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Show K. W Tin: wom.irs i-ood siiohtaoi V ' Tho United States is rogordod primarily aa nn B Wi ugrlcuIUirAl CQUiittX Qinl ono OC tJD world's groat, HBBl . - - treasure houses of food, yet our food exports aro slightly exceeded by our food Imports, That is with all our rich and broad acres, we are scarcely able to feed ourselves. , Many people havo been feeling that food scarcity scarc-ity Is caused by the war only, and that these conditions condi-tions can bo depended upon to ceaso when peace is signed. Yet nil over Europo thero has been a lack of fertilization of tho soil for the past three seasons. Vital elements of plant food have either been cut off or havo been so high priced that the ordinary farmer farm-er could not get them. Germany has had a practical monopoly of potash, but even In Germany soil fertility fertil-ity has declined. Soil production can not be kept up by the forced lnbors of prisoners or by tho work of women, old men, and children. Europo will feel this reduced production produc-tion for five years after tho war, say good authorities. authori-ties. Our own soil also shows lack of proper fertilization. fertil-ization. This is partly duo to negligence, partly to the cutting off of our supplies of potash. Tho great numbers of mon killed nnd crippled will moko agricultural labor scarce for years. Europe will keep calling on us for food and mny demand even moro than now. Evidently food shortago Is no temporary condition, condi-tion, and far reaching measures of relief need to bo tnken. First of course Is tho Improvement of our own production, on which our government experts aro working. Then thero is tho possible development of unused resources In other countries. Of these undeveloped resources probably the fields of South America are tho most extensive. They form a great reservo against tho neels of the future, though they cannot bo depended upon for imraedlato results. |