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HOOVER TELLS OF
FODDSIJUATION
Administrator Issues Message
on Conservatio i.
IS GREAT PROBLEM OF WAR
America’s Production and N ’eds of the
Allied Nations Set Fort i—What
We Must Do to Keef Wolf
From the Door. r
Washington, Aug. 20.—Herbert C.
Hoover, United States foe 1 adminis
trator. today issued to th< American
public his statement coveri 'g the food
situation as it now exists . id the ne
cessity of conserving th( food re
sources of the nation to,; -ovide for
the future during the coh: nuance of
the war. The statement ft Hows:
Food is always more oi less of a
problem in every phase of ts produc
tion, handling and consumj ion. It is
a problem with every far ner, every
transporter and seller, ev ry house
holder. It Is a problem vith every
town, state and nation. An now, very
conspicuously, it is a pre dem with
three great groups of natio s, namely,
the allies, the central empi is and the
neutrals; in a word it is a ; reat inter
national problem.
The food problem today f our own
nation, therefore has as it most con
spicuous phase an internat’ - ' ial charac
ter. A sufficient and regt ar supply
of food for the maintena ce of the
great field armies of our fig ting allies
and of their no less great armies of
working men and working women in
the war industries, and fin: ly for the
maintenance of the womei and chil
dren in the home, is an a solute ne
cessity, second to no oth. ;, for the
successful prosecution of t e war for
liberty. In the providing o this food
for the great allied food poo , the Unit
ed States plays a predomina t part.
With the present diversioi of tens of
millions of men from the arms into
the fighting and industrial irmles, re
sulting in a marked lessen: ig of food
production, and the presen necessity
of increasing the daily rati' .1 of other
millions of men turned fron sedentary
occupations into those of strenuous
physical labor, resulting ii. a marked
increase of consumption, thi deficiency
between the food needs ar I the food
production of the allies bee mes great
er than ever, with the cons tquence of
a large increase in the foot' quantities
imperatively needed from he United
States if the allied armies are to be
able to “carry on.”
World’s Larder Exan ined.
This is a general statement of a con
dition which only needs to be elabor
ated in detail to show just what we
have to do. The time has ome when
this detailed statement ca be made.
Our harvest and the harvi sts of Eu
rope can now be forecas We can
also survey our combined stocks of
food animals; in other wot s, the size
of that part of the world', larder on
which we and the allies ca 1 draw for
the next twelve months can now be es
timated. This estimate sh< vs at once
that it contains too little f >r our own
and our allies use unless ve all ad
minister the supply with t e greatest
care and wisdom. The all >d peoples
are energetically undertaki g this ad
ministration. It lies now vith us to
do our part. If we fail, th people of
the allies cannot be maintai ied at war.
Their soldiers cannot fight without
food. A certain definitely determina
ble part of that food must come from
us. Let us then examine c refully the
world’s larder as it appea. s today, or
so much of it as is at our d sposal.
I propose to review th. situation
first, as regards the ceteals. second, as
regards food animals and heir prod
ucts, third, as regards su; ir, fourth,
as regards vegetables, fifth, as regards
fish and sea foods, and, fir illy, as re
gards our duty in the matter.
Cereals.
The 1917 harvest Is now so far ad
vanced that we may comj re it with
previous production, and w th the de
mands which are going to e made on
it.
Table No. 1 is given to show the
normal peace sources of he annual
■ supplies of France. Italy, the United*
Kingdom and Be^ium, bei g an aver
age of the three-year pre- tar period.
It will be seen from this table that
the normal imports of whe; t are 381,-
000,000 bushels and of ot er cereals
345,000,000 bushels. The . stimate of
the 1917 harvest in the alii* 1 countries
based upon crop reports 'om these
countries, is as follows:
Probable Av. nor- Deficiency
Com- 1917 pro- makpro In prod'n.
tnodity. duction. duction. due to war.
