Evening star., 1943-06-18
Record Crop Acreage
Possible in 1914 10
Bu|wark Food Supply
Increase of From IS
To 30 Million Being
Studied by WFA
BY MALCOLM LAMBORNE. Jr.


War Food Administration off,
cials planning for the 1914 crop
year are considering asking
farmers to plant total acreage
next year surprising any since
the New Deal agriculture pro-
gram was placed in operation in
1888, it was learned today.
Estimates of increased acreage for
next year under study by VIA plan
ners range from $4,000 900 to SC, 900. :
600 over this years estimated $780,
100000 acres.
Even if only a $4,000, ,OO0-acr in
crease was called for, 1t would be the
highest on record since the admins
tration'S farm policy was first imple-
mented. A 10000 000-acre increase
would surpass the all-time high rec
ord Of 376,000,O00 acres planted in
1882.
Urged by Food Administrator
Chester C. Davis to press every
possible acre" into production. the
Senate meanwhile began considera-
tion Of new appropriations for the
irrigation of arid lands in the West
More than $22,000,000 was recon-
mended for projects in California,
Washington, Wyoming and other
States in a $127 ,889, ,14l Interior De-
partment appropriations bill sub
mitted by the Senate Appropria-
tions Committee
Funds for these projects, and for
the development of mineral and oil
resources, made up the bulk of a
recommended increase of S55 OPT 1925
above House allowances.
Indian reservation projects would
be included in the proposed recla-
nation program.
The committee included in it's rec
ord letter Mr.. Davis wrote Chair
man Donald M. Nelson of the War
Production Board last month in
which he asserted difficulties of dis
tributing food supplies available
for the civilian population meant "a
considerable segment" of the people
would be unable to obtain even the
minimum amount of food recon-
mended by the Food and Nutrition
Board"
Our present food production re-
sources in established areas are op-
Grating at capacity and the only
other means of increasing output
are through development which will
permit more intensive cultivation,
such as irrigation projects" Mr..
Davis declared.
TT is essential to press into pro-
duction every possible acre of land
in the Nation"
indication to Come on Wheat.
In an address before the American
Farm Bureau Federation in New
York City last week. former Presi-
dent Herbert Hoover called for an
increase of more than 10000, 900
acres in 1874 to meet the combined
demands on our food plant
Secretary of Interior Ickes, mean
time. was disclosed as outlining
flve-year plan for increasing food
production "as a maximum contri-
button to the world food pool, for
meeting the most pressing def
ciencies, to help feed civilian pop
ulations and the United Nations
armed forces at home and abroad :"
The program was contained in a
letter from Mr.. Ickes to Secretary of
Agriculture Wickard. which the
Senate Appropriations Committee
made public yesterday.
The plan contemplates increased
production aggregating in five years
$500 100000 pounds of meat, 1,750.-
100000 pounds of fish, 1900 900 900
pounds of milk, almost a billion
pounds of beans and more than
100 1000, 900 bushels of potatoes.
These commodities are not offered
AS balanced diet by themselves"
Mr.. Ickes wrote. and their transla-
ton into overall caloric value
enough for 10000 900 persons a
year-ls indicative only of the scope
of the program"
Bureaus Asked for Reports.
Mr.. Ickes said he had asked bu-
reaus in his department for reports
on what they could contribute to the
food program. Suggestions included
the following:
The Fish and WilGlife Service sug-
eested increasing tie yield of COM
mercial fisheries, development of
farm fish ponds, encouragement of
the raising of domestic rabbits and
greater consumption Of wild game
meat.
The Bureau of Reclamation told Of
plans to provide water for millions
of acres of land in Western States:
the Once of Indian Affairs proposed
bringing idle Indian land into culti-
vation and increasing livestock pro-
duction; the Grazing Service and
the General Land Cfice dwelled on
better management of grazing, and
the Geological Survey concerned
itself with the supply of mineral fer
tilizers and irrigation water.
First indication of the Govern
ment,s plans for next year will come
within the next few days when WA
announces acreage goals for the ney,
crop of winter wheat. Informed
sources say the goal will be substan-
TALLY higher than the crop now
about to be harvested. The current
crop of winter wheat has been esti-
mated at 37,480,000 acres.
With the impact of war on Ameri-
can agriculture. there has been a
tendency - noted particularly this
year-to do away with as many acre
age restrictions to encourage the
maximum production of war crops.
This tendency is expected to con-
tinue into next year.
One source in FWA pointed out
that 1914 will see more emphasis on
field crops, both for food and for
live stock feed, and de-emphasis on
some livestock production. The final
decision on whether livestock will be
slaughtered in large numbers or per-
mitted to fatten on farms beginning
next winter will depend on this
years corn crop, he said.