HOOVER TELLS OF
FOOD SHIN
Administrator Issues Message
on Conservation.
IS GREAT PROBLEM OF WAR
Am*' ca*» Production ind Need* of the
Allied Notion* Set Forth—What
We Must Do to Keep Wolf
From the Door.
WstJiiBftw. Aiiy. is*.—Herbert C.
H<"’ier. I'mitd State- fowl adminis
trator. tialii Ivotnl tn the American
Jiut l-e hi- statement covering the food
Nlu'iou a* it lum riift* and the ne
matjr of cm.-erviny the fond re
e-uf e. of the nation tu provide for
the future dunny the continuance of
the v ar. The statement follow -:
K»<d is alwa)s more or le-« of a
proln.ua tn every plia«e of it- produc
tion. handling and consumption. It is
a prid.i.tu with every farmer, every
trail-porter and seller. every house
holder It U * problem with every
touts -’ te and nation. And now, very
r»<ts-ps--uou»!y. It U a proldetn with
three great group- of ttatious. namely,
the allies, the central empire- ami the
neutral*: In a word It 1- a yre-.it inter
national proldetn.
The food problem today of our own
littta-n. therefore ha- a- it- most cotl
»!<;• in us pha-.- an iuteruattoiial charac
ter. A -uIRi lent and reyular supply
of ff*l for the maintenance of the
great held artnie- of our hyhtiny ailies
!.m! vif their »o le— great iirtnies of
worVi!:y men and lurkin; wittm-u in
w war inounnc*. aiui nnaiiy mr tiu*
Bunatrumir «»f the wotm-ti ami chil
dren in the home, is an absolute ne
cessity. second to no other, for the
BKo*.fal prosecution of the war for
liberty la the providing of this food
for the gre*t allied (<>mJ |«h>1. the Unit
ed State* {dais a predominant part.
With the pre*ent diversion of tens of
in iiton* of men from the farms into
ttie fighting and industrial armies, re
sult ng in a marked lessening of food
I r»«dtt<-ti.«n. and the present necessity
«<f increasing the dally ration of other
Bullion* of men turned from sedentary
occupation- into tk'-e of strenuous
1 bj -nal lalstr. re-ulting in a marked
jncre-'-e of nvi-'.tuptiou. this deficiency
between the food needs and the food
production of the ullie* leo'turs great
er 'hen tier, with the COT1sequence of
a large i;, rn » in the food quantities
imi wrativelv Deeded from the I'llltoil
V 'e- i* tic* allied armies are to lie
able to “carry «*n,“
World's Larder Examined.
This l% a ^* !i«-ral of a (i«n*
<iitidita w !ii*h ••flkljr t«» K** «*labor>
UoJ if* dH«il to «how ju*f ulmt w**
luiv*- t#» *!«•. Tb** timr Jm* (time wb#*n
thi* drtailHl ran Ik* mad*.
«*ur Uarw*? and tlir Butrirt**t* <»f Ku
n*»* ram n-m » •e forecast. We can
also «urie> «»ur combined stocks of
ford animals; in other word*. the size
of that |iart of the world's larder on
Which we and the allies can draw for
the next twelve month* can now he es
timated. This estimate shows at once
that it contain* too little for our own
and our allies use unless we all ad
minister the supply with the greatest
care and wisdom. The allies! people*
are energetically undertaking this ad
ministration. It lie* now with us to
do our jmrt. If we fail, the |H*>ple of
the allies cannot tie maintained at war.
Their soldier* i-annot light without
ft»*l A certain definitely determina
ble pert of that f-ssl must route from
u« let us then examine carefully the
world's lard- r as it appear* today, or
so lunch of it as is at our disposal.
I propose to review the situation
firs! as regard- the cereals, second, as
regards food animat* and their prod
ucts. third, a* regards sugar, fourth,
as regard* Vegetables, fifth, a* regards
fish and sea foods, and. finally, as re
gards our duty In the matter.
