Evening star., 1947-10-10
Crop Prediction
Today Expected
|ToEase0ut|ook
7 rumun Calls Less
Doys VitoI and Urges
FurthefSayiaa
By the Associoted Press

by me ASSocioted freS$
The Government looked anx-
iously to new crop forecast to-
day for possible boost in the
corn yield estimate which would
ease the world grain shortage.
Despite signs of improved Mid
west crop conditions, President
Truman clearly was not banking on
any great gain. Public observance
of meatless and eggless days to
save the grain that would be fed
to poultry and live stock is of vital
Importance in easing Europes hun
ger, he told his weekly news con-
ference yesterday.
The Presidents comment was
sharply at variance with a state
ment attributed to Secretary of
Agriculture Anderson at news con-
ference in Chicago. Mr.. Anderson
was quoted as saying mere observ-
ance OF any one day means little"
| Chairman Charles Luckman of
the Citizens Food Committee, watt
ing for the verdict from distillers
and brewers on his drastic con-
servation proposals for their in
dustrieS, said Nation wide co-opeta-
ton is essential to "the saving Of
peace"
Report Due at 3 O'Clock.
The new crop report, closely
guarded within the Agriculture De-
partment and awaited with unusual
eagerness, was due for release at
3 pm.
1t contains the departments esti-
mate of production of all major
crops as of October /.
An increase of 100,OOO,OOO bushels
or SO in the corn estimate, above the
2 2,4O3, $4,000 forecast a month ear.
lier, would go a long way toward
making up the foreign deficit while
maintaining a high level of live
stock production in this country.
Corn was plagued by cool, wet
weather at planting time and by
lack of rain in midsummer. The
production outlook on September
indicated the crop might be the
smallest since the severe 1896
drought, and q per cent smaller
than last years record crop of s.
287 100000 bushels.
1t was this prospect which led
Mr.. Truman to call on Americans
to conserve food - particularly
cereals and livestock products pro-
duced from grains-so acute foreign
needs might be met.
| Corn Reports Encouraging.
Reports from the Midwest indi-
cate corn has shown some improve
ment since September / and has
made good progress in maturing.
Because of the lateness of much of
the crop, officials had expressed
concern earlier over the possibility
that frosts might catch it.
Should the corn estimate be in
creased 100,000,000 bushels or more,
the Government might confront the
question whether to continue the
food program calling for meatless
Tuesdays and poultryless and egg
less Thursdays.
The conservation drive is designed
to save at least 100,00O000 bushels
so that exports might be increased
to 570,000,000 bushels by next
June 80.
While Agriculture Department Of
flcialS refused to be quoted by name,
they expressed the belief that the
public would be asked to continue
saving for three reasons:
1) To make more than 100000
bushels available for shortage areas,
CD to prevent further advances in
food prices at home, and 90 to help
maintain wheat reserve for use in
event next years crop should turn
out poorly.
Truman Sees Vital Need.
Mr.. Truman, in his news confer
ence yesterday, replied with some
warmth to the question of whether
he considered meatless days of mo
Importance" in solving the food
| crisis
| A reporter had phrased the ques-
tion in that fashion when the Pres
ident abruptly choked off an earlier
request for comment on the state
ment by Secretary Anderson which
was interpreted as minimizing the
value of the "less" days. Mr.. Tru-
(See FOOD. Page AID