Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 94, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 February 1918 — NATION FACES FOOD CRISIS [ARTICLE]

NATION FACES FOOD CRISIS

Next Two Mooths Most Critical R. R. Congestion Blamed. 11. S. MUST AID THE ALLIES Country Far Behind in Its Program of Sending Supplies Overseas— Aska the People to Help. Washington, Feb. 22.—The next two months will be the most critical period with regard to food that the United. States has faced since she entered th® war. This was the statement of Herbert Hoover. United States food administrator. Earnest co-operation Is called for. The statement reads: “In response to many Inquiries I beg to say it is true that since the first of December we have fallen fur behind) our agreed food program with the allies. By the end of February we will be short 45,000,000 bushels in cereal, products which we undertook as our share of their supplies. We also will be short of the amount of meat products that we were to deliver. “This deficiency Is due solely to th® railway congestion since that date. Face Critical Stage. “The next sixty days will be the most critical period in our food history. The simple fact is that the program goes far deeper than supplies to the alites. “During the last three months wo have fallen far behind in movement of foodstuffs from the farms to the consuming and storage centers. Up to th® first of February less than 50 per centl of the normal ratio of corn has been moved, less than SO per cent of thei oats and less than GO per cent of the, potatoes. “We had about 130, (MM) carloads ofl potatoes November 1 tlmt should hav® been moved from the producing centers, and up to the first of February we had moved about 28.000 carloads. We should have moved over 50,000 in. this period. The result is that potatoes are spoiling in the producers’ hands.

Transportation to Blame. •There is a great deal of live stock which has been ready for the market for some time, hut is still held in tho fanners’ hands through inability to obtain transportation. ‘The effect <>f this delayed movement has been manifold: “First—To Jeopardize the safety of n great deal of the soft corn and perishables, such as potatoes. “Second—Tlie stricture in flow of distribution has disturbed the price conditions in the country by practically suspending the law of supply and demand. "Third—The cost of grains for feeding live stock has so increased to the feetlsr of finished cattle that they face serious losses. The costs of the dairying industries have necessarily greatly Increased. “Fourth—Through the large consuming areas we have been living on reserves through the period of scant supplies*! These reserves are approaching exhaustion. "Fifth—We have been unable to transport to seaboard the necessary foodstuffs for the allies. Public Must Give Aid. •The situation calls for every co-op-eration of the public —through the quick loading of cars, loading them to capacity, and discharging them quickly—and in every way reducing the tax on the railways. “Co-operation can be given by reduction lit consumption of foodstuffs, by the consumption of home and local stores to the exclusion of transported articles. “No effort is being spared to move allied food, and the railway directorate is arranging sjtecial trains to carry meat and packing house.products from Chicago to load the waiting ships. “HERBERT HOOVER.”