The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1920-01-14
NO RELIEF FROM
he FOR Year
Scientist Says Social and Indus
trial Unrest Must First
Be Gained.
PARTS Of WORLD ARE HUNGRY

Hardly Any Factor Of Business That
10 stabie-Produetion Has Been
Crippled In Many countries-
Distribution Disorganized.
London.-The world can expect no
relief from the present high cost Of
living 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. MoCurdy, parliamentary
secretary to the ministry Of food. MI.
McCurdy said that he was not partic-
ularly optimistic over the chances Of
any marked betterment Of the situa-
ton in the near future.
I'VE have bolshevism at one end Of
the world and widespread strikes at
the other" said Mr.. McCurdy, "and
not until society resumes its normal
course can w right economic condi-
lions.
1T is very difficult to prophesy re-
garding the food situation of the fu-
ture, In view Of the fact that the
whole economic structure of the world
has been so badly dislocated. There
is hardly any factor Of business that
is stable, and we do not know what
wages are to be. AS q result of these
conditions the regular channels Of dis
tribution are disorganized. and until
they are normal, it will be impossible
to tell what effective supplies there
are as compared with the world
stocks.
Parts Of World Hungry.
while it is true that America, Eng
land and some other countries are
sufficient supplied 10Y so that there
is no distress among the people. yet
this comparative abundance Is in re-
atty a fictitious one and may not last.
Great sections of the world are actu-
ally hungry because of the impossi-
5ility Of distributing supplies prop
erly. If the channels Of distribution
were or"n and the economic condi-
lions were such that foodstuffs could
be purchased by those countries which
need them we probably would find
ourselves faced with q shortage in
many things.
For example, If the peoples Of cen
trail Europe should be in a position
next year to purchase the meat they
need, there would be a world short
age Of several million tons. It is i'm
probable that they will be able to buy,
but it Is impossible to predict so far
in advance. l believe that, a year from
now. things will have been brought to
a head and that the world will be fac
ing its most critical time.
There are those who tell me that
l am wrong in my outlook and that
there will be no shortage, but I 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 fo%odstuffs, and when
the time comes for them to buy 1t will
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 it
must ultimately revert to normal. 1t
is not natural as ~ stands. In the
United States, for instance. the meat
production has been artificially stim-
ulated, and It Is hard to estimate when
this temporary condition will vanish.
America next year may be an import
err of meat, instead Of a big exporter.
&c what that would mean to the rest
Of the world.
ION the other hand, production has
been crippled FIN many countries.
Shortage In Europe.
"In Europe as a whole, there is an
actual shortage Of IL per cent in sheep
and a larger shortage In pigs. Be-
cause Of this Europe would have to
import 100000 tons Of meat this
coming year. il it were to return to
its pre-war consumption.
'In 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 Of
butter, and in some countries It's con-
sumption has been increased by the
lack Of margarine. There IL also al
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