The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-04-05
Impending Situation Desig-
mated by Crop Experts
as ''Belly Pinch"
GRAIN STORES SCARCE
Prices Expected Soon to
Reach Highest Levels in
U. S. History.
ENOUGH MEAT ON HAND
Steps Now Being Taken to In
crease Production and
Eliminate Waste.
ENOUGH MEAT ON HAND

Eliminate Waste.
WAsHINGroN. April l.-The United
states. about to embark in a war whose
duration cannot be foretold, is facing a
food situation probably more serious
than that which confronted any OF the
European Powers in the first year o,
their struggle.
Estimates OF the food supply on hant
obtained to-day by THE Sun indicat,
there will be a shortage Of food which
will be keenly felt until Government
agencies now at work and other agencie,
yet to be organized are able to put intc
operation a comprehensive system to irf
sure bigger crops and to conserve tn,
food supplies obtained.
There never will be condition ap
preaching that in which Germany ha.
found herself these last few months, of
fcials of the Government agreed to-day
But there will be a scarcity Of food ant
prices, unless the Government interferes
will be high.
Belly pinch Is not an elegant term
but it is being freely used in Washing
ton by the food and agricultural expert.
to describe tho condition which they ex
pect to arrive this autumn in the United
States. 1t is the condition now prevail
ing in the countries or the Entente a.
distinguished from the actual conditions
Of starvation in many parts OF the Ger
man empire.
Shortage This FAN.
The severe shortage Of food will com
this fall. experts said to-day, because tn
United States has been sending abroa,
supplies in such enormous quantities
When the shortage came in England III
Britons were able to draw on the Unite
states and other neutral countries I
mitigate the scarcity. America will hav
few and unimportant sources of suppl
outside her own borders. ORDINARILY
| there is considerable "carryover" o
grain stocks from one crop year TO tn
next. This year estimates show that tn
carryorer will be almost negligible.
Increasing the gravity OF the situatio
reports from other countries tell of poo
or only average crops. The outlook /
, the principal countries of the Entente
unfavorable. The United States wi
J have to divide with them the supple
which may be obtained from neutra
countries.
! Warned by the food shortages whicl
have been experienced in all the warrin
nations abroad, the Government is TAX
I ing immediate steps to conserve tn
| food supply and to encourage the futur
planting OF larger acreagcs OF the mos
needed foodstuffs. Some form OF foo
control is virtually certain. although tn
exact methods OF administration hav
not been decided upon.
stems TO He Taken.
| These are among the steps taken " i
| immediate prospect:
Designation of pr Beverly T. Gallo
! way. formerly Assistant Secretary OF
| Agriculture to work in cooperation
| with the Councils for National De-
fence in mobiliziug the agricultural
| interests OF the country. Dr. Gallo
way will have nj his disposal prAc-
tically the whole force of 10000 en-
ployeps. agents and correspondents OF
the Department of Agriculture.
Formation of commercial economy
| board to mobilize the commercial In
| terests of the country for the effective
! and economical distribution OF COM
| modities among the civilian popula-
ton.
Legislation TO limit the period Of
storage of perishahle commodities in
order to prevent holding them for long
| periods for speculative purposes.
Enco,r cement of the farmer and
the truck gardener TO raise larger guam
| titles of foodstufrs and OF the indvid-
ual who has small plot available to
raise as much for his own use as pos
| sible.
| Natonalizing the plan now in effect
In many OF the large cities which in
them or rent them at nominal sums for
garden plots.
A thorough investigation of condi
tions throughout the United States by
the Federal Trade Commission In an
| ticipaton OF measures which will have
20 he adopted In the event the was
lasts for an extended period.
No Meatless Days.
Some of the drastic plans for foe
conservation In effect In England al
other warning countries, such as mea
less days and the elimination of course
have been under consideration. but tho
have been dismissed for the present
unnecessary. Every effort will he mad
kowever. to persuade the America
people voluntarily to conserve their FOO,
stufrs and to make sacrifices In the IL
terest OF the national welfare
In spite of the present shortage, II
tho belief among those In charge OF u
conservation work that IN another We.
the outlook will be far more favorabl
and that the United States, with |
almost limitless resources. never W
be reduced to the state of the Europei
countries.
! Investigators have found that Il
present high prices. though due large
to food shortage and to the Pre- Nc
OF hardly moro than an average or,
this year At the best. have their orig
partly In the operations OF speculate
who are holding for the topmost pric
/