The Sun and the New York herald., 1920-09-20
FOOD PROBLEM.
The Danger and the Remedy Set
Forth by Senator Harding.

address by Senator Harding at tho Min
neapolls state Fair IN regard 10 the agri-
cultural interests OF this country and
how closely they are intelwoyen with tho
very life OF the nation Ia thoroughly
meri,ed. I think I have read every Inn
portant address or special article on our
agricultural interests which has APP
peared in tho last quarter Of Q. century,
and during that time I have lnaryelled
that 40 few Of our public men have
shown any comprehension whatever OF
the agricultural future OF this country
ana lts relation TO our national welfare
--lndted, 20 our national existence
In one or two articles which appeared
shortly before the Presidential conyen'
tlons Mr. Hoover showed some grasp OF
the situation, but nothing that he said
on the subject showed the same broad
grasp NJ the whole situation as tho ad-
dress by Senator Harding Entirely
without regard to whether he be a DEM
ocrnt or a Republican. every thoughtful
man In this country, Indeed every woman
and ovory hoy and girl In the land,
should have tho opportunity Of studying
Senator HardIns's speech. In I, he out
lined tho whole agricultural situation
and tlN danger which is facing the cour-
try that change In our agriculture may
threaten our Industrial life, and ihdee1
cndanger our very Government
II you will turn to the hlcs OF TIE
NEW York HERALD OF August, 1919, You
viii hnd an article IN which I pointed
out tho lmmlnence Of some OF these
dangers, as l have been trying TO do
steadily for tho last ten or fifteen years,
Because nature with an unprecedented
lavlShness In an unprecedented weather
condition this summer has given us n
far larger yield to the acre OF many OF
our food products than In tho past We
should not deceive ourselves by the
abundant supply which az the moment
IN coming upon the market
Indeed, 30 far as wheat Is concerned
we may yet fnd Ourselves very bare OF
an adequate bread supply before next
years. harvest Though our wheat crop
Ia larger than we had reason Ia, antlcI-
pate some months ago from m acreage
25 per cent. smaller than the preceding
year. Il Ia quite certain that before an
other crop can be planted and harvested
our supply ot wheat will be practically
exhausted. But. broadly speaking, the
production Of grain and OF toodstuffs Is
this year fairly large, II Ia true that
an early frost might cut short the prom
lse OF big corn yield.
In the letter 10 THE NEW York HER-
AID last year I pointed out the great
change which had taken place during
the last forty years IN the growth Of
city population and the relative decrease
Of country population. In 1850 more
than 10 per cent OF our people lived
In tho country. leaving only 80 per cent.
for city population The present census
will show probably considerably less
than 30 per cent In the country, and for
the last twenty years the drain OF the
country to tho city has been growing
at an aecelerating rate. Every year
adds enormously TO the number OF food
consumers and decreases the supply OF
food producers.
There can be only one end 20 that
condition. and that In decreasing sup
ply Of food with an ever increasing cost
to the city dwollers,
with a decreasing supply and an in
ereasing cost running over period OF
years soclalistlc and anarchlstlc actlvl-
ties would be greatly intensified. More
especially would this be true II the pub
lie men OF the lRnd failed to impress
these facts upon the people,
We are already importing an enor-
nous amount of foodstuffs, and we shall
soon face the situation as to whether or
not VIC are to see our food production
break down under increasing cost on
/ our farms, with n heavy Importation OF
cheaply raised food from the Orient
where labor costs about three 10 five
cents day. Many OF the flour mills on
I the Pacific coast are now using Manchu-
rlan wheat Within the last few weeks
Z nearly million bushels OF corn was
shipped from Argentina to the United
States in one week. Importatlons from
the orient Of peanuts and peanut oil
and other vegetable oils are threatening
the life OF the peanut industry OF the
South. one OF the most rapidly develop
ing sources of agricultural wealth OF
that section.
These importations are likewise en-
dahgering the cotton seed industry, and
farmers In the whole South. from Vir.
ginIa to Texas, are beginning to demand
n protective tariff against lmportation'
OF Oriental vegetable oils and the raw
materials out OF which they are pro-
duced. Thus new tariff issue has beer
raised, and one destined TO have n very
great effect upon the economic thought
OF the whole South
We are Fastening TO the time wher
the issue will be brought clearly before
our country as to whether the dralr
on the farms shall be continued. as fol
the last twenty years, for the upbuild
ing OF Industrial interests, with an evel
growing dependence upon the Orient ahC
Argentina and other regions for food
stuffs, or whether we shall seek TO main
tain a we'll rounded agricultural life al
the surest foundation for the safety o
THE country in the long run. Senator
Harding has visuallzed this whole sit
uation and discussed It with create
clearness and force than any other maj
In public life.
As compared with his address at Min
al pt,naAhnu ~, aCNtn,,I
ture and It's relation to the life OF tn
nation sink intc insIgnificance, The i'm
portance OF the facts which he so clearl!
presented. and TO which you have re
peatedly called attention in commenda
ton Of his address, should be studlet
with great care for unless we find
proper solution OF the situation whiol
now confronts the country in the matte
OF agriculture and the production n