The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1917-03-13
ROOD CRISIS IN suIsorE.

dncins countries Of tho world. except
North and south America. At war for
two and a half years n naturally fol-
lows that TODD production In Europe
has been greatly lcssened. LONDON
Answers gives this picture OF the Eu-
Topean food situation.
Tho horrors OF food shortage
threaten to follow on the horrors Of
a
"England--betfer placed thar most
Of the powers because OF IFS colonial
Rranarics and its superior world COM
munications--wfi only survive the
comins ordeal by going upon short
ratlons.
''The plain. grim fact that assaiis us
Is that there Is q world shortage Of
food. The 1916 harvest from the
worlds rransries Is 2sss per cen less
than in 1915. Moreover. the armies
IN the field are constantly increasing.
AID their food demands are en- a much
heavier scale than would be the case
we're shese men in civilian life.
And. apart from the larger indi-
visual consumption Of food In the
army. there i tremendous wnstage.
Enemy fire frequently destroys food
transports and food stores. In any
batrle loss OF food accompanies loss
OF equipment and loss OF positions
Neutral countries like Holland,
Denmark and Switzerland are MORT
bund. Mobilization 20 any extent inn
plies the Withdrawal OF a certain
mou Of tabor from the land. which.
IN turn. implies a reduced area under
cultivation. hut while u signifies
smaller wheat belts. IL also signifies
greater individual demands: for the
more men there are In the army. the
more food will be required.
Again, from the worlds ayaiia BILE
supplies there must be deducted the
great quantities needed 10 feed the ]
million inhabitants OF Belgium. who.
without neutral aid. would die OF
hunger. Where there Is abundance OF
wheat. as / n Russia, the ADVANTAGE is
lost by the difficulty OF transport.
There are food troubles in Russia as
In Europe generally. The railways
ars needed for the transport OF troops
and munitions. and the peasants. fear
ing starvation themselves. are hoard
ing the harvest.
.'E~en IN Holland. land OF plenty.
the danger Of the coming lean years
has had an alarming effect. and
meaures OF economy have already boon
called into being.
'If the war ends this year there
will be q great inducement to neutral
shippers to supply the starving coun-
tries. The difference that the proper
feeding OF iso million people now on
starvation rations will a In the
worid'a supply will be so tremendous
that we shall be foolish u We do NOT
prepare for after peace stringent food
conditions"
That all the countries will necessar-
iIy bc forced TO give more attention "a
the production OF foodstuffs " a short
age is 70 be avoided II q foregone con
elus.on. This applies 10 the United
states. too. where in 1915 we produces
400 million fewer bushels OF corn thai
IN 1915; 400 million fewer bushels o
oats; 600 million fewer bushels o
barley; 100 million fewer bushels Q
p%otatoes nod SO million fewer bushel
OF barley. making u total decrease o
li5O.O0o, 600 bushels, or 10 bushol
per capita. To mako matters wors'
the preliminary estimates ON wheat In
dictate that the 1917 crop is going Z
faii short OF that Of isfe
one 81 the great needs OF the unit
ed States h 20 Increase It's output o
fooastuns. IL is true that when peacl
comes VA Europe the residents Of IN
war torn countries viii return {
peaceful pursuits. n OF which wil
ne a~eticultare, thus relieving the pres
ent Unprecedented demand 20 some eN
tent However. authorities who hav
made 4 study % the matter nten
that prices mny never descend 10 ihei
former level AT least not for man
years e. come, unless more attentio
IL paid 70 the production OF food
stuffs.
II Is estimated that the populatio
Of the United states VIII have double
within sixiy years. That Is too "a
In the future TO cause the mos, Of u
n worry. But unless the suppl
can at least keep pace with the ds
mand the country Ia going 10 face
crisis in the foodsiuffs situation Ion
before sixty years roll around.
GENERAL FREDERICK $. MAtDi