Evening star., 1918-02-22

Washington and other eastern cities
are likely to flnd themselves on short
rations during the next sixty days, ac-
cording to statement issued by Her
bert Hoover. United States food ad-
The food situation, he
says. is the most critical in the coun-
try's history. Reserve food stores in
many of the large consuming centers
are at the point Of exhaustion.
Not only are the American people con-
fronted by food shortage. but the food
administration is far behind in its en-
gagements to the allies. Cereal exports
to the nations at war against Germany
Mr.. Hoover says. will be $4,000, 900
bushels short by the end of February
and meat shipments also are far short
of the amounts promised.
Mr.. Hooter asserts the fault is wholly
with railroad transportation in this
country, and the only possible solution
he sees is greatly increased rail
of foodstuffs, even to the ex-
ciusion of much other commerce. Be
cause of inability of the railroads to
move the crops, he contends, the law
of supply and demand has been prac-
tically suspended and there has resulted
a price margin between producer and
consumer wider than ever before
known.
Getting Little Benefit.
Because of these transportation diff
culties, the public is getting little or no
benefit from the fact of the largest corn
crop ever grown. A large part of the
corn held on the farms or in country
elevators Is about to spoil because it
is not moving to the terminals for
drying. The percentage of soft corn
in last years crop. ali of which must
be dried if it is to be saved. is the
largest ever known. some estimates
placing it as high as billion bushels.
The cost of grains for feeding live
stock has increased to such an extent,
by reason of transportation difficulties.
Mr.. Hoover says, that feeders are con-
the prospect of serious
losses. Dairying interests, too, he de-
clares, are hard hit.
Potatoes, the food administrator as
serts. are spelling in the producers
hands. while consumers have been sup
piled only from summer garden crops
and stores carried over.
Behind in Food Program.
The statement issued by Mr.. Hoover
In response to many inquiries 1 beg
to say it is true that since the first of
December we have fallen far behind our
agreed food program with the allies.
By the end of February we will be
short 45.000.000 bushels in cereal prod
of their supplies. We will also be 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 January !,
has made effort to find remedy. but
during the month of January the
weather was insuperable, and although
progress has been made since the 5th
Of February. the situation is the ac-
of three months delays
The next sixty days will be the most
critical period in our food history. The
simple fact is that the problem goes far
deeper than supplies to the allies. Dur
ing the last three months we have far
fallen behind in movement of food
stuffs from the farms to the consuming
and storage centers. Up to the first of
February Nss than so per cent Of the
normal ratio of corn has been moved,
less than so per cent of the oats and
From November 1 to January l we were
short in the usual movement of grains
and grain products into the terminals
alone by over 100000 carloads-over
gravated by similar shortage OUTSIDE
the terminals.
Fears Loss in Soft Corn.
Furthermore, this year we have the
largest percentage of soft corn in many
years, and though we have a record
crop of corn. considerable portion of
the soft corn will be lost by spelling
unless it can be moved in the next sixty
days to the drying terminals. The