Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-02-23
Administrations Warning That
Suffering May DeveIope in
East, Contradicted by Rail
Director.
HINT SERIOUSNESS HAS
BEEN 0VEREMPHASIzED
Shipments to Allies Will Be.
Started at Once if They Are
Ready Writes MCAdoo to
Hoover.


Washington, Feb. 22.-Director
General McAdoo today gave assurance
that so far as transportation Is con-
cerned there is no danger of suffering
from serious food shortage in the
eastern part of the country.
This was prompted by the warning
given last night by Food Administra-
tor Hoover that unless grain and meat
movement is greatly increased in the
next sixty days the country is threat
ened with an acute shortage of food,
and the program of food shipments to
the allies will fail. In letter to Mr.
Hoover the director general declared
that If the food administrator will
give definite information on the loca-
ton of stocks of supplies intended for
the allies. the railroads will move
, them promptly to seaboard. Simul-
taneously the railroad administration
gave out, figures showing that the
movement of grain to primary mar
kets in the west within the last ten
days was far greater than in previous
years.
Figures Are Questioned.
Although declaring their desire to
avoid a controversy with the food ad-
ministration, officials OF the railroad
Z directorate TODAY did not conceal their
belief that Mr.. Hoover's statement was
not borne out by facts shown in their
rcnarts Members of Mr.. McAdno's
staff assumed the attitude that Mr..
Hoover has dealt in generahties, not
supported by figures or other evidence
showing such a. pessimistic outlook on
future food conditions.
Writing to Mr.. Hoover, Mr. McAdoo
said:
you are, as understand it, the
sole purchaser in this country of food
supplies for the allied governments
You must, therefore, know the loca-
ton of the food supplies which you
from time to time purchase and the
ports in this country to which you
desire such supplies shipped.
Definite Action Promised.
'If you will notify me from time
to time of the location of the specific
supplies and the port or ports in the
United States to which you wish to
have such supplies transported, l will
guarantee the necessary transporta-
tion, subject alone to interruption
from billiards. and floods.
IT wish to reassure the country by
saying that so far as transportation is
concerned there is no danger of suf-
fering from a serious food shortage
in the eastern part of the country"
The food administration upon re-
ceipt of the letter issued this state
ment:
while Mr.. Hoover is out of town
food administration officials consider
Mr.. McAdoo's statement very reas-
suring since it indicates that further
cars will be furnished to western
terminals and that the shortage from
these western terminals to eastern
territory now will be overcome. As
the railroad directorate are evidently
alive to the situation they will no
doubt take all necessary steps"
Six Millions Loaded Daily.
A railroad administration state
ment, without referring to Mr..
Hoover's declaration that the domes-
tic and allied food situation can be
solved only by loading 100000 BUSH
els of grain a day for the next sixty
days, explained that already 100000
bushels of grain are being loaded daily
and even better loading is in prospect.
Unofficially it was declared that vir-
tually all the grain offered by farmers
and local elevators was being hauled
by the railroads under general pri-
ority orders for foodstuffs, particular
ly for grain. 1t was suggested that
farmers might not be bringing their
grain to market as fast as they should.
Railroad officials also called attention
to the fact that potato growers last
fall held much of their crop for higher
prices, and that condition is partly
responsible for the extraordinary Of
fering at this time of potatoes which
the railroads are having some diff
Guilty moving.
Wheat Moving Rapidly.
: Referring to the general food NOV
ing situation, the railroad admins
tration said:
There has now been two weeks OF
good weather during which time an
extraordinary effort has been put
forth by the railroads. For the week |
ending February 16, 22,104,000 BUSH
els of grain were received at western
primary markets which were the
largest receipts for one week In two
years, an increase of 54 per cent over |
the previous week and 81 1-2 per
cent over the same week last year.
The average number of cars Of
grain being loaded is 5000. which is
approximately 100000 bushels
daily. This has been done notwith-
standing weather conditions are still
severe Ia . large part Of the country