davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The New York herald., 1922-10-15

United States would be compelled TO
face tho fact that something radically
different must transpire from the
course OF events agricultural as to
production. handling on the farms and
distribution to the markets.
Prof. McFall. Prof. East. DIR. But
terfield and the other scientists herein
cited are not city critics OF the bu-
collie workers, sitting IN easy chairs
and talking at long and ignorant
range about the shortcomings OF their
country brethren. Indeed, they are
constantly in touch. professionally and
of their own life work interest, with
the country producers of foodstuffs.
laboring sympathetlcally with them to
devise ways and means whereby the
farm owner and worker may. first, at
tain sound prosperity and, second,
achieve that technique OF farm opera
ton which will enable economic activ-
ity. They are, in fact, fellow workers
with the American farmers.
Prof. East thus sums up the whole
situation, at the same time suggesting
remedies:
Human genius IS not doing for
agriculture just what our economists
seem to think. The industrialization
OF the Caucasian world. which has
gone on at such n rapid pace during
the past fifty years. has provided for
more people, It is true.
"In fact, population increase. though
rapidly rising, has not really caught
up yet with the increase OF production
made possible by the multiplication Of
mechanical inventions. But why has
this come about? There is one reason,
and only one reason, for the situation.
1--WE have had new reserves Of lands
to draw upon. Mechanical inventions
simply made It possible for a given
unit OF man power to cultivate more
land and TO distribute its products
moro rapidly and equitably.
But. with the exception of the
credit to be given to mechanical pro-
duction Of chemical fertilizers, thus
far negligible in a worlds sense the
age OF steel has not aided agriculture
one iota when computation is made
on Oand) unit area.
"In other words, the provisions John
Doe raises on his hundred acre farm
have not been increased because of
traction plows and steam tractors.
But John Doe has had cheap land
available and has been able to culti-
vate more of II than he could by the
old hand method. Yields an acre were
actually decreased
The New York herald., 1922-10-15

tack. But they made serious blunder
when they sent only relatively small
infantry forces against the German
lines. Otherwise they could have
crossed the Schelde Canal and brought
disaster to the German armies. AS
matters stood their tanks could not
advance further than the Schelde
Canal. British cavalry which rode into
the city of Cambria was not followed
by infantry, and Cambria could be oc-
cupied by German infantry that was
hurried from other parts Of the front
to close the Cambria gap.
"On March 81 the flower of the
German army attacked to break
through the lines of the enemy be-
tween Croisilles and st. Quentin. The
first German offensive was unsuccess-
full. After it had failed and caused
great losses another offensive was
started on April on the front near
Hazebrouck in an attempt TO reach
Calais. That attack was at first sur
prisingly successful, but was halted
later.
"On May 27 the Seventh German
army between Anizy le Cateau and
Berry -au- -Bac opened an attack on the
enemy which was crowned with great
initial success. Chemin des Danes
was stormed, and the Vesle was
crossed as early as on the second day
OF the operations. But in the direction
OF Compiegne and Epernay the Ger
man advance was halted.
The Reims offensive, according to
A L. - a.. ~ TsfrIx Favxa
mand, was to be opened by the Seventh
German Army, which was expected to
advance from the Jaulgonne- -Courmas
line in southeasterly direction on both
sides OF the Marne to Epernay. while
the First and Third German armies
were to start from the Prunay -Tahure
line and cross the Marne between
Epernay and Chalons II those orders
&C uld be executed the allied forces be-
tween Reims and Epernay would have
been surrounded nd probably forced
to surrender.
"The Allies were informed OF that
plan when a captain of engineers OF
the Seventh German Army, while re-
connoitering on the Marne. was made
prisoner. and when questioned gave
away the secret Marshal Foch mado
ready for a counter attack.
"On July the German offensive
began east and west of Reims. but
was soon stopped AS soon as August
16 the First and Third armies were
ordered TO break Off the engagement.
"On August IS Marshal Foch at
tackled the German bag protruding as
far south as Chateau Thierry and Dor
mans by forceful thrust near villers
Cotterets. Numerous tanks--unno-
ticed by the Germans because they
advanced through wheat felds--ap-
peared suddenly in the German front
lines. The whole of the German front
between sthe Aisne and Clignon Creek
was shattered in a few hours. But
"On account of the heavy losses suf-
fered in the Reims offensive the Ger
man High Command had TO give up
the scheduled offensive In Flanders.
That was the beginning Of the end'
The New York herald., 1922-10-15
American Farmer Must
Increase Yield Per Acre

