Arizona republican., 1918-02-22

critical period in our,food history. The simple fact is that the problem goes far deeper than supplies to the allies. During 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 less than 50 per cent of the normal ratio of corn has been moved, less than 80 per cent Of the oats ana less than sixty per cent of the potatoes. From November 1 to January l we were short in the usual movement Of grains and grain products into the ter over 120. 100000 bushels-and this was further aggravated by similar shortage outside the terminals.
 Furthermore, this year We have the largest percentage of soft corn in many years and though we have record crop of corn, a 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 least amount of grain that must be loaded for the next sixty days is 5000, 900 bushels per day-enc we have not yet attained that. Less than this will solve neither the allied nor our domestic situation.
 Foodstuffs Not Moved
 "We had about 130,000 carloads of potatoes on November 1 which should have been moved from the principal producing centers, and up to the first of February we had moved about 2S,- 900 carloads while we should have moved over 50,000 in this period. The result is that potatoes are piled up spelling in the producers hands, and the consuming centers have only been supplied by virtue of the summer gar dens and other stores carried over from last year. There is a great deal of livestock which has been ready fol the market for some time, but is stil held in the farmers hands through in 1 ability to secure transportation. These cattle are eating their heads off with out increasing their meat value ant are only adding to the cost or unt farmer and consuming the grain. "The effect of this delayed move ment has been many fold:
 Numerous Bad Results
 First, to jeopardize the safety of ; great deal of the soft corn and perish ables, such as potatoes.
 Second, the structure in flow O 1 distribution has entirely disturbed tn tprice conditions in the country by prac tically suspending the law or suppl. and demand. The margins between tn farmer and the consumer in man. commodities were never wider thai they are today, because the consum | ing trades are under supplied and tn farmers compete for transportation Prices of the coarse grains hay reached unheard of levels, while tn limited transportation has diminishe the farmers returns.
 Third, the cost of grains for feed ing livestock has so increased to tn feeders of finished cattle that the face serious losses. The costs of tn dairying industries have necessaril
 greatly increased.
 Fourth, thrnrssaa the large consum ing areas we have been living off re serves through the period of scan supplies. These reserves are in man
 sections approaching exhaustion. Couldn't Supply Own Allies , Fifth, we have been unable to trans , port to seaboard the necessary food stuffs for the allies. This has nc been due so much to the actual in
 ability of the railways giving priorit to foodstuffs for allied shipping a , 1t has been 10 bring products from th , farms to the terminal markets.
 "The economic ramifications of tn
 whole delay in the movement of tf t national harvest are almost counties