The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-04-29
TRADE
WINDS"
by LOU SCHNEIDER.


tsrns;ion.ily known grain sather-
ity.
CHICAGO Arms ard nunitinn.
ships and planes are most eftrn
mentioned IN connection with eur
defense program Aiucs, 81 eqasl
Importance. however. q fhs matter
~ fccdstnffs and VT this receives
only passing notice. rossiely for
tho reason that tremendous sur-
pluses have been built up during
the pas, few years
Napoleon said that an army
travels on its stomach 10 wss
adequate food supplies that helped
win the var for the allies in 1914
We have heard q iced deal from
Germany about runs and butter
This relates largely TO privstions
Of the civil population. which has
had 10 make sacrifices In order
that the army might he better
equipped.
In the spring Of 1914. when Ger
many ~ss preparing herself for
war. spent several weeks in Ger
many. The United states Was
faced at that tim. with q huge
wheat crop. conditions surround
ing the market were heartsh. and
1t looked as though We might har-
sest our first billion hashel crop
Exporters were offering grain TO
Europe every night for immediate
acceptance. To their surprise.
practically everything Was taken.
history Repeats Itself
Subsequent events showed that
foreign bins and elevators were
filled, and great resery. stocks
were accumulated. History sub.
stantislly repeated Itself a quarter
Of century later. Hardly had the
second World war started In sep
tsmber. 1899. when both England
and France tried to MAX. an Of
+ fectivs blockade 10 cut Germany
off from her overseas sources Of
supplies. At the same time. ships
carrying grain to Britain have been
torpedoed. with the result that
about every 18th ship has failed
TO reach its destination.
In peace time. Britain Imports
nearly half the wheat which comes
into Europe This means about
225 million bushels annually. Dur
ing the current season the quhn.
tity may be somewhat smaller,
owing To certain economies. ra-
tioning. etc. Continental Europ.
seems far removed from surplus
markets. on account OF the block.
sds and the scarcity Of ships, and
II Ia likely that world shipment,
for all exporting countries thu,
year will be the smallest In ths
past 40 years.
During the first World war Their.
was . tremendous demand for
American supplies. High price,
stimulated production, and new
lands were opened up In Canada
Argentina and Australia. All these
nations are now producing much
more heavily than In 1914. Can.
ada. for instance. had 10000. 0oa
acres planted TO wheat when this
@first war broke out. but this pas,
season there were 5000. 900 acres
under cultivation. The chance.
are that on Aug. /. 1871. she vii
have a reserve supply Of $50 900.
900 bushels or more quantity
that could take care Of Britain,
import needs for two years.
Americas Huge Surplus
North America will carry into
the next crop tho largest quantity
OF wheat on record. and the Unite
states. according to the depart
ment Of Agriculture. will probably
have a reserve stock next July ri
$50. O00. 900 bushels, or as much a,
We had during the farm board era
II we add 10 this the prospective
crop Of around $40 900 900 bushels
total supplies will spprosimat.
200 ,0oo. 900 bushels. Our domes.
tic consumption varies between
$4,000. 900 and 700 900 900 bushels
The world esrryoyer last Jul,
amounted to i.4is. 900 900 b,ish.l.
which was high record for ali
time. The 1870 world wheat crot
was placed 81 4 0ss 600 900 bush.
els. which 10 about equal 10 N.
dissppssrsncs: consequently. II /,
fair 10 assume that next July. W.
shall have shout the sams qusntI
ties on hand The sad aspect Of
the pictur, 10 that the stributiou
II very bad
Certain deficiency countries are
suffering from insufficient sup.
plies while tho surplus nations ar.
gluttsd. Many ~ the German.
invaded lands are nearly destitute.
rstioning and declining standard.
are portsnts ~ worse to come. Tn
explanation 10 simple German,
mas been steadily stripping many
Of thsss occupied territories ..
their current food supplies. and oi
their reserves. Norway and N.
low countries are in q dspiorsbl.
state. France 10 10 DIVIDED tina
frontiers are separating the r1eh
farming country from thu poorer
unoccupied districts
Canada Ian SAMMY Easiaad