 1t. Ar
gentina exports corn to the United
States, Notwithstanding our own abun-
dant crop, but this is because of cer-
tain qualities which make the Argen-
tine corn useful for glucose and sim
liar products.
Canada, from the nature Of the cli-
mate. Is not a corn-producing country.
Substantially the whole production is