What will happen when the new
land gives out? 1t is giving out-giv-
ing out rapidly. Well, the result will
be simply this: The machine farmer
will give way to the hand farmer.
The American will cultivate his land
with more man power in his efforts
and approach the European standard
of food production from given land
area. He Will get greater yields on
given acre, even as the European
farmer gets greater yields, but the
per capita will sink slowly downward.
80 few persons appreciate that the
English and German yields of wheat
and potatoes are so high and those of
the United States are so low because
the United States has had new lands
to exploit The country has been in
the era of increasing returns when
shallow plowing, incomplete cultiva-
ton and other cheap extensive
methods would yield a fair profit.
The New York herald., 1922-10-15

40 INCE February. 1917, the Ger
- man U-boat war secured re-
~ suits which brought about
the most serious conditions in Eng
land since the outbreak of the war.
No effective way of defense had yet
been found, and England's very ex-
istence was placed In jeopardy. Also
transportation of the American army
had to be rendered safe. So the En-
tente was faced with the necessity of
taking the German submarine bases
on the Flanders coast in order to con-
quer the German U-boat danger. In
that Great Britain had a still more
vital interest than France. The Eng
lish attacked.
"The direction of their attack from
tho Ypres sector was exposed TO flank
attacks of the Germans on the plateau
of Messines. Therefore the British
offensive could not be undertaken as
long as the German front nose, known
as the Wytschaetebogen, was not in
the possession Of the enemy. To avoid
the terrible sacrifices of storming
shosc strong positions the English re-
sorted to mine warfare. The Fourth
German army remained on the pow
der magazine. which was blown up on
June z, 1917, and the German front
line trenches destroyed. The advance
OF the enemy could not be prevented.
The enemy was satisfied with the
capture Of the Messines- Wytschactes-
bogen plateaux.
after long and extremely powerful
artillery preparations the English
opened on July 81 the battle of Flan-
Gers, which, with one interruption,
lasted until November. The British
broke through the German front lines,
but were unable to take the German
rortifications bacle>of the front owing
TO the heroic resistance and quick
measures of the Fourth German army.
'rhe battle of Flanders caused both
parties immense losses, which were
heavier on the German side than on
the allied because the latter had nu-
merical superiority. While the Eng
lish did not succeed In conquering the
German U-boat base on the Flanders
coast, they had won the strategically
important plateau of Messines and
Wytschaetebogen.
"An attack the French undertook
on october % on the so-called Iaf-
faaux corner resulted in the retreat OF
vms German forces behind the Disc
Canal and the Allette.
I'm the battle of Cambrai the Eng
lish attacked without any artillery
preparation and created. by the use
OF tanks. breaks in the German lines,
through which their infantry ad-
vanced. In that they succeeded.
thereby proving that the tank was the
ideal weapon to mako surprise at
The New York herald., 1922-10-15
Nothing Put Back
Into Overworked Soil

The thrifty Scandinavians, the fru-
gal Germans, the careful farmers OF
dozen European lands, came here,
helped to settle the great prairies and
valleys, brought with them the es-
sence of agricultural efficiency. in
grained throughout the past centuries
in the mother countries. and then lost
their economic heads. robbing the soils
OF their natural foodstuffs values and
putting back into the lands virtually
nothing to maintain the balance which
they should have kept in the bank of
nature.
Likewise, the American settler, leav-
The New York herald., 1922-10-15
. HE third biennial convention OF
the United Lutheran Church in
America which will be held In

THE third biennial convention Of
the United Lutheran Church In
America which will be held In
Holy Trinity Church. Buffalo, for ten
days, beginning Tuesday, October II,
will be one of the most important re-
ligious meetings in tho United States
tnis year. This is because the young
est OF the great merged denomina-
tional bodies has before 1t the solution
OF problems OF sufficient Importance
TO enlist the interest OF church mem
bers throughout the United States.
Tho most outstanding of these is the
exact relation OF this Lutheran body to
the Federal Council of Churches, and
decision as to whether the present
consultative relationship" shall be
continued or full membership subsu-
tuted for Il. A similar decision regard
ing the world conference on faith and
order and tho universal conference on
life and work. and involving a state
ment OF the future policy of the
Lutherans toward such interdcnomina-
tional movements must be reached by
the delegates.
The second problem whose solution
will be watched with keen interest is
whether the United Lutheran Church
through It's foreign mission board will
unite with the Church OF England IN
support OF great union Christian col
The New York herald., 1922-10-15

