The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1917-09-07
Surplus in North America, AGO.
100000 Bushels Less Than
Amount Required.
MUST UTILIZE OTHER CEREALS
Uncle Sans Food Administration De-
clares Situation Can Be Met Only
by Reduction in Con-
sumption.

deficit for this year Of over 4OO,-
| 100000 bushels in the amount required
from North America for the allied ma
tons and neutrals of Europe, on a
basis of normal wheat consumption
there, as shown by figures for three
year pre-war period.
The normal requirements Of France,
Italy, the United Kingdom, and Bel
GUM, for the pre-war period, aver
aged 3S1 100000 bushels of wheat, and
Of the other cereals 345,000,000 bush
els. To this should be added the es-
timated deficiency due to war in their
grain production for this year Of $685.
662,000 bushels, Of which 196,905, 900
are wheat, making it necessary for
these countries to import in the next
IL months total of 577,00O,000 bush
els of wheat and 674,OOOO0O bushels
of other cereals if normal consumption
requirements are to be met.
The estimated wheat surplus for
1917 of the United States is 100000
bushels, to which be added the prob
able surplus of 12OO00,000 bushels for
Canada. OF other cereals the United
States will have an estimated sur
plus this year in excess Of $4,000, 900
bushels; and Canada surplus of 49,
100000 bushels, or total of about
95O,000,O0O bushels.
Deficit 4oo,ooo,ooo Bushels.
Therefore, on the normal basis Of
consumption the total allied wheat
import requirements are 577,O00,000
bushels against North American sur
plus of 20S,00O,0O0 bushels, or 1853, 0O0,-
600 bushels in excess of the supply.
From our United States supply we
must reserve certain amount for
neutrals from which we receive vital
supplies, and also an amount to bet
ter protect our stocks next year than
this last. There is, therefore, deficit
Of 4O0,0O0,0O0 bushels in the amount
necessary for normal consumption and
necessary reserves.
While this situation is one of great
difficulty and concern it must be met
and met by elimination of waste and
reduction in wheat consumption.
In the other cereals, used in Europe
mostly for animal feed, the import
necessities of the allies on normal con-
sumption basis are about 674,000,000,
against a North American surplus of
950000,000. The necessary reserve
for neutrals and increased "carry
over" will absorb all the margin. How
ever, upon the basis of our present
crop prospects we should be able to
supply their requirements in cereals
other than wheat.
Our crops, especially our corn CROP
cannot yet be considered as certain,
but if all mature safely, North Amer
lea will have an apparent surplus of
wheat of 2O8,O00OO0 bushels and of
other cereals of about 95O,000,000
bushels.
Allies Are Isolated.
The allies are isolated from those
markets, other than Canada and the
United States, on which they were ac-
customed to rely before the war. The
Russian supply cannot be got out.
Bulgarian and Roumanian supplies
are in the hands of the central en-
pires. The voyage from Australia and
India is three times as long and there
fore requires three times as many tons
of shipping as is required from North
Atlantic ports. 1t is also twice as
dangerous because of the longer eX-
posure to submarine attack. There
has been a large failure in the South
American countries and the new har-
vest from that quarter will not be
available in Europe until next spring.
The allies are unable to use other
cereals alone for bread. They can use
them only as added to wheat flour to
make the war bread now in universal
use in European countries. Except
in Italy, whose people normally con-
sumo much corn, our allies have few
corn mills and cornmeal is not dur
able commodity and therefore cannot
be shipped in great quantities. More
over, for generations they have bought
bread from bakeries; they have no
equipment nor do they know how to
bake in the household. Every Ameri-
can knows that it is infeaSible to dis
tribute corn bread from bakeries, and
it is therefore necessary for US to fur
nish our allies with sufficient wheat to
enable them to have wheat basis for
the loaf. However, they can use and
must use other cereals for mixture In
their war bread, and by this substitu-
ton and by savings on their part
great deal can be accomplished. On
4 IL NJ Onn
bushels can be at least partially over
come if we can increase our exports
from 100000 to 22O,OO0,OOO, or near
~ triple. This can be accomplished |
If we will substitute one pound of 9TH
Ger cereals for one pound of wheat |
flour weekly per person; that is if |
we reduce our consumption of wheat |
-four from five pounds per week to
four pounds per week per person. 1t
will no no nrivafiOn tO rs and will ro-