THE FOOD CRISIS AND AMERICANISM 



resolution promptly passed that would lead Congress to 

 believe that the price fixed upon wheat was entirely sat- 

 isfactory. 



The real feeling of the farmers of Nebraska was 

 reflected in the output of wheat for that year of 13,- 

 764,000 bushels as against an annual average output 

 of 69,428,000 bushels during the three years previous 

 (see 1917 " Red Book," page 50) ; and is further re- 

 flected by the estimated yield of 43,000,000 bushels 

 both spring and winter wheat for 1918. Un- 

 favorable conditions had something to do with the 

 reduction of output for 1917, but if the acreage had 

 been stimulated to 25 per cent, above normal, instead 

 of being depressed to 25 per cent, below normal, the 

 increase in bread stuffs would have been 50 per cent, 

 to 100 per cent, to be added to the total amount saved 

 by the strenuous and able efforts of the Food Adminis- 

 trator of the State of Nebraska. 



As Nebraska has gone " Over the Top " in sub- 

 scriptions for Liberty Bonds, Thrift Stamps, Y. M. 

 C. A., and every other war enterprise, including vol- 

 unteers, the charge of disloyalty will not lie. 



The above is an example of how both in private and 

 public assemblages expressions and suggestions, which 

 would have been valuable to the Administration and 

 Congress, and might have rendered some of the fla- 

 grant abuses impossible, have been prevented. Why 

 should not the criticisms and suggestions from intelli- 

 gent citizens be heard, even if the most of these are 

 erroneous, or of little value? In France and England 

 such criticisms and suggestions have been heard and 

 heeded, and resulted in a very marked improvement 



