The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-12-28
NITRATE SUPPLY BE INADEQUATE
Bernard M. Baruch Says Peace Enables Importers
 to Meet All Needs.

Washington, Dec. 2S.---Nitrate for agricultural purposes will be available in sufficient quantities for all spring planting, B. M. Baruch, chairman of the War Industries Board, announced yesterday in making public informa- tion on the importation of the fertil- izer material suppressed during the war for military reasons.
 Chairman Baruch explained that practically all the nitrate imported during the war was used for the manufacture of explosives and chem icals necessary to munitions, and that the. supply promised to American farmers was cut down because of is1ese military needs.
 'In the fall of 1917," MT. Baruch's statement said, Congress appro prfated $10,0OO,0OO to be used by the Agricultural Department in importing nitrate of soda to be sold to farmers at cost. This was later made a revolving fund. Under this the War Industries Board procured for the Department of Agriculture some 1O9,OO long tons of nitrate from Chilli for shipping during the winter and spring.
 Owing to disturbed shipping con- ditions in the early spring, it was impossible to bring in for February March arrival the tonnage expected, and with the needs developed by the expected spring offensive of the Ger mans, it became necessary to divert to France a large tonnage of nitrate for manufacture of explosives in that country and for further increasing production of explosives in that coun- try and for further increasing pro duction of explosives in this country | for use in France.
 This immediate need made it inn possible for the Department of Agri- culture to secure boats sufficient to bring in the full ,O00 tons, so that i 66,77 tons were actually imported in 1 time for use by the farmers for last springs planting. Owing to military necessity, publicity could not, of course, be given as to the reason for 1 the non-arrivaI of the nitrate sold to | the farmers. and this inability to de- liver was the cause of considerable l feeling on the part of users of nitrate 1 of soda. The military necessity was the greatest one, and the planters who were unable to get the nitrate were in this way contributing the supply of explosives in France which | later led to the winning of the war.
 'The nitrate of soda situation in 1 the United States up until about Aug. 1, was a serious one, but every ex- | plosive and chemical plant was kept supplied with sufficient nitrate to maintain full operations at all times This was done by drawing from gov ernment arsenal reserves and by transferring stocks from fertilizer
 manufacturers and other holders to l plants whose stocks were about ex- | hausted.
 Owing to the shortage of nitrate, | it was deemed wise to ask the inn 1 porters to discontinue sales of nitrate l to fertilizer manufacturers other than for the making of sulphuric acid, and after July 1 all consignments of nj | trate arriving in the country sold to l such manufa cturers were comman- l deered by the Ordnance Department
 and turned over to munitions and | chemical manufacturers. These | COnIraCIS IuuS IdAul0u were IIlduS | between the importers and the fer tilizer people in the fall of 1917. Immediately on the signing of the
 armistice all restrictions were taker off of the importers as far as sales !. of nitrate to fertilizer manufactur-
 CTS and agricultural users was con- cerned, so that there would be nc
 difficulty in supplying the needs o1 the United States for agriculture
 spring planting.
 Nitrate of soda is the foundation
 of smokeless powder and high ex
 plosives as well as for other needed
 chemicals and the purchase and i'm portation of nitrate to the United
 States was controlled by the United
 States government through the Wal
 Industries Board, in cooperation
 with the importers formerly hand ding this material, the importers buy
 ing in Chile as in times past. Tht government received it's nitrat