The labor standard., 1919-08-15
Railroad Administration Giving Careful Consideration to Nec-
 essary Measures.
EXPECT GREAT WHEAT YIELD
Tonnage of Grain Will Exceed That of Last Year by Large Margin May Try Permit System
 Again.

lSIdCLOFy LTduSpOTIduOA oA IAO oAIASA pated large crops of grains, according to a statement authorized by Walker D. Hines, director general of rail- roads. The department of agriculture has estimated that the yield of winter wheat will exceed OO,OOO,OO0 bushels. A fair estimate of the yield of spring wheat approximates 3OO,OOO,OOO bush els. The total yield of wheat this year will in all probability exceed the total of last year by from three to four hundred millions of bushels. No estimate of other grains is, of course, possible at this time, but, barring unusual climatic conditions, it can per haps be properly expected that the tonnage in grain that will be pro- duced this year will exceed that of last year by a considerable margin.
 The stable price fixed last year by the government on wheat naturally provoked a desire on the part of the producer to realize his earnings as quickly as possible, and since stable price has again been fixed by the gov ernment for this years crop it is as- sumed a similar condition will obtain. Last year this economical condition, coupled with more or less disarrange- ment in ocean tonnage and consequent disruption in shipping, resulted in such an acute situation at the interior grain markets and at seaports, that it became necessary to install the so- called permit system" which was early made operative at the ports, and in September, 1918, at the principal in- teriOr markets.
 Controlling Traffic.
 The permit system is highly bene- fcia1 system of controlling traffic at the sources to prevent serious conges- ton on the road and at destination. This system prevented in the fall of 1918 serious transportation paralysis of former years due to widespread congestion of traffic which had been shipped but which could not be dis posed of at destination. This paraly- sis of traffic in former years was most apparent in the East, but it's injuri- ous effects were felt throughout the country.
 While the permit system at the ports is still in operation, 1t was sus- pended few months ago at the in- terior markets, due to improved ocean shipping and the fact that the bulk of the grain had been moved. It is. how ever, to be expected that the system will again be inaugurated with the opening of the new wheat season, and in view of that possibility the railroad administration is already preparing the necessary machinery so that it may be prepared to act without delay at the proper time. Conferences have already been held with represent atives of the grain corporation.
 As graphically illustrating the ne cessity of regulating the transporta- tion of this tonnage, and the results obtained from such regulation, the fol- lowing facts are of value and interest ing: For the nine months of the crop year, July l, 1918, to May l, 1919, there passed through the grain handling fa- cilities of the country-elevators and mills-a total of 3,44O, ,236,OOO bushels of all grains, although the highest point of grain storage of all kinds at any one time in that period was 4SO,- 100000 bushels. That is, in nine months the flow of grain was seven times the quantity which accumulated in storage at the highest point during that period. This is a direct il1ustra- tion of the necessity of keeping the grain-handling facilities of the coun- try liquid to avoid the distress to all interests that would follow the block ing of this flow of grain.
 Reinaugurate Permit Plan.
 The permit system as operated last year contemplates the closest cooper ation between the railroad administra- tion and the United States food ad- ministration grain corporation. The local representatives of the grain cor poration were in daily contact with the grain control committees at each market, and in view of the very com prehensive data and information in their possession as to storage facili- ties, anticipated movements out of markets, the needs of different sec tions of the country, not only as to wheat but as to other cereals that flow coincidentally with wheat, etc., were of invaluable aid in the accomplish ment of the permit system with minimum economic disturbance. The same character of assistance is being arranged for from the grain corpora tion, or the wheat director, in antici- patton that it will be necessary to re- inaugurate the permit plan within the next one or two months.
 The wheat director is as vitally in- terested as the railroad administration that the grain tonnage shall be ham, dled with the least possible friction as between all interests concerned, and is in entire harmony with the railroad administration as to the plans pro- posed in that direction.