Greatest in History

Bread had become an under-the-counter scarcity, beer an over-the-bar rarity. The wheat ships were still not full enough nor fast enough to assuage the world's hunger pains. But the U.S. citizen gleaned an inkling at least of the largest mass movement of grain ever.

Bonus payments, ended in May, had lured 2,179,089 tons of wheat and 837,403 tons of corn from U.S. farms to U.S. elevators. The total--3,016,492 tons--represented more than half the U.S. grain commitments for the entire "emergency" period (Jan. 1-June 30). Said Agriculture Secretary Anderson:

"The whole country can well be proud of the great job our farmers have done this month in moving grain to market.. . . The big task ahead now is to move this grain from local elevators to terminals and to ports within the time limits."

The grain was there. How fast could it be moved? Actual shipments of wheat abroad still lagged behind U.S. promises (see box). Only a month remained to make good, and neither the rail strike nor the threatened shipping strike improved the slim chances of beating the deadline.

Nevertheless, the shiploads exported since Jan. 1 were already twice the total for the whole of an average prewar year, the rate of shipment greater than any in all U.S. history. By July 1, U.S. grain stocks promised to be as low as those in the drought-ridden '303.

The funneling off process was reflected in empty bakeries and idle flour mills. The U.S. had forsworn rationing. It could not undertake to fight world famine without giving up something. Bare shelves were often more persuasive than conscience.

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