America's Part in Preventing Famine

America's Part in Preventing Famine

By Dr. Franklin Stewart Harris, Utah Agricultural College

Death by famine is not inviting to anyone; we would prob-

ably all rather be killed in battle. Most of us, however, shall

have occasion to know more about war from its effect on the

A terminal elevator where grain is stored preparatory to sending it to our

allies in Europe.

food supply than from the sound of cannon, since comparatively

few will see the firing line. Because we have never felt the

pangs of hunger, we now feel secure. This does not mean we

are safe; millions have starved soon after feeling that famine

was remote.

Since prehistoric times, man has been subject to the ravages

of famine. It is pleasant to think of this condition existing only

in ancient times or among uncivilized peoples. History, how-

ever, shows that tens of millions have starved during the present

generation. Although nearly every nation has suffered locally,

India, China, Ireland, and Russia have seen more distress during

the last century than other countries.

In northwest India during 1837 and 1838 at least 800,000

people perished; in Bengal and Orissa in 1865 and 1866, 1,000,-

000 starved; and again during 1877, Bengal lost 500,000 by

famine. Also in the years 1897 and 1900 starvation was rampant

in India. In China 9,000,000 persons are reported to have died

from lack of food in 1877 and 1878. Eleven years later the

The use of ditching machines greatly reduces the expense of drainage.

Yellow River overflowed and famine again stalked through the

land. As recently as 1902 a million lives were snuffed out.

Ireland has suffered from many famines. One, in 963, was so

severe as to drive the people to cannibalism. In 1822, and again

in 1845 and 1846, famine gripped Ireland. On the latter occa-

sion the population was reduced from 8,300,000, in 1845, to 6,-

600,000 six years later. This was due in part to emigration

caused by scarcity of food.

Records of famine in Russia date back to 1600 when about

500,000 people perished. In the last thirty years, three rather

severe famines have again racked that country. These came in

1891, in 1906, and in 1911. In the last of these about 30,000,000

people were short of food and 8,000,000 were reduced to a con-

dition of starvation.

Under present conditions famine is not entirely preventable.

AMERICA'S PART IN PREVENTING FAMINE

3ir>

Man has not acquired complete control over the forces of nature,

but through science and better business, he is rapidly learning

how to overcome many of nature's uncertainties that cause short

crops. Famines are caused by drought, frost, insect pests, plant

The Elephant Butte Dam, built by the Government to store the waters of

the Rio Grande for irrigation.

diseases, floods, fire, and war. Of these, war is the only one

caused entirely by man; yet it seems most difficult of all for man

to control.

What the chances are for a widespread famine during the

next few years, no one can foretell with certainty. Of this we

One type of cellar tliat is being used to store the nation s exceptionally

large crop of potatoes.

may be sure: Should the war continue at its present rate with

the margin of production so close to that of consumption and

with transportation on land and sea demoralized, the great

.{16

natural causes of famine — drought, floods, and pests — will find

a condition in which to work ravages, the severity of which has

never been known. Whereas in the past famine has been largely

local, or at most national, it would now be universal.

The agony of Belgium, Poland, and Servia, makes vivid the

results of war under normal, natural conditions. Add to this a

widespread shortage in production, due to unfavorable manifes-

tations of nature, and some idea can be had of what a real famine

would mean.

If famine cannot be entirely eliminated, what can be done

to prevent it or to reduce its ravages? Must the horrors of

An irrigation canal which furnishes to tens of thousands of acres the water

which changes the country from a barren desert to fruitful fields.

famine be added to those of war? These are questions that

should concern deeply the American people in their effort to be

of service to mankind.

The officials of the Government and many others who have

been called for emergency work are looking at these problems

in a broad way and are adopting measures to aid in their solu-

tion. The condition, however, is not subject to any simple rem-

edy ; no panacea will insure food for all. Many complex features

must be considered and many means of meeting the situation

devised. In general the solution resolves itself into three ideas:

Use less, distribute better, and produce more. The control of

consumption is comparatively simple, distribution is dependent

on the organization of existing forces, but the question of pro-

duction is the one unknown factor — the weak link in the chain.

AMERICAS PART IN PREVENTING FAMINE 317

Every human means must be used to make eertain this naturally

imeertain element in our preparedness against famine.

Our own nation is probably not in grave danger, but we have

taken upon ourselves the burdens of the world and we must

neither flinch nor falter. If droughts impend, means must be

found for neutralizing their effects; if floods threaten, they

must be prevented; if insects and diseases endanger crops, they

must be controlled ; if the fertility of the soil is reduced, methods

of restoring it should be sought; if there are great areas of land

Sagebrush land in the desert prepared for a dry-farm crop. Millions of

acres are being reclaimed by dry-farming.

that are not producing, these should be reclaimed; if general

farming methods are inefficient, these should be corrected. In

short, every agency of scientific research and every device of

effective business administration must be marshalled in order to

make production large and dependable.

Drought has been a great enemy of mankind in all ages; its

conquest by science is a recent development. In ancient Egypt

irrigation was used, but only during the present generation have

the waters of the Nile been harnessed in a scientific manner.

During the last few decades many great irrigation systems have

been built in western America by private capital and by the Gov-

ernment to store water for use during the dry season. Under

some of these systems normal crop production might continue

even if there were two or three rainless years. Structures of

this kind are the best insurance the country can have against a

famine caused by drought. Dry-farming, a modern development

318 IMPROVEMENT ERA

in the scientific conservation of moisture, promises much as a

means of overcoming the effects of drought in humid, as well

as in arid, agriculture.

Hand in hand with irrigation and dry-farming goes that

powerful agency of reclamation — drainage. Large areas of the

country's potentially most productive land lie idle awaiting re-

demption by drainage to make them feed millions. Drainage is

not confined in its usefulness to lands that are now entirely un-

productive; it can be used to improve vast acreages that now

produce diminished yields.

Crop-devouring insects and blighting diseases are being

feared less and less by the farmer. Before the development of

science these scourges found man almost helpless, but each year

the scientist welds one more link in the chain that will ultimately

bind these plagues. As yet, however, their ravages destroy an-

nually in this country crops worth tens of millions of dollars.

Clearly the duty of the nation is to continue at an increased

rate its researches into methods of handling all pests that

threaten the food supply.

The increasing demands made on the land make imperative

the safeguarding of its productivity. The exhausting of soil fer-

tility by improper methods of farming can no longer be toler-

ated. Land is the greatest heritage of mankind — not for a year,

a century, or an age — but for all time. It does not belong to a

single generation; it is the birthright of all. Its abuse in this

generation means famine for peoples yet unborn. The soil is

exceedingly complex; no simple method of understanding its

needs or supplying them is at hand. Science must continue its

researches and it must be supplied with means to this end, if

famine in this generation and in the future is to be avoided.

Farming is probably the last of the great industries to be

placed on a thorough business basis. Until recently very little

attempt was made to subject farm business to a critical analysis

with the idea of increasing efficiency and of eliminating waste.

With the development of scientific farm management and the

devising of methods for studying the farm business, much may

be expected by way of increased efficiency in production. This

has an important bearing on the food supply.

Logan, Utah.

Thoughts of a Farmer

By Dr. Joseph M. Tanner