New-York tribune., 1920-05-25
Drop in
Wheat Acreage,
June Forecast
Department of Agriculture
Predicts the 1920 Crop
Will Be 800, 600. 900 Bu.
Less Than Last Years
Labor Scarcity Blamed
Nation May Face Partial
Famine by 1922. Assert
Officials in Washington
Bv Theodore NJ. knappen


FROM The Tribnne's Washsnoton Bureau
WASHINGTON, May 24.-As nearly
ss can be forecast from unofficial
sources. the June crop report of the
Department Of Agriculture will show
reduction of about 10 per cent.
or S,500.00G acres. in the spring wheat
acreage, as compared with the area
harvested i'll 1919. The April report
showed the winter wheat acreage
planted to be 3S,77O,000, as compared
with 49.905,o0o acres harvested last
wear. It is expected that the harvest
acreage this year will not be more
than 100000 acres.
Putting the spring wheat acreage at
sbout 10000, 600 acres, on the basis of
Is per cent less this year than
last. the total wheat acreage of the
country will be about 54,00O,000 as
against 73,000.000 last year. Assum-
ing the same yieId, the total wheat
crop will be 245,0O0,00O bushels less
than last year and. on the basis of
present condition, may be 300,00o,000
bushels less.
Much Apprehension Caused
Most ether food crops are expected
70 show a similar decrease this year,
and the decline in the number of food
animals and in dairy products also is
marked. This condition is causing
much apprehension as TO food prices.
though there should be notable
downward change in manufactured
articles. food prices will tend to stay
M or even increase.
So far as -four and bread are con-
eerned, the reduced supply of wheat
may be accentuated by the market
conditions likely to follow the ter
mination of the work OF the Grain
Corporation, June !. The grain eX-
changes are not disposed to restore
heir option markets because OF the
uncertaia outlook and. with hedging"
facilities thus absent and artlilcla!
control withdrawn, wheat prices may
be abnormally high. The wheat busi-
ness is likely TO be complicated fur
;her by railway congestion.
The chief cause given for declining
productivity is the scarcity Of farm
labor. This IS q cumulative decline
and therefore causes even more appre-
aension as to next year than for this
YEAR While the experts of the Agrl-
cultural Department disclaim pess'-
mism and do not forget that the farm
ers always do better than they are eX-
pected TO do. they concede that it is not
,mposs ible that the nation may within
.wo years be brought TO the verge oi
partial famine conditions.
l6 Per Cent Less Labor
Tie farmers called for about ) per
cent more labor this year than nor
maliy, and are actually getting 10 per
cent less than the normal supply and
3 per cent less than last year. Although
farm labor wages are TWO or three
lines as high as they were ten years
ago labor continues to drift to the
city from farming to manufacturing.
Farming returns have not yet reached
he point where farm wages can sue
:essfully compete with city wages, hay
ing in mind that for other reasons
city life is progressively more attrac-
I've than country life 20 young men
and women.
The farmers are lacking not only IN
nired help. but the farmers sons are
deserting almost en- masse, leaving old
and middle-aged proprietors or tenants
70 do the bulk of the farm work them
selves. II thousands of instances tAc
old people left on The farm are not
equal to the task, and are either aban-
doing the farm for the time being or
sustenauce.
It is estimated that $4,000 farms in
New York Will be unworked this year,
and an actual survey in Michigan
shows that 1922 farms are idle this
year, as compared with 1881 last
year The same tendency is noticed IN
almost every state. SO great is the
exodus in Michigan that there remains
only an average of one boy. or man, to
nk g.
'armhouses number 10000, while city
dweilers cannot find shelter. In three
years $4,000 men have left Michigan
farms
In the country. probably a million
men have abandoned farm life In the
same period. The tendency city-ward
vas aggravated By the war, which
spoiled thousands Of farm boys for
iarm life, either through military ser
wee or war manufacturing, and cut off
immigration from Europe.
The movement from country TO city
IS marked by many pathetic trage dies
tersely told in reports of agents OF
The Department Of Agriculture. Men
VINO have slaved all their lives to buy
and pay for their farms find them
selves deprived Of their reward just
when their strength begins to fail
them
so Tar expenses have kept pace with
mounting markets-and yet the farmer
mas not been able 10 pay wages equal
% those paid in the city Either the
Prices OF farm products must go con
siderably higher or the prices Of city
Pfoducts must fall very sharply.
Ultimately, If things keep on as they
are going now, food prices Will be so
msn that farmers will be able 20 com
pete with manufacturers for labor and
mere will be migration to the coun-
fy; but this readjustment probably
VIII! take many years unless there
SSaould be a slump in the manufactur-
lae activity The present outlook. as
zen by observers in the Department
81 Agriculture, is that the situation
VIII be much worse before 1t is better