Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1920-06-09
NO RELIEF FROM
H. C.L. FOR YEAR
Scientist Says Socia' and Indus.
trial Unrest Must First
Be Gained. >,
PARTS or WORLD ARE HUNcRY
Hardly Any Factor of Business That
Is Stabie--Production Has Been
Crippled in Many Countries
Distribution isoruanized


London. The world can expect no
relief from the present high cost pf
lNius and the shortage Of commodities
until the widespread social and indus
trial unrest has disappeared and the
war shattered economic machinery
has been put in order, according To
Charles A. Maurdy, parliamentary
secretary to the ministry of food, Mr..
Mctutdy said that he was moi partic-
uIurIy optimistic over the chances Of
any marked hcttcrlneut of the situa-
ton ia the near future
I've have bolshcvi>m at one end Of
the world and widespread strikes at
the other said Mr.. McCurdy, and
not until society resumes It's normal
course can We right economic coudi-
tons.
ut is very difficult to propheSy re-
purding the food situation of the flu
turr. In view Of the fact that the
whole economic structure of the world
has been So badly disiocntcd. There
Is stable. and We do not know what
wages are 10 he. As a result of these
conditions the regular channels of dis
tributon are di>organzed, and until
they are normal 1t Will be impossible
to tell what effective supplies there
are as compared with the world
stocks.
Parts OF World Hungry.
"While ii is true that America, Eng
land and some other countries are
sufficiently supplied now SO that there
is no distress among the people, Yet
this comparative abundance Is in re-
alIty Il fictitious one and may not last.
Great sections of the world are actu-
ally hungry because of the impos>i-
biity Of distributing supplies prop
erlv. If the channels of distribution
were open and the economic cnndi-
tiouS We're such that fuodStuils could
be purchased by those countries which
need them We probably would find
ourselves faced with shortage in
many things,
For example, If the peoples Of cen
trail Europe should be III n position
next year to purchase the meat they
need. there would be- a world short
age of several million tons, II is inn
probable that they will be able 10 buy,
but il is impossible to predict so far
in advance. believe that, a year from
~, t-ilI hr.1,urht n
II head and that the world will be fac
Ing its most critical time.
There are those who tell me that
| am wrong in my outlook aud that
there will be no shortage, but | can
figure 1t no other way. There GER
tainly are many countries now which
are securing far below what they need
in the way Of foudStulfs. ana when
the tiHe comes for them to buy 1t VIII
be Impossible to refuse them their
fair share Of what the world produces.
There Is another factor to be con
sidered also. Where production has
been stimulated during the war ii
must ultimately revert to normal. 1t
IL not natural as 1t stands. In the
United States. for instance. the meat
production has been artilicially slim
ulntpd, and it is hard to estimate when
this temporary condition will vanish.
America next year may be an import
or OF meat, instead of a big exporter
See what that would mean to the rest
of The world.
ION the other hand, production has
been crippled in many countries.
Shortage in Europe.
ain Europe us whole, there is an
actual shortage of II per cent in sheep
und larger shortage in pigs Be
cause of this Europe would have to
import 3,5ooVO tons Of meat this
coming year, if il were TO return TO
It's pre-war consumption.
an regard to wheat the eXportable
surplus of the world is down com
pared with that before the war. I'M
port requirements at the same time
are up. The same thing Is true or
hutter. and in some countries its con
sumption has been increased by the
lack Of margarine. There Is also II
sugar shortage. The beet sugar pro-
duction has dropped off 100000 tons
in Europe Since 1914. The cane sh-
gar production of the world meantime
has increased only 100000 tons.
an discussing prices we must con
slider the meaning of the PHENOMENON
in the United States, where there is
no food shortage but an eNportable
surplus. The food supply Is above
normal and yet the prices have adj
vanced almost proportionateIy with
the increase in Great Britain which
is largely an importing country. This
curious situation makes one realize
that in estimating food prices the eco
monte effects peculiar to foodstuffs are
not the determining factor, but eco
homie conditions as Il whole.
"rhere seems to be tendency In
many countries to eXpend war wages
and profits on consumption--goO