Wheat ...393,770,000 590,675,00 196,905,000
Corn .... 94,464,000 121,109,00 26,645,000
Oats 337,235,000 570,890,00 233,665,000
Barley ... 93,585,000 125,201,00 31,616,000
Rye 41,732,000 78,573,00 36.841.iXW
Total ..960,786,000 1.486,448,00 525,662.000
In order to provide norm: ; consump
tion It would therefore be t pessary to
import in the next 12 mon hs a total
of 577,000,000 bushels of vheat and
874,000,000 bushels of othe cereals.
The prospective position f our own
and the Canadian harvest 8 given in
table No. 2.
Our crops, especially our corn crop,
cannot yet be considered is certain,
but If all mature safely, J> >rth Amer
ica will have an apparent surplus of
wheat of 208,000,000 bush Is and of
other cereals of about 150,000,000
bushels.
Demand on Our Cr>ps.
The allies are isolated .rom those
markets, other than Caw a and the
Commodity. Production.
Wheat 590.675,600
Corn 121,109.000
Oats 570,890,000
Barley 125,201.000
Rye 78.573,000
Total 1,486,448,000
Probable
Commodity. U. S 1917
Wheat 678.1XW.000
Corn 3.124.000,000
Oats 1,453,1X10.000
Barley 214.000,000
Rye 56,100,000
Totals 5,525,100.000
United States, on which they were ac
customed to rely before the war. The
Russian supply cannot be got out.
Bulgarian and Roumanian supplies are
in the hands of the central empires.
The voyage from Australia and India
is three times as long and therefore
requires three times as many tons of
shipping as is required from North At
lantic ports. It is also twice as dan
gerous because of the longer exposure
to submarine attack. There has been
a large failure in the South American
countries and the new harvest from
that quarter will not be available in
Europe until next spring. As already
said, all the allied countries are and
have been for some time rigorously ad
ministering and economizing their
food. In Belgium, the relief commis
sion has been compelled to reduce the
consumption of cereals by nearly 50
per cent; this brings the food supply
so low that the population are in
capable of labor.
From the above tables it will be
seen that on normal bases of consump
tion the total allied wheat import re
quirements are 577,000,000 bushels
against a North American surplus of
208,000,000 bushels—and from our
United States supplies we must re
serve a certain amount for neutrals
from which we receive vital supplies
and also an amount to protect our
stocks better next year than this last.
There is therefore on normal con
sumption a deficit of over 400,000.000
bushels. In the other cereals used in
Europe mostly for animal feed, the
import necessities of the allies on nor
mal consumption basis are about 674,-
000,000 against a North American sur
plus of 950,000,000. But again a re
serve for neutrals and increased “car
ry over" will absorb all the margin.
In any event it means we must multi
ply our exports of these cereals 20
times. However, upon the basis of our
present crop prospects we should be
able to supply their requirements in
cereals other than' wheat.
Wheat Situation Difficult.
The situation in wheat is one of
great difficulty and concern, and must
be met by an elimination of waste and
reduction of consumption on the part
of the allied peoples and ourselves, in
one word, by an effective administra
tion of the available supply.
The allies are unable to use other
cereals alone for bread. They can
use them only as added to wheat flour
to make the war bread now in uni
versal use in European countries. Ex
cept in Italy, whose people normally
consume- much corn, our allies have
few corn mills and cornmeal is not a
durable commodity and therefore can
not be shipped in great quantities.
Moreover, for generations they have
bought bread from the bakeries; they
have no equipment nor do they know
how to bake in the household. Every
American knows that it is infeasible
to distribute corn bread from bakeries,
and it is therefore necessary for us
to furnish our allies with sufficient
wheat to enable them to have a wheat
basis for the loaf. However, they can
use and must use other cereals for
mixture in their war bread, and by
this substitution anti by savings on
their part a great deal can be accom
plished. On the other hand, a deficit
of 400,000,000 bushels can be at least
partially overcome if we can increase
our exports from 88,000,(XX) to 220,-
000,000 or nearly triple. This can be
accomplished if we will substitute one
pound of other cereals for one pound
of wheat flour weekly per person; that
is, if we reduce our consumption of
wheat flour from five pounds per week
,to four pounds per week per person.
It will be no privation to us and will
reduce the privation of our allies.
Food Animals.
