The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1919-06-28
PREPARE FOR GREAT
1919 WHEAT CROP
Is Advice of Director General
Walker D. Hines of r. r.
Administration.

AHWEHIStt dt1Utts
"The Railroad Administration
lis giving careful consideration to
the measures necessary for the
satisfactory transportation of the
anticipated large crops of grains,
says Director General Walker d,
Hines. "The Department of Ag-
ricuIture has estimated that the
yield of winter wheat will exceed
900, 100000 bushels. A fair esti-
mate of the yield of spring wheat
approximates 300,0O0,000 bushels
The total yield of wheat this year
will in all probability exceed the
total of last year by some three
or four million bushels. No esti-
mate of other grains is, or course
possible at this time, but barring
unusual climatic conditions it
can perhaps be properly expected
that the tonnage in grain will be
produced 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 pos
sible, and since a stable price has
again been fixed by the govern
ment for this years crop, it is
assumed similar condition will
obtain. Last year this economi-
cal condition, coupled with more
or less diSarrangement in ocean
tonnage and consequent disrup-
ton in shipping resulted in such
an acute situation at the interior
grain markets and at Seaports,
that it became necessary to in
stall the so-called permit sys-
tem," which was early made OPP
erative at the ports, and in Sep
tember, 1918, at the principal in
terror markets.
"The permit system is a highly
beneficial system of controlling
traffic at the sources to prevent
serious congestion on the road
and at destination. This system
prevented in the fall of 1918 a
serious transportation paralysis
of former years due to wide
spread congestion of traffic which
had been shipped but which
could not be disposed of at desti-
nation. This paralysis of traffic
in former years was most appar-
ent in the east but its injurious
effects were felt throughout the
country. 1t was the principal
cause OF car shortages In every
part of the country and slowed
down the movement of traffic and
impaired the transportation SER
vice everywhere.
while the permit system at
the ports is still in operation, it
was suspended a few months ago
at the interior markets, due to the
improved ocean shipping and
the fact that the bulk of the grain
had been moved. 1t is, however
to be expected that the system
will again be inaugurated with
the opening of the new wheat
season, and in view of that prob
ability the Railroad Administra-
ton is already preparing the
necessary machinery so that it
may be prepared to act without
delay at the proper time. Confer
ences have already been held with
representatives of the grain cor
poration.
Gas graphically illustrating the
necessity of regulating the trans
portation of this tonnage, and the
results obtained from such regu-
lation, the following facts are of
value and interesting; For nine
months of the crop year, July |,
1918 to May /, 1919, there passed
Through the grain handling facili-
ties of the country, elevators and
mills, a total of 3,440,236,00O
bushels of all grain, although the
highest point of grain storage OF
| all kinds, at any one time in that
period, was 4S0,000,000 bushels
THAT is, in nine months the flow
of grain was seven times the
quantity which accumulated in
storage at the highest point dur.
| ing that period. This is direct
illustration of the necessity OF
keeping the grain handling facili.
ties of the country liquid, tc