Evening star., 1927-04-25
DIET CHANGE HAS
EFFECT ON MILLER
Swing From Bread to Cake,
Pastries, Etc., Being Felt
by Bread Men.
BY j. c. ROYLE.

| Special Dispatch TO The Star.
NEW YORK, April 25.-Bread. the
so-called staff of life," Is becoming a
decidedly more slender support, accord
| ing to Sidney Anderson of Washing
ton, president of the Millers' National
Federation. He declares his statistics
show that in the last year, compara-
tive population considered. the United
States consumed 50 ,000, 900 bushels Of
wheat less than in 1901.
AN age when the public Is eating
cream puffs, whipped cream, salads,
cakes and lady fingers, instead of
bread, once called the staff Of life, >
is upon u.s." he said He added that
his observations We're not based on
casual check-ups in dining rooms, at
soda fountains or lunch counters, but
that the actual amount of wheat and
flour which go into bread shows that
the dietary tendencies of the American
people warrant misgiving.
Change in Diets Effect.
"The change in diet" he continued,
'is having a marked effect on the
miller and on the producer of wheat
1t is due primarily to our new eco
nomic and social habits. If I had
received an orange as q Christmas
present 25 years ago / should have
considered it luxury. Today citrus
fruit is on practically every break
fast table. Twenty-Five or 80 years
ago the farmers stored away beets,
apples and potatoes for Winter con-
sumption. Now they live from day
to day and sometimes from meal to
meal"
Millers. in order to meet this situa.
ton, Anderson believes, must get in
line with the economic trend. He
suggests they increase the quality of
their products, sell in smaller pack
ages and otherwise change their meth
DDS. This will of necessity affect
many other producers beside the farm
ers. Textile mills, and paper mills
which furnish bags will be affected,
as will makers of barrels, producers
Of lumber and steamship and railroad
transportation companies.
Dealings in wheat have been affect
ed by the situation outlined by Ander-
son in some part. In England, for
example, millers know that America
has tremendous amount Of wheat
within its borders The Canadian
pools are just commencing to market
the wheat which has been stored dur
ing the Winter. Foreign importers
are declining to buy on bulges. They
purchase only as the market says and
foreign millers are affected by the
situation in which the American pro
ducers OF flour find themselves.
Diversifying Their Crops.
In the wheat belts of the Northwest
progressive farmers already are TAX
ing steps to meet the situation. They
are diversifying crops so that they will
not grow one thing only which they
may have to sell in a glutted market.
The acreage painted to durIIm wheat,
which is not q product from which our
wheat bread is made, has been largely
increased. Many are turning to live
stock production. In Montana alone
the live stock shipped in the last year
reached a total of $71 ,490. 900, exceed
ing the value of the metals mined by
over $4,000, 900.
'Eat-more-bread" campaigns, accord
ing to Anderson, would not have the
desireds result. When a Queen of
France was told her subjects had no
bread she asked why they did not eat
cake" To ask Americans why they do
not eat bread when they have and can
pS v for cake is not likely to have ade-
quate results. according to millers.
Competition in the milling industry
will be more severe this Summer. The
Southwestern millers have won a fight
to have the Interstate Commerce Com
mission order a reduction on the
freight rates on wheat and flour from
Missouri River points to the East to a
parity with rates from Minneapolis
East. This would place the South
western millers in a more advanta-
geous position to compete with Min
neapolis and Buffalo as -four manu-
featuring centers. The rates must be
reduced by July Is.