Cereals.
Tlw* 11*17 h*rv»-»t is now so far ad
vanced that »e may compare it with
previous production, and with the de
mands which are cuinjt to lie made on
it.
Table No. 1 i* given to show the
normal peace source* „f the annu.-fl
•niptWe* of France. Italy, the United
Kingdom and Itelglum. Is-ing an aver
age of the three-year (ire-war period.
It will tie sen from this table that
the normal imports of wheat are 381.
gSnasi bushels and of other cereals
bushel* The estimate of
the 1917 harvest in the aili«*l countries
based upon crop rcfort* from these
'outline*, is as follows:
Probable Av. nor- Deficiency
f°*w- HUT pro- mal poo In prod'n.
modify dwrte.n du<t.<m due to war
*’b**t -- S».” .•«*! !#*.«•** 1K.W6.Oju
<■**« **««•«• I7i.pw.aun at.cc.444
:*wt» — se.ix m w. ■**> 3j.cK.1y*
Barley ... *1.B6.u» 13.3J1.4CC ni.CP <«<■
Bye . 41.tr.WO 3U3.44C 3t».Mj.<*«
Tara] . •*> ?*4 4W l «K.«f* <*>• SS.«C «*•
In «*rder to |>mvide normal consump
tMd It would therefore tje necessary to
Import in the nest 12 months a total
af 61 jjMff0 bushels of wheat and
J74.Otai.4SKt bushel* of other cereals.
The prospective {wtsition of our own
and the Canadian harvest Is given In
UN# No 2.
Our crops, especially our corn crop,
cannot yet he ronsiitered as certain,
hut If all mature aafdy. North Atuer
.ca urtU have an apiurent surplus of
«b#at of 2tK.OOti.OOti bushels and of
»ther cereals of about 800.000.000
Demand an Our Crops.
The alHea are Isolated from those
mark els. other than Canada and the
, ' — - ■ ■ ^
TABLE NO. 1.
Imports Imports Net Imports
Commodity. Production. from from Other Con
i'. S. Canada. Sources, sumption.
Wheat c,90 677 000 79.426,000 112,900,000 1SS.47S.OOO 974.4S5.00o
Ccrn .121*109*000 10.S11.000 135,675.000 266.596.000
Oats .570*890 000 6.783,000 16,580,000 88,612.000 682,865,000
Jtarlev.125o01*000 4.946.000 6.660.000 63,030.000 199.793.000
Rye 78:573^0 sei.ooo 60,000 11,337x00 90,537,000
To,al .1,486.448.000 102.533.C00 136.200,000 4S7,134.000 2,214,276,000
TABLE NO. 2.
Average Probable Add possible
Probable Normal 17. S. V. S. Canadian
Commodity I' S1917 Consumption Surplus Surplus
; Wleat " 67S 000 060 590.304.000 88,000.000 120,000.000
, ,r., .. 3 124 000,000 2.653.BS.000 470,000,000 63.000,000
I Cat* . 1 453 000 000 1.148.713,000 304,000.000 30,000.000
Har ev . . 214 000 000 178.829,000 35.000,000 9.000.000
j Rye 56.100,000 35.S66.000 20,200.000 18.000.000
Totals .5.525.100.000 4.607.410,000 917,200.000 239.000,000
| Fnited States, on which they were ac
I eiistoincil to rely before the war. Tin*
! Itussinn supply cannot be got out.
Bulgarian and Roumanian supplies are
, in the hands of the central empires.
. Tlie voyage from Australia and India
is three times as long and therefore
requires three times as many tons of
~ i' required from North At
• lantie pi its. 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 anil tlit* new harvest from
that quarter will not he available in
Kitrope until next spring. As already
said, all the allied countries are and
have been for some time rigorously ad
ministering and economizing their
food. Ill Belgium, the relief commis
sion h: s been compelled to reduce the
«*niisu!nptlon of cereals by nearly 50 ;
per cent: ibis brings the food supply
sn low that the population are in
capable of labor.