Owing to the ascending standard of
living, the world was already strained
to supply enough animal products to
meet the demand before the war be
gan. The war has injected into an al
ready difficult situation a number of
vicious conditions which are jeopardiz
ing the ultimate animal products sup
ply of the world. The production of
fodder in Europe has been diminished
by the diversion of productive labor to
war, and its import has been curtailed
by shortage in shipping and by the
isolation of markets by belligerent
lines. From these causes not only are
the actual numbers of animals de
creasing in Europe, but the average
weight and the annual output of dairy
products per animql, are decreasing.
A careful estimate of the world's
food animal position shows the follow
ing position:
Decrease
Increase or In other
decrease Decrease countries
United western including Total net
States allies enemies decrease
Cattle 7.090.1 XX) 8,420.000 26,750,000 28.050.tW0
Sheep 3.000.000 17.500,000 34.000,000 54,500.000
Ilogs 6.275.1XW 7.100,000 31,600,000 32,425.000
33.020.000 92,350,000 115,005,000
The problem facing the American
people is not only one of supplying
the immediate demand of the allies, but
one which is more fur-reaching in its
future significance. As the war goes
on there will be a constant lessening of
the capital stock of food animals of
the world. Among our western al
lies Ute demand outruns further every
TABLE NO. I.'
Imports Imports Net Imports
from from Other Con-
U. S. Canada. Sources, sumption.
79.426.000 112.900,000 188,478,000 974,485.000
10,811,000 135,675,000 266,596,000
6.783,000 16,580,000 88,612,000 682,865,000
4,946,000 6,660.000 63,030.000 199.793.000
567.000 60,000 11,337,000 90,537,000
102,533,000 136,200,000 487,134,000 2,214,276,000
TABLE NO. 2.
Average Probable Add possible
Normal U. S. U. 3. Canadian
Consumption Surplus Surplus
390.304,000 88,000,000 130.000,000
2.653.698,000 470,000,000 63,000,000
1.148.713,000 304,000,000 30,000.000
178,829,000 35,000,000 9,000,000
35,866,000 20,200,000 18,000,000
4.607.410,000 917,200,000 239,000,000
day the decreasing production, as ship
ping becomes further shortened by con
tinued submarine destruction, less ton
nage can be devoted to fodder, and fur
ther reduction of the herds must en
sue, These destructive forces have
given rise to reactions in many direc
tions. The world’s supply of meat and
dairy products, of animal fats and in
dustrial fats, wool and hides, are all
Involved not only now, but for far into
the future.
Meats.
The immediate problem is to fur
nish increased meat supplies to the al
lies to maintain them during the war.
An important factor contributing to the
present situation lies in the disturb
ance to the world’s trade by destruc
tion of shipping resulting in throwing
a larger burden on North America, the
nearest market. Shipments from the
Australasian, South American and
from the continental countries into the
allied countries have been interfered
with. Their contributions must be re
placed by increased shipments from
North America.
The growth of American meat ex
ports since the war began, most of
which have been supplied by allied na
tions, is revealed by the following fig
ures:
Three-year pre-war average, 493,-
848,000 pounds.
Year ending June 30, 1916, 1,339,-
193,000 pounds.
The impact of European demand
upon our animal products will be
maintained for a long period of years
after peace. We can contemplate a
high range of prices, for meat and
for animal products for many years to
come. We must undertake to meet the
demand not only during the war, so as
to enable our allies to continue to fight,
but we must be prepared to meet the
demand after the war. Our herd can
not be increased in a single night or
in a single year. Our producers will
not only be working in their own ul
timate interest in laying the founda
tion of larger herds and flocks, but
will serve our national interest and the
interest of humanity, for years to come,
if the best strains of young animals
are preserved. The increase in herds
can only be accomplished if we save
more of our roughage and raise more
fodder grains. It is worth noting that
after the war Europe with lessened
herds will, pending their recuperation,
require less fodder and will therefore
produce more bread grains and im
port less of them, so that we can after
the war safely reduce our bread grain
production to increase our fodder. But
we must lay our foundation in the
meantime to increase our herds.
