The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1918-12-13
MUST INCREASE
FOOD EXPORTS
America Called on by End OF
War to Supply Added
Millions. =,
ECONOMY STILL NEEDED.
Over Three Times Pre-War Shipments
Required-Sltuatlon lp Wheat and
Fats Proves Governments
Policy Sound.

! With the guns in Europe silenced,
we have now to consider new world
food situation. But there can be no
hope that the volume of our exports
can be lightened to the slightest de-
gree with the cessation Of hostilities.
Millions of people liberated from the
Prussian yoke are now depending
upon US for the food which will keep
them from starvation.
i, With food the United States made
1t possible for the forces Of democ-
racy to hold out to victory. To insure
democracy in the world, we must con-
Hnue to live simply in order that we
may supply these liberated nations Of
Europe with food. Hunger among
people inevitably breeds anarchy.
American food must complete the work
Of making the world safe for democ-
racy. .'
J. Last year we sent 11,820,000 tons Of
food to Europe. For the present year,
with only the European Allies to feed,
We had originally pledged ourselves to
q program that would have increased
our exports to 17,500000 tons. Now,
to feed. the liberated nations, we will
have to export total Of not less than
20,O0O,0O0 toas-practically the limit
Of loading capacity at our ports. Re
viewing the world food situation, we
find that some foods will be obtainable
in quantities sufficient to meet all
world needs under a regime Of eco
nomical consumption. On the other
hand. there will be marked world
shortages in some important commodi-
ties.
Return to Normal Bread Loaf.
With the enlarged wheat crops
which American farmers have grown
and the supplies Of Australia, the Ar
gentine and other markets now acces.
sible to shipping, there are bread
grains enough to enable the nations to
return to their normal wheat loaf,
provided we continue 70 mill -four at
a high percentage Of extraction and
maintain economy In eating and the
avoidance Of waste.
i In fats there will be heavy short
age-about 5000, 100000 pounds in
pork products, dairy products and
vegetable oils. While there will be q
shortage Of about three million tons
In rich protein feeds for dairy ami.
mails, there will be sufficient supplies
Of other feedstuffs to allow economical
consumption. - ~.
In the matter Of beef, the worlds
supplies are limited to tho capacity Of
the available refriserating ships. The
supplies Of beef In Australia, the Ar.
gsatins and tho United States are suf.
Acient 10 load these ships. There will
be q shortage In the importing coun.
tries but We cannot hope to expand
exports materially for the next months
In view Of the bottle neck In trans
portation. -
| We will have q sufficient supply Of
sugar to allow normal consumption in
this country II the other nations re-
tain their present short rations or In
crease them only slightly. For the
countries Of Europe, however, to In.
crease their present rations to q ma.
terial extent will necessitate Our shar-
Ing q part of our own supplies with
them. "
Twenty Million Tens Of Food.
Of the world total. North America
will furnish more than go per cent.
The United States, including the West
Indies, will be called upon to furnish
20OOO,000 tons Of food Of all kinds as
compared with our pre-war exports Of
about 100000 tons. -.
program in many respects, even q
casual survey Of the world supplies
in comparison to world demands shows
conclusipely that Europe will know
famine unless the American people
bring their home consumption down
to the barest minimum that will main-
tain health and strength.
| There are conditions Of famine in
Europe. that will be beyond our power
to remedy. There are 100000 peo-
pie In North Russia whom there is
small chance Of reaching with food
this winter. Their transportation is
demoralized In complete anarchy, and
shortly many Of their ports will be
frozen, even. If internal transport
could be realized.
To Preserve Civilization. -,
At this moment Germany has not
) alone sucked the food and animals
from all those masses Of people she
has dominated and left starving, but
she has left behind her total wreck
ago Of social institutions, and thft
mass Of people Is now confronted with
absolute anarchy.
II We value our own safety and thu
social organization Of the world, II W
value tho preservation Of civilization
itself, We cannot permit growth OF THU
cancer In the worlds vitals-
Famine fs the mother OF anarchy
From the inability Of governments tt