The Detroit times., 1917-04-09
BY PAUL PIERCE

The hysterical state OF mind over
the food issue r. denounced by no
less a person that the secretary OF
agriculture himself Intelligent
planning and constructive action. In
conjunction with the operation OF
normal forces, are what we need
and these only can bring about a
satisfactory result" he says.
The secretary admits that prices
~ foodstuffs are high. and that II Is
impossible 10 arrive at a full and
satisfactory explanation rs to the
cause. owing to the fact that IL Is
only recently that agencies have
been created IN the country 10 study
food distribution. No one can state
with certainty where the food sup
ply is located. who owns IL. what
may be the difficulties OF securing II,
whether the local market conditions
are due TO car shortage. whether
there Is artificial manipulation or
control and similar possible causes.
Secretary Houston states shat IL our
country Is 10 work out permanent,
Just and economical system of mar
keting. we must have these facts
and that the sooner the investiga-
ton directed by the president Is I'M
dertAken the better.
Some OF the poinGs enumerated by
Secretary Houston IN his reasons
why there should be no hysteriA,
over our food situation are as fol.
lows: While the fsrmer-too often
made the goat" In food arrRign-
ments-will not be dictated to. will
not increase his output unless he is
certain OF the demand, he is increas-
Ing his acreage. In wheat alone, in
dications show that the planting far
exceeds the acreage OF other yeArs.
Crops give no cause for panic.
Wheat and Irish potatoes show a
marked decrease. but OF other crops
Secretary Houston says:
"The corn crop was $500. 900. 000
bushels. nearly the hve-yeRr aver
age. The oat crop was above the
nYe-year average, the barley ve-y
nearly the nve-year average.
rye. 100000 bushels more
than the hve-year average. and
rice 100000 bushels, as against
20 900 900 bushels the year before,
and 24,500, 900 bushels, the hve-year
average. The production OF kanr
corn, n relatively new crop. was 50.-
000, 900 bushels. The production OF
peaches. $1,000 900 bushels, Il pears.
10. 400. 900 bushels, and OF apples. ST.
$1,000 barrels, represents approx
mately the fve-year average, while
the estimated production OF oranges
was 23,s0o.O00 boxes. or 100000
more than that OF the preceding
year. 'rhe crop OF sugar beets was
one OF the largest ever produced
Meat products. likewise, were pro-
duced In larger quantities. the esti-
mated amount for the year being
22.S7s 900 900 pounds.
"A further word should be said
about the tendency OF the meat sup
ply TO increase White following the
outbreak OF the war. there was
considerable increase In exports OF
meats. amounting in 1915 TO 1900.
900 900 pounds. the domestic produc-
ton in 1915 was 10000, 900 pounds
greater than in 1914. and the ten.
dency Is stlll upward Figures re-
Gently submitted show that the
number OF cattle on Jan. /, 1917.
was 1887 900 greater than on Jan
1, 1918, and that the milk cows had
Increased IN the same period $50 600.
A very considerable development In
live stock IL taking place In the
south"
Then. there II the hope that the
south will raise. her own foodstuffs
and feedstuffs, instead OF Importing
in the neighbodhood OF $500 900 600
or 500. 900. 900 worth OF foodsturs
from the west. Heretofore the south
has made corn and cotton It's main
crops. but for several years past sew.
eral agencies have urged the neces-
sity OF better balanced agriculture
end the wisdom OF largely lnoreas
ing foodstuhs
Meanwhile. the secretary suggests