The weekly messenger., 1919-01-18
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-Situation In Wheat and
Fats Proves Governments
Policy Sound.
ECONOMY STILL NEEDED.

With the guns In Europe silenced,
We have now to consider q 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.
With food the United States made
u possible for the forces of demOc.
racy to hold out to victory. To insure
democracy In the world, we must con-
tinue to live simply in order that we
may supply these liberated nations Of
Europe with food. Hunger among a
people inevitably breeds anarchy.
American food must complete the work
Of making the world safe for democ-
racy.
Last year we sent II $4,000 tons Of
food to Europe. For the present year,
with only the European Allies to feed,
We had originally pledged ourselves to
a program that would have increased
our exports to 17,5OO,OOO tons. Now,
to feed the liberated nations, we will
have to export q total Of not less than
2OOOO,OOO 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 to mill -four at
a high percentage Of extraction and
maintain economy in eating and the
avoidance of waste
In fats there will he a heavy short
age about 3,OOOOOO,OO0 pounds II in
pork products, dairy products and
vegetable oils. While there will be
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 the capacity Of
the available refrigerating ships. The
supplies Of beef in Australia, the Ar
geni.nc and the United States are suf.
ficient 10 load these ships. There will
be shortage In the importing cOun-
tries, but we cannot hope to expand
exports materially for the next months
pOrtation.
We will have 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 a ma.
terial extent will necessitate our shar-
ing a part Of our own supplies with
them.
Twenty Million Tons Of Food.
OF the world total, North America
will furnish more than 60 per cent.
The United States, including the West
Indies, will be called upon to furnish
20.OOO.0O0 tons Of food of all kinds as
compared with our pre-war exports Of
yabout 100000 tons.
While We will be able to change our
program in many respects, even a
casual survey of the world supplies
in comparison to world demands shows
concluslvely 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
EGrupe That will be beyond our power
to remedy. There are 100000 peo-