The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1917-08-24

| custorned to rely before the war. Ine
| 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 as many tons OF
| shipping as Is required from North At
| lantic ports 1t Is also twice as dan
| eerous 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-
ministering and economizing their
| food. In Belgium, the relief commits
sion has been compelled to reduce the
consumption of cereals by nearly %
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-
| auirements are 577.O0O,OO0 bushels
| against a North American surplus or
| POS, 100000 bushels-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 a deficit OF over 4OO,OOoU
| 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 674.-
900, 900 against a North American sur
plus of 95O,OOO,O 900. But again re-
serve for neutrals and increased car
ry over" will absorb all the margin.
In any event 1t means we must multi
ply our exports Of these cereals ~
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 administra-
| 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 -four
| 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
| 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 it is infeasible
| to distribute corn bread from bakeries,
/ and II is therefore necessary for us
| to furnish our allies with sufficient
wheat to enable them to have "A 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-
| piished On the other hand. deficit
| of 100000 600 bushels can be at least
partially overcome If we can increase
| our exports from SSooo.onO to 22O,-
| 100000 or nearly triple. This can be
! accomplished if 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 -four 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 to
meet the demand before the war be-
ern. The war has injected into an al
/ ,ady difficult situation a number of
| vicious conditions which are ieopardiz-
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 to
war. and its import has been curtailed
by shortage in shipping and by the
| isolation of markets by belligerent
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
| products per animal, are decreasing
A careful estimate of the worlds
| food animal position shows the follow
| ing position:
| Decrease
| Increase OF In other
decrease Decrease countries
| United western including Total net
States allies enemies decrease
Cattle 7n9o nGo $4,000 26, ,150 900 2S 0sn. 900
| Sheep 100000 IL 10000 34.ooo 600 81 500. coo
| Hogs s2750 900 100000 81 500 600 81 425 600
100000 81. $50 COO l15.oo5. 600