There is only one immediate solution
to the short supply of meat for ex
port pending the increase in our herds
and flocks which will take years. Dur
ing the course of the war. we can, just
as with the cereals, reduce the con
sumption and eliminate the waste par
ticularly among those classes which
can best afford it. In the meantime, in
order to protect all of our people, we
must carefully control our meat ex
ports in order that the people shall not
be denied this prime necessity of life.
Dairy Products.
The world’s dairy supplies are de
creasing rapidly for two important rea
sons. First, the dairy cattle of Eu
rope are diminishing, for Europe is be
ing driven to eat its cattle for meat;
second, the diversion of labor to war
has decreased the fodder supplies and
the shortage of shipping has limited
the amount of imported fodder and
therefore the cattle which can be sup
ported and the productivity of the indi
vidual cow have been reduced. Even
our own dairy supplies are not keeping
pace with our growth of population, for
our per capita milk supply has fallen
from 90 to 75 gallons annually in the
past 15 years. Yet today we must ship
increasing amounts of dairy products
to our allies.
The dairy supplies of the allies tn
normal times came to a considerable
degree from western Scandinavia. Hol
land and Switzerland, but under Ger
man pressure these supplies are now
partly diverted to Germany. The men
under arms and the wounded must be
supplied with condensed milk in large
quantities. The net result of these
conditions, despite rigorous reduction
of consumption among the adults of the
civil population in Europe, is that our
allies are still short of large quantities
and again the burden of the replace
ment of this shortage must fall on
North America. The growing exports
of dairy products from the United
States to the allies are shown in the
following table:
Three year Year ending
average. .lune 30,1913.
Butter 4.467,000 lbs. 13.457.(XX) lbs.
Cheese 3.780.000 lbs. 44.394.1XXl lbs
Cond. mi1k....17,792.000 lbs. 159.577.000 lbs.
The high price of fodder and meat in
the United States during the past few
months Induced by the pressing Euro
pean demand has set up dangerous cur
rents in this country, especially in
those regions dependent upon butter
and the sale of milk to municipalities
having made it more profitable to sell
the cattle for meat than to keep them
and produce dairy products. There
fore; the dairy euttle are decreasing
THE BULLETIN, IRWINTON, GEORGIA.
in some sections. The only sections In
which dairy products have had a rise
in price in appropriate proportion to
the increase in most of feeds are those
producing condensed milk and cheese.
Our home milk and butter supplies
are therefore looked at in a broad way,
decreasing while our population is in
creasing. This deficiency of dairy but
ter is shown by the increased sales of
margarine, which show an increase of
several million pounds per month over
similar periods in 1915. Dairy butter,
however, has qualities which render it
vitally necessary for children. Milk
has no substitute and is not only in
trinsically one of our cheapest animal
foods, but is absolutely fundamental
to the rearing of the children.
The dairy situation resolves itself
into several phases. First, it is to be
hoped that the forthcoming abundant
harvest together with a proper restric
tion upon exports of feeding stuffs will
result in lower prices of feed and di
minish the impetus to sell the cattle
for meat. Second, the industry needs
encouragement so as to increase the
dairy herd and thus our dairy supplies,
for the sake first of our own people
and second of the allies. The people
must realize the vital dependence of
the well-being of their children, and
thus of the nation, upon the encourage
ment and upbuilding of the industry.
Third, we must save the wastes In milk
and butter during the war if we are to
provide milk supplies to all. We waste
large quantities of our milk value from
our lack of national demand for prod
ucts of skimmed and sour milk.
Pork Products.
The hog is the most efficient of ma
chines for the production of animal fat.
The hog not only makes more fat from
a given amount of feed, but also the
products made are specially capable of
preservation and most economical for
commercial handling.
The swine of Europe are rapidly de
creasing and the consumption demand
induced by the war is much increased,
this particularly because bacon, ham
and lard are so adaptable for military
supplies. Moreover, our allies are iso
lated from many markets and a large
amount from northern neutrals is
being diverted to Germany.
