The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1917-03-27
SHORT FOOD SUPPLY
CAUSES HARDSHIP
HORRORS OF HUNGER THREAT
EN- TO ACCOMPANY THE
WAR IN EUROPE.

America is not alone in the grip of
high prices and food difficulties, for
there is a worldwide shortage of food
stuffs. Europe is on the verge of fam
Inc, and the horrors of hunger threat
en- to add to the horrors of war.
The 1916 harvest from the worlds
granaries was 2615 per cent less than
IN 1915. The armies in the field are
constantly increasing; their food de-
mands are on much greater scale than
would be the case if the men were in
civil life; the amount of soil cultivat-
ed is smaller, and the economic drain
thus brought about threatens to bur-
den the nations for years to come.
Apart from the larger individual
consumption of food in the armies of
Europe, Asia Minor and Africa there
is tremendous wastage Enemy fire
frequently destroys food transports
and food stores. In any battle loss
of life accopanies loss of equipment
and loss of positions. Much of this
food goes from America, and the
drain has its disastrous effects on our
own markets.
Face Deficit in America.
In addition to the grain consumed
in war the shortage in America is
made worse by smaller production.
According to officials of the United
States department Of agriculture the
United States will require 100000
bushels of wheat for seed and 1884,
100000 bushels for home consump-
ton during the remaining months of
the fiscal year, or total of 1884,
100000 bushels. If we export at
the same rate as last year our supply
will run short by more than 26,000,-
600 bushels. Officials admit that the
wheat supply now on hand in this
country is the lowest in nearly 20
years. There is also danger of a
SHORTAGE in meat, potatoes and other
articles of food.
England, which is better placed
than most of the powers because of
its colonial granaries and it's supe-
rior world communications, will sur
vive the coming ordeal only by 60
ing on short rations. 1t is announced
that the British government is nego-
tiating for the purchase of the entire
1917 wheat crop of Canada above the
bread and seed requirements of Can
ada itself.
France faces deficit of 127,O00,-
600 bushels of wheat in the present
year according to an estimate of the
president of the agricultural commit
tee of the chamber of deputies. The
Prussian food dictator recently indi-
Gated that there was grave POSSIBLE
ity of all of Germany's surplus stock
of grain being exhausted before the
summer is ended. According to a re-
port of a debate in the diet Herr
Hofer, a socialist member, declared !:
Suffering Is Terrible.
"The mortality in Germany among
elderly people is increasing at a ter
rible rate, while epidemics are spread
ing everywher, owing to the decreas-
ed powers of resistance. The situa-
ton is much more serious than has
been admitted. The number of sui
cides is increasing, and parents are
killing their children because of their
inability to obtain food for them. Yet
the price of potatoes, which long ago
became generally scarce, is to be in
creased"
Neutral countries like Denmark,
Holland and Switzerland also are
hard-presed by the structures on food
stutfs. To certain extent they are
helping to pay the cost of the war.
In Holland, usually the land of plen-
ty, the danger of coming lean years
has had an alarming effect, and meas
ures of strict economy have been es-