Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-02-22
slruArloN MOST CRITICAL AND
WILL CONTINUE 90 ron
NEXT SIXTY DAYS.
RESERVE STOCK DEPLETED.
NO RELIEF IN SIGHT
Administrator Hoover Says Only so'u'
ton 10 Thru Increased Movement
Of Foodstu4s to Exclusion OF All
Other Fre;ght--Blares Railroads for
Existing Conditions.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22.--The eastern
part of the United states faces a foot
! shortage likely to continue for the next
sixty days.
In making this disclosure. Thursday
night. Food Administrator Hoover de-
clared that the situation IL the most
critical in the country's history and
that in many ol the large consuming
point of exha1s; ion.
The whole blame is put by the food
administration on railroad conges ton
which, he says, has thrown the food
administration FAR behind in it's pro-
gram FOR feeding the allies. The only
solution he sees is a greatly Increased
rail movement Of foodstuffs even to
the exclusion Of much other commerce.
1t was very evident Thursday night
that the railroad administration Is in
clined to resent Mr.. Hoovers blame
of the railroads and Director General
VI aAdoo declared he was ready TO pro-
vide every transportation facility Tor
expedtting the movement The rail-
road administration, he said, had sus-
gested that farmers be urged to re-
lease their grain holdings that large
mum bers OF available cars might be
utilized in moving them
Exports Short
Cereal exports to the allies. Mr..
Hoovers Statement, says, will be 49,
00o. 900 bushels short by the end OF
February. and meat shipments also
are far short OF the amounts prom
issd.
Inability to move the crops. Mr..
Hoover sets forth. has suspended the
laws Of supply. and demand has Gre
ated a price margin between producer
and consumer wider than it ever was
before.
A large part OF the corn crop rs
about to spoil because 1t Is not NOV
ing TO terminals for drying. The per-
centage OF soft corn in last years
crop all Of which must be dried II 1t
is TO be saved. is the largest ever
known. Estimates place the amount as
high as a billion bushels.
The cost of grains for feeding live
stock has increased to such an extent
by reason OF transportation Difficult
ties, Mr.. Hoover said. that feeders are
confronted with the prospect Of seH-
Gus losses Dairying interests. too, he
declares. are hard hit
Potatoes. the food administrator de-
clares are spelling in the producers
hands while consumers have been sup
piled only from summer garden crops
and stores carried over
Hoover's Statement
Mr.. Hoover's statement follows:
'Tn response TO many Inquiries. I
beg to say II Ia true that since the
Grst OF December we have fallen far
behind our agreed food program with
the allies. BY the end OF February,
we will be short 450ooo,oo0 bushels In
cereal products which we undertook
as our share Of their supplies. We
will also DE short OF the amount Of
meat and pork products that we were
to deliver. This deficiency is due
solely to the railway congestion since
that date. The railway directorate
since coming into control on Jan. l.
has made effort 10 find remedy, but
during the month OF January, the
weather was inyuperable and altho
progress has been made since the nth
Of February. the situation is the &C
cumulation OF three months delay.
The next sixty days will be the
most critical period in our food his
tory The simple fact is that the prob
lem goes far deeper than supplies to
the allies. During the last three
months we have fallen far behind in
movement OF foodstuffs from the
farms 10 the consuming and storage
centers. Up to the frat OF February
less than 80 per cent OF the normal