Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-01-27
FARM CROPS FIRST PROBLEM.
Hoover Says Production is OF Upper
most Importance.

most Importance.
Paris. Jan. 27.-Herbert Hoover.
United States food administrator and
director general OF the international
relief organization. gave ont the follow
ing statement Sunday.
The dominating food problem in
the United States at this moment IL
a very much bigger problem than the
Chicago packers. 1t is problem OF
the American farmer.
IT the packers profit Of or per
cent on his turnover Is too high, ii Is
the duty OF Congress TO tax II out OF
him. II the farmers prices threaten to
fall below the level Of a fair return. 1t
behooves the country to do some
quick. clear thinking.
The perplexities arising out OF in
ability to demobilize totally the food
situation OF the world in the period
between the armistice and peace make
the farmers position in tho matter OF
MUCH more immediate concern than the
future Of the Chicago packers.
Taking It broadly, before the Eu-
ropean war began we exported about
!, 900, 900 tons Of food a year. This
year we are prepared to export at the
rate Of from 100000 to 100000 OF
tons.The increase represents the patrio-
tic service Of the American farmer plus
the voluntary sacrifice Of TIE average
American under the stimulation OF the
pleas from the allied governments that
without an enormous increase in our
food supplies their very lives would
be nienaced.
a,rI = gh I'D
the worlds shipping that the allies
were unable to reach the distant mar
kets OF the southern hemisphere. and
we were bound to create in America
sufficient food to carry Europe. II the
war had gone on. every pound Of 1t
and more would have been required by
the allies before next harvest.
THE armistice came suddenly, free
ing shipping from military use and re-
opening to the allies the cheaper south
crn hemisphere and the colonial mar
kets, where, in addition, they could
have more liberal credits and markets
for their manufactures.
I'VE are thus faced with a serious
problem with respect to our own great
supplies, periodically accumulated. II
an early peace is signed and the mar
kets Of Europe are opened freely to
trade. there will be greater demand
for food from the new mouths than
even this surplus could supply. But
in the, period between the armistice and
peace we have very difficult situa :
ton.
Zone Of the most critical food short
ages in the world was that OF fats and
| the only help lay in an increase in the
American hog. Our agriculture de-
| partment and the food administration
spared no efforts to stimulate this pro-
auction. Our farmers were assured
that in the general shortage. subject
| only to the uncertainties of war, they
! would experience no difficulty in mar
keting their products.
| THE situation changed overnight
| with the armistice. The allies are not
only seeking the southern hemisphere
| markets, but they had also lately ac-
formulated large stocks Of fats as an
insurance against the submarine mem
ace, and with the shortage Of finance
experienced BY all governments. to-
gether with the loss in the storage OF
commodities by deterioration, there is
i a natural desirelon their part to reduce
1 their stocks.
"Other factors have entered into the
situation. For instance. the inactive
armies and muNitipn workers are con
Stunning less fats and the vegetable y
freed Tor human consumption. This
II-l -. = 4 ~ .