The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-06-10
GREAT NATIONAL
WHEAT RESERVE
Plan OF HOOVER
Even Abundant Harvests will
Not Remove All Restric.
lions in Use Of Wheat.
Dy N. y. Food Administration.

Herbert Hoover, backed by the nnan.
imous opinion Of the Federal Food Ad'
ministrators from all the states. Ia
planning to create 'great national re-
serves of wheat as safeguard
against possible lean harvests in fu-
ture years. For this purpose the peo-
pie Of the United States will be asked
to restrict their consumption of wheat
even should there b. abundant har-
vests this year.
Mr.. Hoover issued the following
statement:
Recent press dispatches, widely cir
culateh through the country, have
given the wholly false impression that
there is no longer need for rigorous
conservation Of wheat and flour.
THE Food Administration declares
that every aspect OF the wheat situa-
ton, both present and prospective, in
tensifies the need for the greatest pos
sible conservation OF wheat and wheat
products. II the present restrictions
should he In the slightest degree re-
Taxed II would result in serious want
for the people Of Europe before the
new crop can reach the market.
1.-THE food administration estimate
Of the situation the first Of June in
dicates a total available supply until
the next harvest. including the grain
that will be available from the farmers
In country and terminal elevators, and
all mill elevators, of about fifty-six
million bushels. OF this about thirty
million bushels must be exported be-
fore the new wheat Is available for ex-
port. IL we are to maintain the abso-
lutely necessary shipments Of our army
and the allies. That leaves about g.
0O0.OOO bushels for domestic consump-
ton during the next two months.
1.-THE normal consumption is some
thing over forty million bushels a
month 80 that the most liberal con-
sumption at home would be only one
third Of normal
In addition to the wheat on the
farms and In the elevators there Is al
ways an lndeterminate further amount
In transit and In the dealers hands and
this. can never be reckoned in with the
flour available for export and for use
at home. As matter Of fact this
stock 10 not actually available since
these supplies must remain constantly
In flow; they remain a permanent
stock, the removal of which would
later cause period of acute shortage
III distributed before the new wheat
would be available.
There is further an inclination to
include new crop prospects with pres.
ent conditions which has led to con.
fusion. The harvest will not be gen.
orally available In flour until the mid
die OF August or early September, al
though In the extreme south it will be
somewhat earlier. ..
AT a meeting Of the Federal Food
Administrators at Washington yester-
day, representing all the forty.eight
states. 1t was the unanimous view that
even II the harvest does prove abun.
dant 1t will be the first duty of the
American people to place every grain
they can save In storage as against
possible bad years ahead. In conse-
Quence there should be no anticipation
Of unlimited wheat bread until the
var is over.
Some Of the most inconvenient re-
strictions can no doubt be modified
with the arrival Of 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
requirements of high milling extrac-
ton and the elimination Of the nones-
sential use Of and waste In flour and
bread.
1T Is worth remembering that the
famine In Egypt eight thousand years
ago was saved By late governmental
foresight and 1t does not require any
Illuminating dream to anticipat. that
20 long as the war lasts with It's In
creasing drafts for soldiers and mu-
nition workers the world will steadily
produce less food. If We are wise a
great harvest will mean the willing
building up Of great national re-
serves."