The Belding banner-news., 1918-06-12
TELEGRAM.


Prescott Food ADM. Lansing, Mich.
.Rseent press dispatches widely cir
euiatsd through the country have given
the wholly false impression that thsrs
10 no longer need for Rigorous conssr
walton OF wheat and neur. The foec
administration declares that every 40
pect Of the wheat situation both prss
ent and prospective lntsnslfes the
need for the greatest possible limlta
ton In the American consumption OF
wheat and wheat products. II present
restrictions should be In the slightest
degree relaxed II would result In ser.
ious want for the people Of Europe
before the new crop can reach the mar
ket.
The fod administration estimate OF
the position on tho first Of June lndi-
cate total available supply until the
new harvest, including the grain which
will be available from the farm In
country and terminal elevators and
mill elevators. of about fifty-sIx million
bushels. OF this thirty million bush
els must be exported before new wheat
Is available for export II we are to
maintain the absolute necessary ship
ments to our army and the allies. That
leaves about twenty-slx million bushels
for domestic consumption for the next
two months.
North American consumption is some
thing over forty million bushels
month so that most liberal consump-
tion at home would be only one-thIrd
Of normal.
In addition to the wheat on the farms
and In elevators there 10 always an
indetern,inate further amount In tran
sit and In dealers hands and this can
never be reekoned In with tho -four
available for use for export and use At
home. AS matter Of fact this stock
10 not actually available since thssc
supplies must remain constantly In
How; they remain q permanent stock
the removal Of which would later
cause a period Of acute shortage In die
tribution before new wheat would be
available.
There is further an inclination to in
eiude new crop prospects with present
condition which have led to confusion.
The harvest will not be generally avail
able In flour In middle August or early
September. although In the extreme
south II would be somewhat earlier.
At meeting Of the federal food ad-
minlstratlon in Washington yesterday
representing from forty-eieht states II
he ,rlr NyiA h-4
the harvest does prove abundant II
will be the first duty Of the American
people to place every grain they can
save into storage as against Possible
bad years ahead. In consequence
there should be TO anticipation OF un-
limited wheat until the war Is over.
Some Of the most inconvenIent re-
strictlon can no doubt be modified with
the arrival Of a large harvest but II
we are honest with ourselves we will
maintain restrictions requiring the use
Of some substitutes both domestic and
commercial; we will continue the re-
qulrements Of high milling extraction
tiai use Of and waste In four and
bread.
II 10 worth remembering the famine
In Egypt eight thousand years ago was
saved by little governmental fore
sight and II does not require any IIIIm-
mating dream TO anticipate that so
long as the war lasts with its Increas-
Ing drafts for soldiers and munition
the world will steadily produce less
food. II we are wise a great harvest
will mean the willing building up Of a
great national reserve.
HERBERT HOOVER.