The Keota news., 1918-02-08
FOOD CONTROLLER Of
CANADA GIVES WARNING
Food Production Should Be In.
creased at An Cost.

In his letter to the public on the
lst Of January. Hon. w. J. Hanna. Can
ada's Food Controller. says
Authoritative information has
reached me that food shortage In Eu-
rope is terribly real. and only the
sternest resolve on the part Of the pro-
ducers. and equally stern economies on
the part Of all ~ consumers. can pos
sibly save the situation.
France last year had crop be-
tween one third and one-half that OF
. normal year. Women did the work
Of draught animals In determined
effort to make the impoverished soil
Of France produce every possible ounce
Of food. They now look to US to make
up their deficiency Of essential sup
plies.
THE harvest In Italy was far below
normal and will require much larger
supplies to feed her people until next
harvest.
ut IL impossible for the allies to
spare many cargo carriers to transport
fOodstuR from lnt4l. Australia. New
Zealand and even the Argentine Repub-
Tic. This means that the allied nations
are practically dependent upon North
America to supply them with the food
which must be forthcoming II terrible
suffering Is to be avoided and the night
Ing efficiency Of the armies maintained.
"On December !. the United States
had not q single bushel OF wheat Tor
export. after allowance was made Tor
Domestic requirements on the basis OF
oOrmal consumption. and the United
States Food Administration is endeav'
oring to bring about reduction OF 70
per ceot In home consumption Of wheat
and f0ur. This would release 1OO.OOO.-
200 bushels for export. but the Allies
will mcguire nearly hve times that
amount before the 1913 harvest.
Canada Is the only country in the
world. practically accessible to the Al
lies under present conditions Of ship
ping shortage. which has an actual ex-
portable surplus Of wheat after allow
ance for normal hODe requirements.
The surplus today Is not more than
10000. 600 bushels. A reduction Of 20
per cent in our normal consumption
would save an additional 10000 600
bushels for export. The outlook for
production Of food stuffs In Europe
Sext year is distinctly unfav0rable.
"Such Is the situation-grave beyond
anything that we thought possible a
few months ago. Unless our people
are aroused to q realisation Of what
the world shortage means to N. to our
soldiers and to our Allies. and Of the
terrible possibilities which 1t entails.
disaster Is inevitable.
"Production. too. must be increased
to the greatest possible extent. Pres
ent war conditions demand extraOrdi-
nary efforts. and every man. woman.
boy or girl who can produce food has
q national duty to do 20.
II am confident that when the people
Of this country realize that the food
situation is Of utmost gravity they will
willingly adjust themselves to the ne
cessities Of the case and make what
ever sacrifices may be required. The
call which 10 made upon them IL in
the name Of the Canadian soldiers at
the front. the allied armies, and the
civilian populations Of the allied ma.
tions who have already made food sac
rinces to an extent little realized by
the people Of this country"
Here 10 an appeal made By q man.
upon whom rests the great responsible.
ity Of assisting In providing food fol
the allies and the soldiers at the front
who are flRhtin1 the battles In mud