The evening leader. (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) 191?-19??, 1917-04-20
New York, April 16, 1917.

pcdteuly pISSSCu uPoH Puo1S SACCSH-
ton the gravity of the situation which
now confronts the world in the search
ty of food SUPPLIES, but we would not
feel that we had done our duty if we
did not utter final word of warning
and appeal upon the subject. The sit
uation grows more serious as spring
advances and the disaster to the win
ter wheat crop of this country is I'M
derstood.
All of Europe-neutral as well as
warning countries-has been placed
upon food rations to exc out supplies
until the new crop is harvested. This
country entered the present crop year
last July with 164,000,000 bushels of
wheat carried over from the crop Of
1915, and in 1916 produced 4S2,000,000
bushels of winter wheat and 158,000,-
900 of spring wheat; total supply,
804,000,00O. This year there will be
practically no wheat carried over and
the governments estimate upon the
winter crop forecasts yield of only
430,000,000. On this basis the spring
wheat crop must be 214,000,000 bush
els larger than last year in order to
give US a wheat supply equal to what
we will export and consume in the
crop year now closing. This is an
alarming outlook. The spring wheat
crop is VIGOROUSLY subject to weathe:
conditions. More spring wheat should
be sown, but it is doubtful if the wheat
shortage can be made up. Other food
crops must be grown to meet the def
cheney.
This country is now at war, and our
allies, Belgium, Great Britain, France
and Italy are dependent upon us for
food. They will have no reserves and
must have more from US in the coming
year than in the past, or :ney will not
be able to feed all their people. Add
ed to the appeals of starving human
ity will be military reasons making it
impossible for US to put an embargo
upon the expectation of food. We must
divide what we grow this year with
thesE countries, and with the neutral
c0dntries-Holland, Denmark, Nor
way, Sweden, Switzerland and Spain
which are not self-sustaining in grain
supplies. And not only must we sup
: ply enough to keep these peoples from
starving, but enough to cover the
heavy losses at sea which result from
the submarine warfare. If we grow
no more food than we did last year.
and so far the outlook is for less
there is danger Of food situation
such as the world in modern times has
not dreamed of. No other country
has the resources in land and popula-
ton to meet this emergency but the
United States. There is no business
upon which all other business depends
as upon this growing Of a big crop in
America this year. And the work
must be started Immediately. There is
no time to wait on organization from
outside. The emergency can be met
only by spontaneous action in every
state, county and school district, form
ing local organizations.
Picture in your mind what condi-
tons will be in our cities next winter,
and of the effect upon all industry, if
food supplies are scarcer and dearer
than they are now! 1t must be i'm
pressed upon everybody that no wage
advances or regulation of prices can
add one bushel of wheat or potatoesto
the supply after the growing season is
over.
The country is aroused, but mere
alarm will not accomplish results.
There must be organized personal
work, headed in every locality by men
Of force and influence.
The governor of Iowa has called fot
the enlistment of boys from Is to IS
to work either in town gardens or up
on the farms. President Wilson says
that these boys will be Soldiers of the
commissary." There are fine POSSIBLE
ties in this idea. The boys may be
brought to feel that they are serving
their country as truly as their older
brothers who enlist in army or navy;
and the girls should have chance as
we'll, They should have a medal to
keep as lifelong evidence of their ser
vice in the last great war-let US hope
of the worlds history.
Some of our correspondent banks
are arranging for garden plots for all
their clerks. Industrial employers are
doing likewise, and will provide seeds
and instruction. Organized work of
this kind with suitable supervision will
be most effective. Every employer in
your locality should be waited upon by
a committee, and invited to cooperate
in this matter.
Although it is, of course, desirable to
increase the farm crops, and especially