From the above tables it will lie
seen that on normal bases of eonsump- i
tion the total allied wheat import re
quirements are 577.000.tH)0 bushels !
against a North American surplus of \
it im <10.000 bushels—and from our
rnltc'l States supplies we must re
serve a certain amount for neutrals
from which we receive vital supplies j
and also an amount to protect our I
stock* better next year man tm* nisi.
There I' therefore on normal con- j
sumption a deficit of over 400,000.0(10
bushels. In the other cereals used in
Europe mostly for animal feed, the
import nee. ssjties of the allies on nor
mal consumption basis are about 074.
ntxHsai against a North American stir- i
I us of <Crft.ono.OtiO. Hut again a re- '
s. rve for neutrals and Increased "car- !
ry over" will absorb all the margin. |
In any event it means we must multi- j
ply our exports of these cereals 29 |
times However, upon the basis of our j
present crop prosjiects we should he t
able to supply their requirements in j
cereals other than wheat.
Wheat Situation Difficult.
Tlie situation in wheat Is one of .
erect difficulty and concern, and must
be met by an elimination of waste and
reduction of consumption on the part j
of the allied peoples and ourselves, in
one wortl. by an effective administra
tion of the available supply.
The allies tire unable to use other
eere;.!* alone for bread. They can
use them only as added to wheat flour j
to make the wiir bread now in uni- j
versal use in European countries. Ex- j
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 t.e shipped in great quantities.
Moreover, for generations they have
■ bought bread from the bakeries; they |
have no equipment nor do they know |
Inc. to hake in the household. Every j
At . rican knows that it is infeasible
to distribute corn bread from bakeries,
and it i* therefore necessary for us
to furnish our allies with sufficient
wheat to enable them to have a wheat
I *is for the loaf. However, they can
use and must use other cereals for
mixture In their war bread, and by
thi* substitution and by savings on
their part a great deal can be accom
plished. On the other hand, a deficit
of 4(*loot 1.000 bushels can be at least
partially overcome if we can Increase
our exports from RS.000,000 to 220,
<mm• <mm> or nearly triple. This can he
accomplished if we will substitute one
pound of other cereals for one pound
of wheat flour weekly per person; that
I i«. if we reduce our consumption of
wheat flour from five pounds per week
to four pounds per week per person,
i It will l.e no privation to us and will
reduce the privation of our allies.
ryuu nmmaia.
Owing to the ascending standard of !
living, the world was already strained
to supply enough animal products to j
i meet the demand before the war be
gan. Tlie war lias injected into an al
ready difficult situation a number of
vicious conditions wldch arc jeopardiz
ing the ultimate animal products sup
ply of the world. The production of
fodder in Europe hns been diminished
by the diversion of productive labor to
war. and its import lias been curtailed i
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 animal, are decreasing.
A canful estimate of the world's
food animal position shows the follow
ing |»isition:
Decrease
Increase or In other
decrease t>ecrease countries
Enited western including Total net
States allies enemies decrease
Cattle 7.0WVO0 8,42(i.OOO 26,750,000 28,080,000
Sheep 3.000.006 17.S00.O00 34.000,000 54,500.000
Hogs 6.275.000 7.100,000 31.600,000 32,425,000
33,020,000 92,350,000 115.006.000
The problem facing the American
people Is not only one of supplying
the Immediate demand of the allies, but
one which is more far-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 the demand outruns further every
day the decreasing production, ns 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, tin*
nearest market. Shipments from the
Australasian, South American and
front 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 hv 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.
1!I3.IN(0 pounds.
The impact of European demand
upon our animal products will be
maintained for a long period of years
after peace. \Ve can contemplate a
high range of prices, for meat and
for animal products for many yetys to
come. \Ve 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 he working in their own ul
timate interest in laying the founda
tion of larger herds and flocks, hut
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 00 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 in
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. June 30,1913.'