Sunday school open throughout the
entire twelve months and to advocate
the use of the Bible in class work in
all grades above the primary. thereby
eliminating the lesson quarterly ex-
cept for reference purposes.
Tho boards plan OF week day re-
ligious instruction is based upon the
work OF Dr. G.. u. Wenner, pastor OF
Christ Church, New York, who for
more than two decades has conducted
such a school for the children Of his
parish. After asking that all congre-
cations establish such schools tho
board further states: "The plan to
gather information concerning re-
ligious educational work I'm Europe is
indorsed. and the board is urged in
every way possible TO further the
Standardization and uniformity OF our
Lutheran parish schools through cor
respondence and cooperation with edu-
Gators and authorities in other coun-
tries"
The New York herald., 1922-10-15

ing the more frugal Atlantic States
and going to take up virgin lands in
the Western States. paid no heed to
the ordinary economic considerations
which lay at the base OF intelligent
procedure in maintaining production
OF foodstuffs-that there must be put
back in equal quantity as you take
out; else, shortly. there will not be
anything left to take out.
Uncle Samuel, in his collective ma
tional capacity. was indulging in an
orgy of expending the vital energies
OF the foodstuffs lands. going out to
new lands for additional food, rather
than striving to attain that efficiency
of per acre production which he should
have attained: but abandoned, in a
measure, the farms in the East. nearer
to the big markets, raising his food
crops on the lands further to the
West, whence the food must be con-
veyed in large measure TO supply the
Eastern demand.
The result has been that, as cited by
Prof. McFall and the other authorities
the United States constantly fell off in
Its net return from other peoples in
Growth of Importations
of Soil Products Rapid
the international food markets.
The increases in importations Of al
soil products, for food and Industrial
uses, was rapid. In 1911 the importa-
tions of hides and skins were 374.-
100000 Dounds, in 1913 $4,000. .00O
pounds. In 1913 we bought 114,0Oo,OO0
pounds Of cotton. and Of other hbers
soil produced between 100000 and
100000 tons, or from 600,000.O00 to
500, 900, 900 pounds.
Imported woods, hides, skins and
fibers in 1913 totaled about 1,500,-
100000 pounds; foreign fruits bought
by this country amounted to about
700,000,000 pounds; nuts. 125,000,000
pounds; rice and seeds, 250, ,000
pounds; eggs, 100000, buying from
so far away as China; butter, l.
10000 pounds from Canada and Eu-
rope; cheese, 100000 pounds; cream
2,65o,000 gallons. and so on for many
foodstuffs not regarded by some per-
sons as so significant.
But for basic foodstuffs, such as
sugar, coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate,
grains and other genuinely basic food
commodities, which are essential to
the maintainingeof the American table,
the purchases from foreign lands were
enough to make up the immense totals
cited by Prof. McFall and others.
Besides, had there been no actual
figures of importations given, the logic
of the foodstuffs situation would have
worked out, by pure reasoning, that
() with population increasing from
IL to 20 per cent. in each decade, CD
land areas added to farmlands sud-
denly ceasing to increase significantly
and (3) the quantity OF food taken
from an average acre OF land remain
ing about stationary It was inevitable
that eventually the people Of the
The New York herald., 1922-10-15
BY JOHN LATHROP.
N the fourteen years following 1900
the United States fell from the po-