While our -hogs have increased in
number by 3,000,000 animals, the aver
age weight at slaughter is falling and
our production is probably only about
maintained. The increasing demand
upon us since the war began is shown
by the following figures of comparative
exports:
Three-year, pre-war period, 1,055,-
614,000 pounds.
Year ending June 30, 1916, 1,512,-
376,000 pounds.
Wool and Leather.
Our national supply of both wool
and leather are less than our needs,
and we are importing them more and
more largely, as shown by the follow
ing figures:
Importations of wool and manufac
tures of wool (value) for the three
year pre-war period, 862.457,965; for
the fiscal year ending June 30, 1916,
$158,078,271.
Importations (value) of hides, leath
er, and manufactures of leather aver
age of the three-year pre-war period.
$133,171,398: for the year ending June
30, 1916, $177,880,902.
At the present time the world's de
mand for these products has increased
far above the peace level owing to the
extra consumption in supplying the
armies. This demand is now again in
creased by the mobilization of a large
American army. In the face of this,
not only is the European herd decreas
ing, but also American sheep have de
creased about 3,000,000 since the war
began. After the war is over, the va
rious countries of the world from
which we formerly drew our wool are
likely to retain it for their own use
until their flocks again become normal.
Sugar.
The sugar supply on which our allies
in Europe normally draw has been
tremendously reduced, so that they
must have recourse to other sources.
In consequence of the shipping situa
tion the area from which they must
draw is also curtailed and. as a result,
they are driven into those markets
from which our own supply normally
arises. Furthermore, their own pro
duction has been greatly diminished.
Before the war. Europe supplied in a
large measure its own needs, through
the production of beet sugar, as will
appear from the following table show
ing the average yearly production and
consumption for the five years before
the war (1909-1913), in some of the
chief countries of Europe:
Prod'n. Consutnp. Surp. (t)
(short tshort or defi
tons) tons) ciency (-)
Germany 2.525,899 1,299.585 t 1.226,314
Austria 1.651.559 679.204 t 972.656
Russia 1,659,947 1,322,285 t 337,662
United
Kingdom 2.066,000 -2,066,000
France 752,542 704.530 t 47,712
Italv 211.050 190.000 t 21,050
Belgium 279,918 120.358 t 159.560
Holland 246,146 131,538 ♦ 114,608
As appears from the table, France,
Italy, Russia and Belgium were self
supporting, while the United Kingdom
drew its entire sugar supply from ex
terior sources. The supply of the Unit
ed Kingdom came to the amount of
about 70 per cent from countries from
which it is now cut off by the war.
Ten per cent came from the East In
dies and 20 per cent from the United
States and the West Indies.
The prospective 1918 crop in France
has diminished to 207.000 tons and
that of Italy to 75,(XX) tons, ami they
are therefore short 590.000 tons. The
displacement of United Kingdom sup
plies amounts to 1.435,000 tons; and
therefore, in total, these three allied
countries must Import about 2,700.000
tons in order to maintain their normal
consumption. Os this. 2,000,000 tous
must come from new sources.
The disturbance ot shipping re
duces the touage available and drives
the demand to a large degree upou the
nearest markets, the United States
and the West Indies. This field has
since the war increased Its production
by 1,000,000 tons per annum. How far
this demand will interfere with the
American supply of 4,000,000 tons is
difficult to forecast, first, because some
increased supplies may be obtained by
the allies from the East Indies, and.
second, because the allies have re
duced their consumption to some ex
tent.
In any event. If all the enemies of
Germany are to be supplied, there
must be _economy in consumption
everywhere. The normal American
consumption is about 90 pounds per
person per annum and is just double
the French consumption.
Vegetables.
We have this year a most abundant
crop of vegetables for our use as a re
sult of a patriotic endeavor almost
universal throughout the country. Our
potato harvest alone promises an in
crease from 285,000,000 bushels last
year to over 400,000,000 bushels this
year. The other vegetables are like
wise enormously increased through
the planting and extension of millions
of gardens. The sweet potato crop
promises to be from 10 to 20 per cent
above what it was last year, and the
commercial crop of sweet corn for
canning purposes is estimated to be
from 20 to 30 per cent above that of
last year. The commercial crop of
tomatoes for canning purposes will
probably be somewhere between 10
and 20 per cent above what it was last
year. There is an increase in the acre
age of late onions of about 54 per cent
over the area harvested in 1916.