Butter .4,457.000 lbs. 13.487,000 lbs.
Cheese . 3.780.000 lbs. 44.304.000 lbs
Cond. milk....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 cattle are decreasing
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 he
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 tire 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 fulling 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 anti
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.
i ne sugar supply on u nion our nines
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 lias been greatly diminished.
Before the war. Europe supplied in a
large measure its own needs, through
the production of beet sugar, ns 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. Consunip Surp. (t)
(short (short or defi
tons) tons) ciency (-)
Germany .2,525.899 1.299.5S5 tl.226.314
Austria .1,651.8.89 679.204 t 972,686
Russia .1,659.947 1,322.285 t 337,662
United
Kingdom. 2.066.001) -2,056.000
France . 752.542 704.S30 t 47.712
Italy . 211.050 190,000 t 21,050
Belgium . 279.918 120.358 t 159.660
Holland . 246.146 131,538 t 114.60S
As appears from the table. France.
Italy, Russia and Relgium 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 75,000 tons, and they
are therefore short 590.000 tons. The
displacement of United Kingdom sup
plies nmounts 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. Of this, 2,000,000 tons
must come from new sources.
The disturbance of shipping re
duces the tonage available and drives
the demand to a large degree upon the
nearest markets, the United States
and the West Indies. This field lias
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 Hast 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 !H) 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 2.8.1,000,0( H i bushels last
year to over 400.000.00d 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 110 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 hist
year. There is an increase in the acre
age of late onions of about f*4 per cent
over the area harvested in 1016.
Fish snd 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,
hut tire 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 untier
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 ilseif. Every fish eaten is
that much gained in solving the pres
ent problem of living. The products
of die 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 tlie 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 Ko
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
must be of the most concentrated
foods. These are wheat. Hour, beef,
pork and dairy products. We have oth
er foods in great abundance which we
can use instead of these commodities,
and we cnn prevent wastes in a thou
sand directions. We must guard the
drainage of exports from the Vnited
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 ns 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 to 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
20.000. 000 dinner tables and in the 2.
000,000 manufacturing, wholesale nnd
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 people
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 othtr
products and saving one pound of
wheat Hour, 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 tlie amounts absolutely re
quired by our allies. Tills 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 in
I Kir in order that we may divert out
i manhood to the army and to the shops.
If by tlie reduction in consumption ol
; labor and tlie commodities that it pro
i duces and the diversion of this saving
j to that labor and those commodities
j demanded by the war, we shall he able
; to light to eternity. We can mortgagi
our future savings fur 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
i gaged ever since the war began in tic.
elimination of waste, the simplificatior
of life, and the increase of its indus
trial capacity. When the war is ovet
tlie consuming power of tlie world will
lie reduced by the loss of prosperity
and man power, and we shall enter a
period of competition without parallel
in ferocity. After the war, we must
maintain our foreign markets if oui
working people art* to be employed.
We shall be in no position to compete
if we continue to live on the saint
basis of waste and extravagance or
which we have lived hitherto. Simple
temperate living is a moral issue of tin
first order at any time, and any othei
basis of conduct during the war be
comes a wrong against the interest of
the country and the interest ol
democracy.
The impact of the food shortage ol
Europe has knocked at every door oi
the United States during the past thref
years. The prices of foodstuffs havt
nearly doubled, and the reverberations
of Europe's increasing shortage woulc
have thundered twice as loudly dur
ing the coming year even had we nol
entered the war. and it can now only
be mitigated if we can exert a stront
control and this in many directions.
We are today in an era of higt
prices. We must maintain prices a
such a level as will stimulate produc
tion. for we are faced by a starvlnf
world and the value of a commodity t<
the hungry is greater than its price.
As a result of the world shortage ol
supplies, our consumers have sufferer
from speculation and extortion. Whih
wages for some kinds of labor hav»
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 al
classes, by the reduction in the con
sumption of foodstuffs by the more for
tunnte. we shall increase our supplies
not only for export hut for home, anc
by increased supplies we can help ir
the amelioration of prices.
ror Dcner uisyiuuuon.