r n the fourteen years following 1900
the Omitted States fell from the po-
= sition OF heaviest world exporter
of foodstuffs to the necessity Of buying.
in 1912. $7.000.000 worth OF edible arti-
cles OF commerce more than it sold.
and In 1914, even including the rush
of the first war sales, Uncle Sam went
down into his capacious pocket for
s45,0oo. 900 with which to pay for his
excess of foodstuffs imports over food
stunfs exports.
Temporarily the war upset condi-
tions, and by restriction of home con-
sumption we sent abroad rather large
food supplies. But now that the food
situation approaches normality this
country will have to face the disturb
ing fact that we may no longer look
for the large surplus of profit which
we formerly realized from the world
foodstuffs traffic.
Instead OF compelling foreign ma
tons to send us gold or goods to pay
for their excess of food purchases, the
United States will have to ship gold or
goods abroad to pay for it's excess food
purchases over food exports, because
the rapid increase of population with
virtually no increase of production is
proceeding steadily and will intensity
rather than relieve matters unless
there be given national attention to
several things which are conditions
precedent to solving the problem.
There must be larger production per
acre; elimination of waste in handling
present production on the farms and
vastly better handling of farm prod
ucts in the process Of distribution.
From Boundless Plenty
to Threatened Scarcity
Else, the pinch Of food scarcity,
which has been the basic considera-
tion underneath practically all inter-
national complications abroad, will
come upon the American people with
relentless severity.
1t used to be said that America
wasted enough food almost to feed
Europe. Secretary Hoover of the
United States Department of Com
1nerco ldtely OeCldTeu Ilidt siiiIlOSt
half of the perishable products of
the farms never reach the markets;
and that the prospect is that, "in ten
years the United States will have
not a bushel of wheat for export"
James Riley Howard. president of
the American Farm Bureau Fedora
ton. said to me here in New York
city the other day:
"Our food problem, as you have
stated. does involve immensely bet
ter tillage and fertilization, as well
as economic processes Of farm hand
ling and market distribution"
The disturbing information has
come suddenly because of the cool.
scientific analyses made by such
acknowledged authorities as Prof.
Robert ]. McFall, head of the De-
partment of Agricultural Economics
at the Massachusetts Agricultural
College at Amherst; Prof. Z. M. East
of Bussey Institute, Harvard Univer-
sity; DR. Frederick J. Nash, fertiliza-
ton scientist; and the painstaking
and in some cases eminent members
of the World Agricultural Society, of
which the head Is DR.. Kenyon l..
Butterfield, president of the Massa-
The New York herald., 1922-10-15
SEA AND LAND
ATTACK FAILED

Mistakes Of the last t,co years OF the
war are pointed out in this. the sirth
and final installment of THE New York
IIERALDs translation Of the sensational
German book, capt. II. Ritter's RE
rictc of the World War"
The New York herald., 1922-10-15
Union Christian College
For India 10 Be Decided

Whether or not the Lutherans will
join with tho Church OF England and
others I'm the India mission field TO
establish n union Christian college Is
to be decided at this convention. The
Board OF Foreign Missions urges Il.
while the executive board OF the
church has refused to assume the re-
sponsibility.
a significant recommendation Is that
in the report of the Board OF Minis
tcrial Relief an endowment Of at least
50, 900 900 Is to be raised
The New York herald., 1922-10-15

1t was precisely that very going
westward to take up new lands. virgin
rich. in successive strips OF area,
which apparently lay at the base Of
the utter failure of American agricul-
ture TO achieve genuine efficiency
hard word perhaps. but cool truth.
In other words, the era OF the per-
fection of agricultural machinery and
tractors has not wrought out any
actual efficiency in per acre increases
Of foodstuffs.
Even these newer regions are al
ready in the dumps of non-efficient
lowered yields to the acre, for by the
census reports North Dakota, which
only yesterday, speaking nationwide.
was an unconquered area of lands
rich in natural foodstuffs values, pro-
duced only 116.7S1.SS bushels Of
wheat in 1909 from S,18S,7S2 acres.
or an average OF only fourteen and a
quarter bushels, when North Dakota
was booming. the average an acre
being only about seven bushels in 1919.
Our Sales of Beef Abroad
Show Heavy Falling off
Prof. McF'all has made a table
which shows that our sales abroad Of
beef rising to maximum Of more
than a billion pounds in the years
from and including 1904 to 1907 fell
steadily until in 1914 there was an
actual deficit OF 3000o0,OO0 pounds,
and that, although the war stress than
lifted beef exports to 45,000,0 900 in 1915
and 250,000, 900 in 1916 until 100000
600 pounds was exported in 1918. the
sales to other peoples fast fell off
again to 271.000,000 pounds in 1919 to
139 900, 900 in 1920, to 41,000,000 In 1921
and for the six months ended June.
1922, the latest complete figures avail
able, beef exports were only 16,159, ,021
pounds, or at the rate of about 49,
100000 pounds for twelve months.
Every additional fact drives deeper
the nail of truth. For instance, the
wheat exports from the United States
in 1873 were 35.S per cent. of the total
crop, in 1901, the first year after this
century began, 1t had fallen to 3S per
cent. and in 1913, which was the last
full pre-war year and a prosperous
one, we sold to foreign countries only
13 per cent. of the national wheat
crop.
Prof. McFall bolls down the matter
to the cool fact that the people OF the
United States must cease the attitude
of expecting to go on westwardly to
obtain new sources Of food wealth, for
we have marched westward until the
shores OF the Pacific estop us from
going further. and our virgin lands,
by and large, have all been taken up
by the settlers.
To justify his contentious. made a
careful examination of the Govern
ment returns on farm areas, and OBJ
tanned disquieting confirmation of the
Massachusetts authority. Back in 1850
Uncle Sam possessed about 100000
farms averaging each 210 acres. The
romantic westward march Of the set
tiers was then taking place, to the
The New York herald., 1922-10-15

