Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1918-09-16
ONLY Ten DAYS WHEAT
SUPPLY IN july, 1918
Information and Rulings From
The Federal Food Admillstra-
ton For Virginia.
LOOKING BACKWARD AND FAR
WARD.

Mr.. Hoover states that our total pro
duction of food values for the year end
ing July l, 1918. was between and per
cent. below the average for the three
previous years, and that had 1t fallen
to Is per cent. below, nothing could
have saved the Allies from famine.
''The war would be ovsr-we would bs
beaten"
With shis disaster sverted, It Is per-
United now to tell how narrowly we
escaped. IN JULY, 1918, WE WE'RE
WITHIN TEN DAYS OF BEING
WITHOUT WHEAT. There were less
than two million bushels In the United
States-in storage-in transit-any-
where!
Normally, we carry sixty Hfllion-
bushels over for seed alone, and never
before, even in the worst Of crop years.
haYo VIE Carried less than one hundred
milton bushels over into the new har.
Fsst.
Reduced to figures, here Is what the
voluntary sacrifice Of United States
people made possible: In 1861 we
had surplus Of something like two
hundred million bushels Of wheat and
rye, OF which we exported 100000
bushels OF wheat and 100000 bushels
Of rye-rye and wheat being the prime
breadstufrs. In 1917-1s, out OF short
crop of wheat and rye, and when the
corn crop was almost blighted, we sent
Ia ,O00O bushels Of wheat and 49,,
100000 bushels Of rye-an increase OF
prime breedstufs exported to the Al
Hes q, II, 400 600 bushels-every bushel
Of I; waved by our people out OF g
ruhnormal supply-more spared from
our savings OF this year than from our
surplus Of the year before. And fur
Their, we sent ten million bushels to
neutral nations facing starvation un-
less we helped them.
And II isn't bread alone. We have
built up /urpIus 81 bacon and ham
for use abroad n 1878. we in
creased by $4,000 900 pounds our pre-
yious years shipments to the Allies
OF all sorts Of meat products, canned
Ind powdered milk butter, cheese, veg
etable oils. lard. etc, sending alto
gether more than three billion pounds.
Neither did this increase come from
increased production; -. too. repre-.
sents what you did not eat-your meat
less DAYS. your baconle&ss breaAfasts--
the steaks you did not order, the pats
OF butter you did not touch; potatoes
creamed instead OF fried. and all the
rest of the conservation program faith
fully carried out by patriotic people.
Before the war. We used to send
enough food TO France. Great Britain
and Italy each year to ration about six
million men. During the year ending
April. 1913. we sent enough to COM
pletely ration twenty-one riillion men.
The coTne: has row been turned IN
this matter OF food This does not
mean. however. that the need for sac
rifice and care and thrift has passed
only that the crops are better, and
the situation is in hand because all
the world is now assured and you are
confident Of what MI Hoover believed
from the beginning: that the people CT
these United States can be depended
upon to do what Is ueedfIll. so long AS
the war lasts. and whenever occasion
demands.
There has never been anything like
It In history" we asked the
American people to DO more voluntar.
lily than any other people has ever
been asked to submit to under cempul.
sion And the American people made
good"
Even our associates In the war did
not believe Il could be done. and Ger
many sccffcd. but Mr.. Hoorer, believ.
Ing not more than 5 per cent Of the
people lacked the spirit OF Democracy,
said: Go do it," The per cent.
said: 1T can't be done" hut the ga
per cent answered: "Of course it can"
and did It.
Which is your team. the Giants or
the Cans
In all probability there will not 30
the need this year FOR suc:1 sharp self
denial, but there viii be the continuing
nsed for foresight and care aad the
forming OF HABITS OF thrift In prepare !
tion for wNatsoeyer the aEigencies OF
war ard disaster may demand OF Is
We Hust secunufats ga surplus or
prime breadstuf1s, and we must square
ly face the fact that we cannot hope .
TO have another great harvest like this