Fish and Sea Foods.
The waters of our coasts and lakes
are enormously rich in food fish and
shell fish. Our streams, too, contribute
a great quantity of fish. Many varie
ties are now not used for human food,
but are thrown away or used for ferti
lizer. Habit has confined our use of
fish to a few varieties, and inadequate
methods of commercial handling have
limited our use of these largely to only
certain days in the week. With better
marketing facilities, with better under
standing of how to use the most varie
ties, with proper preservation by
smoking and salting and by establish
ing plants for frozen fish, we can in
crease greatly our supply and thus: re
lieve largely the pressure due to the
inadequate supply of meat. We only
have to harvest our own fish supply.
It feeds itself. Every fish eaten is
that much gained in solving the pres
ent problem of living. The products
of the land are conserved by eating
those of the sea.
Our Duty.
I have endeavored to show in previ
ous articles that the world is short of
food; that Europe is confronted with
the grim specter of starvation unless
from our abundance and our waste we
keep the wolf from the door. Not only
must we have a proper use of our food
supply in order that we may furnish
our allies with the sinews with which
they may fight our battles, but it is
an act of humanity towards fellow
men. women and children.
By the diversion of millions of men
from production to war. by the occu
pation of land by armies, by the iso
lation of markets, by belligerent lines,
and by the destruction of shipping by
submarines, not only has the home pro
duction of our allies fallen by over
500.000,000 bushels of grain, but they
are thrown upon us for a much larger
proportion of their normal imports for
merly obtained from other markets.
They have reduced consumption at
every point, but men in the trenches,
men in the shops, and the millions of
women placed at physical labor re
quire more food than during peace
times, and the incidence of their saving
and any shortage which they may suf
fer. falls first upon women and chil
dren. If this privation becomes too
great, their peoples cannot be main
tained constant in the war. and we will
be left alone to fight the battle of
democracy with Germany.
The problem of food conservation is
one of many complexions. We cannot,
and we do not wish, with our free in
: stitutions and our large resources of
food, to imitate Europe in its policed
rationing, but we must voluntarily and
intelligently assume the responsibility
before us as one in which everyone
has a direct and inescapable interest.
We must increase our export of foods
to the allies, and in the circumstances
of our shipping situation, these exports
i must be of the most concentrated
foods. These are wheat, flour, beef,
pork and dairy products. We have oth
er foods in great abundance which we
can use Instead of these commodities,
and we can prevent wastes in a thou
sand directions. We must guard the
drainage of exports from the United
States, that we retain a proper supply
for our own country, and we must
adopt such measures as will amelior
ate. so far as may be, the price condi
tions of our less fortunate. We might
so drain the supplies from the country
to Europe as by the high prices that
would follow to force our people to
shorten their consumption. This oper
ation of “normal economic forces”
would starve that element of the com
munity to whom we owe the most pro
tection. We must try to impose the
! burden equally upon all.
Action Must Be Voluntary.
There is no royal road Io food con
servation. We can only accomplish
this by the voluntary action of our
whole people, each element in propor
tion to its means. It is a matter of
equality of burden: a matter of min
ute saving and substitution at every
point in the 20.000,000 kitchens, on the
20,1X10,000 dinner tables and in the 2,-
000,(XX) manufacturing, wholesale and
retail establishments of the country.
The task is thus in its essence the daily
individual service of all the people.
Every group can substitute and even
the great majority of thrifty peoplo
can save a little —and the more luxuri
ous elements of the population can by
reduction to simple living save much.
The final result of substituting othbr
products and saving one pound of
wheat flour, two ounces of fats, seven
ounces of sugar and seven ounces of
meat weekly, by each person, will,
when we have multiplied this by one
hundred million, have increased our
exports to the amounts absolutely re
quired by our allies. This means no
more than that we should eat plenty,
but eat wisely and without waste.
