Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-01-17
THE REAL FOOD MENACE
a Scarcity of Dairy
Situation Alarming.


While the need of wheat and meat IA A
pressing as ever In the conduct of our
military operations, threatened scarcity of
dairy supplies constitutes the real menace
OF the world because of its direct bearing
upon the nourishment and physical devel-
opment OF children, says the Portland Ore
CONAN. This will be felt first--and already
Is being felt-by the central powers, but
no country in the world is SAFE Dairy
herds are growing smaller both in Europe
and the United States, both because Of the
prices OF meat, which have prompted kill
ing IN order to turn the animals into cash
IN the quickest possible time, and the high
price OF feed, which has reduced the
profits of the dairyman. The outlook for
the young is all the more serious because
1t VIII take years to restore the herds
even In normal times; a single worlds
bumper crop Of cereals. on the other hand,
could quite easily eradicate all memory
Of famine in grain.
With the exception Of these dairy prod
ucts. however. the bulk Of the worlds
FOOD is consumed in the countries where
II Is produced, according to Prof. @. Il.
Hoorbach, Of the University of Pennsyl
vania, who points out that large as Is
the International trade In food products.
II represents but small proportion Of the
l
United Kingdom and Belgium are usually
pointed out as the countries most largely
dependent upon the outside world, but
even these countries produced In the pre-
war period So per cent. and 81 per cent. re-
spectively. Of their own requirements.
1t Is a safe prediction that Great Bril-
tain will exceed this percentage after the
war ends, although It is doubtful whether
Belgium will be able to do So, but In any
event the trade balance in food Is not like
ly to be greatly changed. France was sup
plying 80 per cent. Of her own require
ments before the war, and Germany IS
per cent. Professor Roorbach says that
food production in the United States Is 10
times as great as food exports, and that
even these exports are nearly offset by our
food imports. "In other words" he says,
1.-The United States is scarcely able to pay
for imported food with food which is ex-
ported"
1t Is a mistake to suppose that the west
ern hemisphere is the 'granary Of the
world" as some have assumed. Even
Argentina, sparsely populated as 1t Is,
actually consumes twice as much as she
exports. Europe, for all its industrial de-
velopment and dense population, is still
the greatest agricultural region Of the
world. With comparatively little addi-
tional effort II could supply itself with all
the grain potatoes and sugar IL needs.
But the dairy industry is comparatively
restricted. Holland, Switzerland. Dem
mark, Sweden and parts Of Russia have
been the chief reliance for supplies OF
milk butter and cheese, and these coun-
triesi in common with the United States.
have been sacrificing their herds. What
ever may be said of their unwisdorn. the
fact remains
The lesson to Americans Is plain. 1t Is
that an especial effort should be made to
preserve, and. where necessary. restore,
the dairy industry. Attention to the grad
ing Of herds Is particularly necessary. We
must not rely on European countries. as
we have done in the past. for much of our
fine stock. Europe will need her own
dairy cattle at home. and is quite likely
to restrict, II not prohibit expectations.
From the dairyman's point Of view. Amer
lea must stand on her own bottom. 1t Is
a duty that should not be ignored by
farmers in planning for the future.