The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-11-06

social fabric, according to a report by
the Bussey Institution for Research
in Applied Biology, a graduate school
of Harvard University, of which Will.
lam Morton Wheeler is president.
1T is not too much to say the re-
port continues, that the primary rea-
son for the popular unrest is the high
cost of food production. The United
States rapidly is reaching the end of
her land resources. At best only 40
per cent more land than already in
use can be placed under cultivation.
and this land will be of poorer quality.
Production of meat animals per cap
ita has been declining since 1890, and
acreage and production in the great
crops have not kept pace with the in
crease in population. Our children
will live under a food pressure com
parable to that of central Europe, and
our grandchildren will struggle under
a pressure similar to that of China.
These are not the representations
of a pessimist; they are statistical con
illusions reached after a careful study
of the past, present and future posi-
bilities of the country checked against
population increases. The most i'm
portant problems of the day therefore
are those connected with agriculture.
Food, Food. Food, Ever since the
outbreak of the wal in Europe five
years ago this month, we have heard
of little else. 1t was brought first to
the public eye by large subscriptions
tries abroad. American took up the
study of food conservation, and the EN-
ployment Of nourishing substitutes.
When dining we carefully counted the
calories and proceeds to have a well
balanced meal. After the United States
entered the war, for the first time in
her whole history, America felt the
actual pinch of a food shortage. We
had so-called war bread" made from
barley and corn meal, while sugar
could be bought only in limited yuan
titles.
II is an economic law that when
necessarily increases in value. Prices
scared. American bore it bravely,
blaming it on the war, and believing
that as soon as peace was forthcom.
ing, prices necessarily would be forced
down to their former level. The treaty
Of peace vas signed and instead of u
drop in prices they continued to rise
| with the result so that in order to
meet the increased cost Of living
wages must rise in a proportionate
amount. Throughout the country there
is general economic unrest, A tenn
porary solution was found in the sale
of the large surplus foodstuffs held by
the Quartermaster Corps in reserve Tor
the army. Prices have been momer-
tarily lowered by flooding the market
with these frozen meats and canned
goods. but as soon as this residue is
expended, there is nothing to stop
prices from going still higher.
Americans are very grateful for this
temporary %surcease, but the question
of the increased cost Of living thus far
has been touched only on the exterior.
To arrive at the permanent solution
we must investigate the internal prob.
lens of production, supply and de,
mand. The last score of years the
migration from the farms to the cities
has been greater than ever before in
our history. The great internal indus.
trial and commercial development is
largely responsible for 1t. Life or the