Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 January 1919 — KEPT PLEDGE TO SEND BREAD [ARTICLE]

KEPT PLEDGE TO SEND BREAD

American Nation Maintained Allied Loaf Through SelfDenial at Home Table. AVERTED EUROPEAN DESPAIR. With Military Demands Upon Ocean •hipping Relieved, World Io Able to Return to Normal White Wheat BreaA— Since the advent of the latest wheat crop the only limitation upon American exports to Europe has been the shortage of shipping. Between July 1 and October 10 we shipped 06,980,306 bushels. If this rate should continue until the end of the fiscal year w 4 will have furnished the Allies with more than 237,500,000 bushels of wheat and flour in terms of wheat ■ - The result of increased production and conservation efforts in the United States has been that with the cessation of hostilities we are able to return to a normal wheat diet. Supplies that have accumulated in Australia, Argentine and other hitherto inaccessible markets may be tapped by ships released from transport service, and European demand for wheat probably will not exceed our normal surplus. Thwe is wheat enough available to have a white loaf at the common table. But last year the tale was different Only by the greatest possible saving and sacrifice were we able to keep a steady stream of wheat and flour moving across the sea. We found ourselves at the beginning of the harvest year with an unusually short crop. Even the most optimistic statisticians figured, that we had a bare surplus of 20,000,000 bushels. And yet Europe was facing the probability of a bread famine —and in Europe bread is by far the most important article in the diet All of this surplus had left the country early in the fall. By the first of the year wo had managed to ship a little more than 50,000,000 bushels by practicing the utmost economy at home —by wheatless days, wheatless meals, heavy substitution of other cereals and by sacrifice at almost every meal throughout the country. In January the late Lord Rhondda, then British Food Controller, cabled that only if we sent an additional 75,000,000 bushels before July 1 could he take the responsibility of assuring his people that they would be fed. The response of the American people was 85,000,000 bushels safely delivered overseas between January 1 and July 1. Out of a harvest which gave ju only 20,000,000 bushels surplus ws actually shipped 141,000.000 bushels. Thus did America fulfill her pledge that the Allied bread rations could be maintained, and already the American people., are demonstrating that, with an awakened war conscience, last year’s figures will be bettered.

Our exports since is country entered the war havo justified a statement made by the Food Administration shortly after its conception, outlining the principles and pdUdaa that would governthe solution of this country’s food problems. “The whole foundation of democracy,” declared the Food Administration, “lies in the indlvldual Initiative es its people and their willingness to serve the Interests of the nation with complete self effacement in the time of emergency. Democracy can yield to discipline, and we can solve this food problem for our own people and for the Allies in this way. To have done so will have been a greater service than our immediate objective, for we have demonstrated the rightfulness of our faith and our ability to defend ourselves without being Prussianised."

Bending to Europe 141,000,000 bushels of wheat from a surplus of apparently nothing was the outstanding exploit of the American food army in ths critical year of the war.