The Washington herald., 1921-03-16
souid far rather be ignorant than wise IN
the foreboding Of evil-Aesehyius.
The United States in War.

VIE pllnCipdI gram crops OF tne Onitcd states
are wheat, corn, oats, rye and barley. These
constitute the basis of the food supplies
Every State in the union contributes to the total
1t is well Known that this country is a large ex-
porter of grains, but tho distribution of yield in
zones is not well understood.
In recent address Julius H. Barnes, for
nier president of the United States Grain Corpora
ton, analyzed this distribution in its relation to
the national food situation in the contingency of
war. He showed that the Coast States, liable to
sea attack, produced only n per cent of the aver
age yield during the past three years.
The interior States, lying in the almost COM
pletely safe zone, produced the remaining 78 per
cent These largely the States of Ohio, Missis-
sippi and Missouri valleys all tributary to water
transportation still awaiting adequate development
Practically ali lie between the eastern and western
mountain ranges and are therefore almost nvulner-
able to hostile attack
No other country is so adequate in its food
supplies In case of war. In no other is the great
food supply wholely within the zone of safety.
This would seem to be quite as true of cattle and
meat as of grains By comparison Holland imports
~ per cent of its foods Belgium 81 per cent Great
Britain 7S per cent France "a per cent and Italy "A
per cent Naturally all of these countries have
vital interest in the protective adequacy of the
British navy and of friendly relations with that
power.
On the other hand, the United States in the
past SIX years during and since the war, has ex-
ported from 100000 tons Of foods, this low mark
being IN IoI7-I8 to 100000 tons in IoI8-Io This
dropped to 100000 tons 10000 and before the
var was from near 100000 to 100000 tons. This
an enormous surplus representing much as
ene-hzhthe total production of the coast zone
Another feature pointed out by Mr.. Barnes was
hat there abundant grain storage facilities with
n the afetv for fhe p;fed
5 o3aooo.ooo bushels capacity, while the highest
record of storage during our war period was about
half this, and IS per cent of the total is in the
safety zone, relatively the same percentage as Of
production.
II is also of primary importance in this connec-
ION that the United States is almost continent
within itself. Nearly all our great water systems
ie wholly within our borders Only the Great
Lakes international with the ST. Lawrence
River while these the boundary of Canada,
! country which is quite other self. With the
reception of Canada no other country's railroads
prm connecting parts of our railroad system, while
hey are not essential
In foods and transportation the United States
therefore wholly self-contained and sef-suficient
Compare this situation to transportation with
Europe in its international rivers and through rail-
oads crossing from border to border, and it will
,e seen that there is but one thing needed to make
he United States absolutely unconquerabe.
This thing is better distribution OF manu-
aeture- Today the percentage Of all plants neces
AIRY to war production which lie in restricted
anger zone along the northeast coast, is as great
n greater than the percentage of food supplies in
ne safety This is Vulnerable area menaced
,y any force that might secure landing. rs.
His both illogical and dangerous condi-
ION. & 1t is economically wrong and mtarly
onstant danger. The right distribution from both
,oints of view, would be to have sufficient per-
entsge along developed interior waterways to meet
II war demands, being readily expandible to meet
my situation.
This, too, will be an inevitable economic conse-
uence of the adequate development of the interior
waterways and the opening of the St. Lawrence to
he ocean. Then and only then will this country
aye that balanced condition in foods and industry
which will assure its complete safety in war Then
md only then would conquest be impossible
.asf