lege In South India. The foreign mis-
sion board believes that IL should the
executive board dsagrees. Another
matter of international relationship TO
come before the convention will be the
confirming of an agreement between
tho United Lutheran Church in Amer
lea and the national Lutheran Church
OF Hungary for the Interchange of
visiting pastors and officers, and a
similar proposed arrangement with the
Lutheran Church OF Czecho- -Slovakia.
The delegates TO tho convention, OF
whom there win be more than 1000,
represent every district synod and
many congregations. distributed over
forty States OF the Union and six prov
inces of Canada.
Churchs 1000 Congregations
Have 100000 Members
The United Lutheran Church in
America, which now comprises 1000
congregations composed of 1,250,000
members and grouped into thlrty-six
district synods, was organized through
tho merger at the Engineers Build
ing. New York city in 1918 OF three
great Lutheran bodies--the General
Council, tho General Synod and the
United Synod OF the South. After four
years OF growth 1t comprises at the
present time one-third OF all Luther
ans in the United States. The merged
organization, which has shown re-
markablc progress thus far, consti-
tutes one OF the first successful large
The New York herald., 1922-10-15

chusetts Agricultural College. The
society has branches in a score
of foreign capitals, and has under
taken to arouse sentiment In favor OF
serious attention to the social prob
lens which are involved.
These problems vitality concern the
dwellers in the cities of America and
especially hit the pockets and stom-
achs of the millions in New York city.
Philadelphia, Chicago, st. Louis and
all the bigger urban centers. Be-
cause when Mrs. Jones takes her
basket on her arm and goes to the
city market to buy supper for her
family she pays the extra price, which
is due in no small part to these
general conditions of increasing de-
mand and relatively decreasing sup
ply.
The statements by the authorities
cited are buttressed by detailed exam
ination of the reports of the United
States Census Bureau. the Depart
ment of Agriculture, the Department
of Commerce and considerable corre-
spondence which I have had with
some Of the scientists TO whom refer
ence has been made.
Margin of Food Exports
Now a Narrow One
Prof. McFall writes that We sent to
other lands "in 1919 barely per cent.
more in value than we sent in 1900;
and in 1920, with the worlds ships
coming with yawning holds, nearly
80 per cent. OF our foodstuffs exports
were offset by foodstuffs importa-
tions."
In the ten years ending 1899 this
country annually produced Of the
principal cereals on 80 per cent. Of
the tillable lands 4,43S, ,000, 900 bushels.
In the ten years ending with 1909 an
nual production was 4,512,o00,o 900
bushels, or an increase of only 74,000,-
900 bushels, or II per cent.
But the population of the, United
States in 1899 was about 100000
and in 1909 about 91,000,000, an In
crease of about 16,000,000, or about 21
per cent. Population increased twelve
and a half times as fast as cereal pro-
duction increased.
share Of the national herds about five
sixths of one head of cattle. In 1911
that per capita share was about four
sixths, and in 1914, the year the great
war began, had the herds been cut up
into steaks, roasts and stews each
American would have had as his share
only trifie more than three-sixths Of
one head Of cattle.
The amount of cotton grown on an
average acre increased only less than
8 per cent. from 1870 to 1913, and even
then the per acre crop averaged only
1865 pounds, yet a young man went
down into Mississippi. adopted inten-
sive tillage and fertilization and got
more than two bales, or about 1000
pounds, from each acre. Tobacco in
creased in per acre yield only 8 per
cent. from 1879 to 1913.
YtoJd psrce1faCnS Far