Evening journal., 1919-08-14
BARkES ASKS ALL
TO PAY CHEFRFULLY
Director Sees No Relief from
Prevailing Prices Until
Next Harvest
go PER CENT
CROP IN EUROPE

NEW YORK. Aug. ii-Iulius II.
Barnes. the Federal Wheat Director. is
sued another statement yesterday ask
ing the public to accept the wheat sit
uation philosophically and 4 continue
10 pay the prevailing prices> for bread
rheerfully until the next harvest
Since his last defence OF the guarantee
1gure established by the Government
Mr.. Barnes has discovered that the
crop report has dropped about 2OO,-
10000 bushels.
He directs a hopeful eye toward Eu-
sope. where he says in spite Of the
war 90 per cent Of the normal crop
supplemental to the one he made pub
tic on August g. 10 says
The Government crop report issued
August s confirmed my worst fears.
showing a fan from the high prospect
OF i,236OOO,OoO bushels. June I, TO 9i0,-
100000 bushels prospects as Of August
1. in the United States. Knowing that
Canada has suffered a similar de-
terloration It. is evident that the eX-
pected surplus Of North American
wheat has been cut in two.
"A survey OF the bread grain crops
OF Europe and Of Europe's minimum
consumption requirements, with the
most favorable estimate justified ~
the surplus available from the United
States. Canada, Argentina and Austria
lia indicates a most dscomforiing
margin Unquestionsbly the supply
and demand situation of the world Is
such that the American guarantee
price is certainly not above a world
level.
Il have been in accord with those
who felt that II the guarantee main
tanned wheat prices above the world
value Of wheat, then that measure OF
initiation should be charged against the /
national Treasury as a war expenditure
and not assessed upon the consumer |
In view of the Disappointing shrinkase |
in the bread grain crop or the world. |
and particularly i'm America, that Is no /
longer a practical question The Amer- /
lean people. when they appreciate TINS, /
will. I conceive. accept 10 philosophic- |
ally and pay their self-respectng way |
10 still another harvest confident as /
I am. that before then the weapons |
OF war in Europe Will become insiru- /
ments Of production and thus rcduce |
the call on American food.
"The wheat director has had a party |
OF crop experts in Europe for three /
months. Travelling by automobile o.WO !
miles from Paris. across Austria. ser
bia Rumania. into Russia, back through |
Poland. Czecho-Slovakia, Hungary |
Germany. Belgium and Northern |
France in that entire distance only !
once when their machine was mired |
three hours in The lOwlands or river |
bank, did they have any trouble What-
ever. although several times they /
crossed railroad bridges which had
been replanked TO serve wagon travel
Is well. Our conclusion is that in many
lections OF Europe 90 per cent. Of the
oormaI crop acreage has been put m
against tremendous difficulties and
probably the average in Europe IS
above - per cent. i'm spite OF lack OF
man power. implements and horses a
most reassuring commentary on the
FORMAL desire Of mankind 10 work and
% produce. In some sections food IS
ample but distribution 10 the con
zssted centres is broken not only by
railroad and water transportation dis
but also by the political
obstruction, still perpeuated by racial
The showing is very hope
ful and another year OF peace will put
these people far on the road to com
pleie self-support.
An equally astonishing development
A. home lies in our own flour consump-
tion. Our pre-war normal consumption
was 23j pounds per capita per annum.
which by the way is lower than in
most countries Of Europe. During the
crop year just ended our flour con-
in America has been no
higher than III pounds per capita. We
are forced 10 the conclusion that with
better spending power in OUR people
they have gone 10 the more expensive
foods. probably meats
THE annual food bill N America is
calculated at slSO0OOOOOOO. a restora
lion of our normal four consumption
10 23J pounds. and a displacement
hereby Of the higher priced foods,
would save our people fully $1,000
10000.
For that section Of the public that
proposes outright subsidy Of food there
s only the reply that the act estab
ishing the wheat director of1lce did not
contemplate nor authorize deliberate
subsidy OF food and that that policy
'annot be embarked upon without the
lnequivocal direction Of Congress"