The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1918-12-03
FOOD 1918

traitors called 10 washington recently
From the inability of governments tC
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," said the speaker. Did w put
it on no higher plane than our inter
ests in the protection of our institu-
lions, we must bestir ourselves in the
solution of the problem"
Mr.. Hoover was making what many
of his hearers believed to be his fare
well address to the food ~administr1-
tors. He is now in Europe confer
ring with others over the entire world
food situation. His summing up of
the food situation indicates so plainly
that for next year, at least, some
comprehensive regulation of the stock
of foods of the world will be neces-
sary, that it may be found advisable
to continue the food administration
in some capacity for that length of
time. Hoover himself does not favor
government control of food any longer
than is absolutely necessary, and he
intimates that by next harvest time
private initiative may again handle
the problem of supply and demand.
at is my belief" says he, that the
tendency of all such legislation, ex-
cept in war, is to an over degree to
strike at the roots of individual init
alive. We have secured it's execution
during the war as to the willing CO.
operation of IS per cent of the trades
of the country; but under peace con-
ditions it would degenerate into an
harassing blue law" Mr.. Hoover thus
takes a stand quite different from that
taken by Burleson, McAdoo, Daniels.
Redfield and other bureaucrats in
Washington, who desire to see gov
eminent control of private Industries
become a permanent feature of our
national life.
In his inventory of the worlds food
supply, Hoover finds that of wheat
and rye, dairy feeds other than the
high proteins, beans, pease and rice.
there are sufficient supplies With
economy in consumption; of beef
there is sufficient to load all refrig-
Grating ships to capacity; of sugar.
sufficient supplies for our normal
consumption if other nations retain
their present short rations, but a
shortage for us if they increase their
rations; of coffee there is a surplus;
but of high protein dairy feeds there
is a shortage of about 5000, 900 tons,
and of pork and dairy products and
vegetable oils a shortage of about
5000. 600, 900 pounds.
OF the worlds total to produce the
above results, it is estimated that
North American will furnish some
thing over so per cent, and that the
United States. including the West In
dies, will be in a position to furnish
a total of about 10000, 900 tons of food
Of all kinds for export, compared with
III pre-war exports of about 6,000,-
900 tons. OF course these calculations
are based upon assumptions as to
transportation, production and con-
sumption, which may be subject to
great disturbance and distortion dur
ing the reconstruction period. Mr.,
Hoover furnished one great shock to
his audience when he said that there
are 10000, 900 people in North Russia
to whom | fear but little access with
food can be obtained this winter.
Their transportation is demoralized
in complete anarchy and shortly many
internal transport could be realized
/ expect the most dreadful results OF
starvation beyond all human power to
allay." A large part of the blame for
this condition must be laid at the door
of the Russian Bolsheviki, who prom
Used the Russian people peace and
bread and has fed them loco-weed
instead.
The question of continuing for a
brief period some sort of food regu-
lation is one which will present itself
to a Republican Congress for decision.
If the Department of Agriculture, un-
der Houston, should fall heir to that
function, politics in the matter of food
would be rampant up to 1920, with the
results that exports and domestic con-
sumption would be greatly democrat
lied. Doubtless the present food adj
ministration would be a more trust
worthy agent to guard against prof
teering and speculation for the next
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