The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1918-12-09
MUST INCREASE
FOOD EXPORTS
America Called on by End Of
War to Supply Added
Millions.
ECONOMY STILL NEEDED.
over Three Times Pre-War Shipments
Required-Situation in Wheat and
Fats Proves Governments
Policy Sound.

With the guns in Europe silenced,
we nave now to consider new world
food situation. But there can be no
hope that the volume of our exports
can be lightened to the slightest de-
gree with the cessation of hostilities.
Millions of people liberated from the
Prussian yoke are now depending
upon us for the food which will keep
, them from starvation.
With food the United States made
1t possible for the forces Of democ-
racy to hold out to victory. To insure
democracy in the world, we must con-
tinue to live simply in order that we
may supply these liberated nations of
Europe with food. Hunger among a
| people inevitably breeds anarchy.
American food must complete the work
or making the world safe for demOc-
racy.
Last year we sent II, 800, 900 tons OF
food to Europe. For the present year.
with only the European Allies to feed,
We had originally pledged ourselves to
a program that would have Increased
our exports to 17,500O0O tons. Now,
to feed the liberated nations, we will
have to export total Of not less than
2O,O00,OOO toas-practically the limit
OF loading capacity at our ports. Re-
viewing the world food situation. we
md that some foods will be obtainable
In quantities sufficient to meet all
world needs under a regime of eco
nomical consumption. On the other
hand, there will be marked world
shortages In some important cOmmod.
ties.
Return to Normal Bread Loaf.
With the enlarged wheat crops
which American farmers have grown.
and the supplies Of Australia, the ~.
gentine and other markets now aces.
sible to- shipping, there are bread
grains enough to enable the nations TO
return to their normal wheat loaf.
provided we continue to mill flour at
q high percentage of extraction and
maintain economy in eating and the
avoidance of waste.
In Fats there will be heavy short
age - about 3,00O,OOOOOO pounds - in
pork products, dairy products and
vegetable oils. While there will be q
shortage of about three million tons
In rich protein feeds for dairy ami
mails, there Will be sufficient supplies
OF other feedstuffs to allow economical
consumption.
In the matter of beef, the worlds
supplies are limited TO the capacity OF
the available refrigerating Ships. The
supplies of beef in Australia, the Ar
gentine and the United States are suf-
hcient to load these ships There will
be a shortage in the importing coun-
tries, but we cannot hor,e 10 expand
exports materially for the next months
In view of the bottle neck In trans
| pOrtation.
We viii have sufficient supply of
sugar to allow normal consumption In
this country If the other nations re-
tain their present short rations or in
crease them only slightly. For the
countries of Europe, however, to in.
crease their present rati ons 20 ma.
terial extent will necesstate our shar
Ing part of our own sup, hies with
them.
Twenty Million Tons Of Food.
OF the world total, North America
VIII furnish more than 60 per cent.
Inc United States, including the West
Indies, will be called upon to furnish
2O,OOOOOO tons of food of all kinds as
compared with our pre-war exports Of
about 100000 tons.
While we will be able to change orr
program in many respects, even a
casual survey of the world supplies
In comparison to world demands shows
conclusively that Europe will know
famine unless the American people
bring their home consumption down
to the barest minimum that will main
tain health and strength.
There are conditions of famine IN
Europe that will be beyond our power
to remedy. There are 10000, 900 peo.
pie in North Russia whom there is
small chance Of reaching with food
this winter. Their transportation is
demoralized in complete anarchy. and
shortly many of their ports will be
frozen, even IL internal TRANSPORT
could be realized.
To Preserve Civilization.
At this moment Germany has not
alone sucked the food and animals
from all those masses of people she
has dominated and left Starving. but
she has left behind her total wreck
age of social institutions, and this
mass of people is now confronted with
absolute anarchy.
II we value our own safety and the
social organization of the world, il we
value the preservation of civilization
itself. We cannot permit growth Of this
cancer in the worlds vitals.
Famine is the mother of anarchy.
From the inability of governments 10
secure food for their people grows
revolution and chaos. From an ability
to supply their people grows stability
OF government and the defeat Of an
archy. Did we put 1t on no higher
plane than our interests In the pro-
lection Of our institutions, We must
bestir ourselves In solstion Of this