Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-02-20
PRICES OF CEREALS.

One OF the most important elements in the war is
the food available for the allied armies and the civilians
in the Allied nations of Europe. The people in those
countries are not starving. nor are they on the verge of
starvation. But they rely on imporations from abroad
for a large share OF their food supply. They are not
short of food. And they depend on the United States
to make up the deficiency. The people of the United
States are not asked to make donations of food, except
through the regular relief organizations for the suffering
and the destitute. But the British, the French and the
Italians who look to US for large food supplies are ready
and willing to pay for those supplies. They are fight
ing with us in a common cause. They have performed
their work nooly. They are willing to continue to per-
form IT. the winning OF the war is as important to us
as it is to them. We are able to supply food to be
bought and paid for by our friends, and we shall be
sadly remiss If we do not meet the situation as loyalty
as our friends have performed their duty in the past.
The most important of the food articles which we
can supply to Europe is wheat. There are MANY other
foods which we can and do supply. but the need for
wheat is greater than that for any other single pro-
duct. Just now we have no wheat except such as we
can save from our ordinary consumption by the substi-
tuition of other cereals for a portion of what we would
otherwise consume. For the latter part of the year we
must rely on increased production.
There is a large acreage of winter wheat, but the
season has been peculiarly trying to it. The condition
of the crop early in the winter was the poorest on rec
ord. The spring months may bring an improvement.
But there is no probability Of more than a moderate
crop of winter wheat. If there is to be any increase in
the total supply of wheat that increase must come from
increased spring wheat productions. To make this rea-
sonable sure there must be increased acreage this spring.
While the price now prevailing under government
regulation is very much greater than the price in ordin-
airy years. when account is taken of all the factors, in
creased cost OF all material that enters into the cost of
living and Of doing business, and especially in view o:
the fact that the demands of the army and navy have
withdrawn such an immense quantity Of the labor on
which the farmer has relied in the past, the present
price is not particularly attractive as a business prop
osition. The farmer, even at present prices, can increase
his acreage only by making a supreme effort and TAX
ing an unusual chance.
A complicating circumstance is that while the price
on this most desired product has been fixed on a rela-
lively low level, the prices of other cereals has been
untouched, and is influenced freely by both the law Of
supply and demand and the fluctuations attendant on
speculation. The people are urged to substitute other
wheat, and at the same time the housekeeper knows
that wheat is the cheapest food that she can serve on
her table, and the farmer knows that the chances for
'roft are greater in the raising of other crops.
1t appears that the rational thing to do is to ad-
.ance the price OF wheat to a point where the prospects
my other, and to limit the price of other cereals so that
here may be no needless obstacle placed in the way of
performance of patriotic duty.