Food conservation has other aspects
of utmost importance. Wars must be
paid for by savings. We must save
in the consumption in commodities and
the consumption of unproductive la
bor in order that we may divert our
manhood to the army and to the shops.
If by the reduction in consumption of
labor and the commodities that it pro
duces and the diversion of this saving
to that labor and those commodities
demanded by the war, we shall be able
to fight to eternity. We can mortgage
our future savings for a little while,
but a piling up of mortgages is but a
short step toward bankruptcy. Every
atom that we save is available for sub
scription to Liberty bonds.
The whole of Europe has been en
gaged ever since the war began in the
elimination of waste, the simplification
of life, ami the increase of its indus
trial capacity. When the war is over
the consuming power of the world will
be reduced by the loss of prosperity
and man power, a'nd we shall enter a
period of competition without parallel
in ferocity. After the war, we must
maintain our foreign markets if our
working people are to be employed.
We shall be in no position to compete
if we continue to live on the same
basis of waste and extravagance on
which we have lived hitherto. Simple,
temperate living is a moral Issue of the
first order at any time, and any other
basis of conduct during the war be
comes a wrong against the interest of
the country and the interest of
democracy.
The impact of the food shortage of
Europe has knocked at every door of
the United States during the past three
years. The prices of foodstuffs have
nearly doubled, and the reverberations
of Europe’s increasing shortage would
have thundered twice as loudly dur
ing the coming year even had we not
entered the war, and it can now only
be mitigated if we can exert a strong
control and this in many directions.
We are today in an era of high
prices. We must maintain prices at
such a level as will stimulate produc
tion. for we are faced by a starving
world and the value of a commodity to
the hungry is greater than its price.
As a result of the world shortage of
supplies, our consumers have suffered
from speculation and extortion. While
wages for some kinds of labor have
increased with the rise in food prices,
in others, it has been difficult to main
tain our high standard of nutrition.
By the elimination of waste in all
classes, by the reduction in the con
sumption of foodstuffs by the more for
tunate. we shall increase our supplies
not only for export but for home, and
by increased supplies we can help in
the amelioration of prices.
For Better Distribution.
Beyond this the duty has been laid
upon the food administration to co-op
erate with the patriotic men in trades
and commerce, that we may eliminate
the evils which have grown into our
system of distribution, that the bur
den may fall equitably upon all by res
toration. so far as may be, of the nor
mal course of trade. Ir is the purpose
of the food administration to use its
utmost power and the utmost ability
that patriotism can assemble to ameli
orate this situation to such a degree as
may be possible.
The food administration is assem
bling the best expert advice in the
country on home economics, on food
utilization, on trade practices and
trade wastes, and on the conduct of
public eating places, and we shall out
line from time to time detailed sugges
tions. which if honestly carried out by
such individuals in the country, we be
lieve will effect the result which we
must attain. We are asking every
home, every public eating place and
many trades, to sign a pledge card
to accept these directions, so far as
their circumstances permit, and we are
organizing various instrumentalities to
ameliorate speculation. We are ask
ing the men of the country who are
not actually engaged in the handling
of food to sign similar pledges that
they shall see to it. so far as they are
able, that these directions are followed.
We are asking all who wish us well
and who undertake our service to be
come actual members of the food ad
ministration. just as much volunteers
in national service as we ourselves are.
so that thus the food administration
may not be composed of a small body
of men in Washington and a smxll
representation in each state, but may
become a body of 50,(X)0,000 people,
devoted absolutely to the services of
democracy. We hope to see the in
signia of membership in every patri
otic window in the country.
Autocracy finds its strength In its
ability to impose organization by
force from the top. The essence of
democracy consists in the application
of the initiative in its own people. If
individualism cannot be so organized
as to defend itself, then democracy is a
faith which cannot stand. We are
seeking to impose no organization from
the top. We are asking the American
people to organize from the bottom up,
and this is the essence of democracy
itself.
The call of patriotism, of humanity
and of duty rings clear and insistent.
We must heed it if we are to defend
our ideals, maintain our form of gov
ernment, and safeguard our future wel
fare.
