The Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1918-1919, 1919-04-24
ALL MUST BE FED
Practically Every European Coun.
try Short of Foodstuffs.
Agriculturists on This Side Of the
Water Are Called on to Save the
World From Starvaton-West-
ern Canada's Great Op-
portunity.

pOTtuHlty.
Considerable discussion is taking
place in the papers as to the amount
of money that the United States will
have to pay for it's guarantee of the
price of wheat for 1919. The indica-
tons at present are that the treasury
will not be affected. Instead of wheat
going down the outlook now is that it
will go considerably above the pres
| emf guarantee. 1t is not only the opin-
| ION of Il man Of the experience of Mr..
Hoover that gives weight to this as
sumption, but we have the glaring fact
| that there will be more mouthc to feed
for this year, and the next year or So
than there We're in 1918, and the guam
tity of food will be little, it any,
greater. ....
The assumption is based on the fact
that Germany. Austria and Poland,
and others of the fighting nations, I'M
| able to secure food enough i'm the past
two or three years, and still unable to
supply it within themselves, will re-
q'lire to be fed The food can now be
taken to them. For some time the SOL
dicrs will require to be fed Italy will
have its demands. There will he adj
| ditiOna L shipping some of which will
be needed for requirements of India,
but it will also make ocean transport
easier. Mr.. Hoover is possibly better
acquainted than any other individual
observer With both the worlds food
needs and its prospects of supplying
| them.
He is naturally ve:y closely in touch
will, conditions on this continent and
his position as virtual dictator of the
distribution of AmericHn-grOWn food
in Europe has given him Il possibly
unique insight into European needs.
Mr. Hoover says there will be no
surplus from the 1918 crop TO carry
over into 1919. Even under normal
conditions this would be Il sufficiently
prccariouS situation, for there natu-
rally never is any possible guarantee
that one or more of the great wheat
producing countries in Europe may
not experience a crop failure. Under
present conditions, however. such lack
of surplus is distinctly dangerous, for
the very European nations upon which
that continent could normally rely for
the great bulk of its wheat, That is to
say Russia, Bul gariA, Serbia and ROu-
mania, will for obvious reasons he I'M
able 80 supply their own demands for
the coming year In addition to this.
Mr.. Hoover points out that famine in
India will call for Il substantial pro-
portion of the Australian surplus. and
that moreover. Il considerable part OF
the Australian supply, which for lack
of shipping has been accommodating in
that country, has spoiled.
And The demand is by no means
only for wheat. Mr.. Hoover esti-
mated that he would be able to fur
niSh Germany 10000 tons Of grain
during the month of April But it is
asserted that the German stocks of all
kinds of grain and of potatoes and
vegetables will surely be exhausted
before June.
Mr.. Hoover has also expressed The
belief that it is questionable whether
under the circumstances food enough
: can he supplied to tide Germany over
until the next harvest.
Ii is quite clear from all this that
the world is going TO depend more
than ever upon this continent to keep
the wolf from the door until the war
devastated and neutrality-suspicious. cO,ln-
tries in Europe can once again feed
themselves. Already we read of the
: protests of British soldiers occupying
Germany against allowing German
women and children to perish of star
: Walton as they are beginning to do. II
? these conditions prevail in Germany
! what must be the state of affairs else
: where. in Europe among nations which
have fought With us during the last
l four years:
To sum up, if may he stated with
confidence that the demand for every
Y dented, and that the agriculturSt will
p receive the highest prices on record
\ for nj, that he has TO sell.
: The aury of Canada. therefore. is to
p keep up its WORT; Of assisting in sup
: plying the need. Ii can do so. 1t has
: the land available at low prices; the
. market is there: railroad facilities are
h good, the climate and the soil produce
y the best wheat in The world. Western
: Canada offers the opportunity and the
l. unceasing flow of farmers into the
q country indicates the fact that advan
@ tage is being taken OF it.-Advertise
s ment.