Beyond this the duty has been laic
upon the food administration to co-op
erate with the patriotic men in trade;
and commerce, that we may eliminate
the evils which have grown into out
system of distribution, that the bur
den may fall equitably upon all by res
torntion, so far as may be. of the nor
mal course of trade. It is the purpost
■ of the food administration to use it;
' utmost power and the utmost ability
that patriotism can assemble to ameli
j orate this situation to such a degree a.‘
j may be possible.
The food administration is assent
j bling the best expert advice in tin
I country on home economics, on fooc
; utilization, on trade practices anc
i trade wastes, and on the conduct of
I 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 w<
must attain. We are asking every
home, every public eating place anc
many trades, to sign a pledge cart
to accept these directions, so far a;
their circumstances permit, and we art
organizing various instrumentalities t<
ameliorate speculation. We are ask
ing the men of the country who art
not actually engaged in the handling
of fowl to sign similar pledges tha
; they shall see to It, so far as they art
able, that these directions are followed
We are asking all who wish us wel'
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 administratioc
may not be composed of a small body
of men in Washington and a small
representation in each state, but may
become a body of 50,000,000 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. II
individualism cannot be so organized
as to defend itself, then democracy Is a
faith which cannot stand. We art
seeking to impose no organization from
the top. We are asking the Americas
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.
VEWLY RICH DISTURB TOKYO
•Mial Climber. Known in Japan a*
“Narakin," Thom in the Side of
Princo Yamapata.
The Japanese bare a word to de
scribe the aoareav riche type "f stock
^wcwlator. The; call him a “narakin."
Tha latent tale abont this class ap
pear* In the Tokyo Torodru:
A Mr. Salto, who had amassed a for
tune in the stock market, developed a
desire to get into the same atmosphere
with the great people of Japan. Mar
shal 1'rinee Yamagata, foremost of Ja
pan's elder statesmen, some years ago
erected u splendid house at Odawara,
a suburb of the capital, and upon a
site that commanded a superb view of
Mount Fujiyama. Now, this Saito has
paid a fabulous price for a large es
tate located on the Iriyama hill, higher
up than the mansion of the distin
guished prince, and hns erected there
on a charming country house. His
architect located the building so that it
shut out the view from the famous
Kokian or “house of rare age,” by
which name the prince's villa was
known, of beloved and revered Mount
Fuji. To quote the vernacular jour
nal: “The ‘honse of rare age,’ built
when the prince had attained seventy
years—described by Confucius as ‘the
rare age’—is no longer a quiet bower
to which the aged Yamagata can re
pair at all seasons and enjoy rest from
the distracting worries of national pol
itics. His view is obstructed by the
haikara house of the narikln. The
prince hasn't visited Odawara this
summer.”
Few Feet Are Perfect.
How many bones In your feet? Most
likely you don’t know. Few people do,
and It Is usually a surprise to learn
that there are so many and that the
foot is about the most complicated
and delicately constructed part of the
body. That Is, perhaps, the reason
why at least 75 per cent of all adults
have some kind of foot trouble.
] Dr. WilliamM. Scholl of Chicago, an
* ,
authority on foot troubles and their
mechanical correction, says not one
adult In 100 has feet that are com
pletely free from defects. He has made
a life study of the subject and has
patented a great number of appli
ances for correct trig defective condi
tions and giving comfort.
Dog Aids War Horses.
In Victoria, British Columbia, there
is a successful collector for the Blue
Cross fund for horses disabled In war.
His name is Prince and he Is a New*
foundland. For months, with his box
decorated with the Blue Cross,
strapped to his collar, Prince has
served his king and country as faith
fully and as true as any subject of
George V, by petitioning alms for the
horses wounded and suffering in the
great war.
Wise.
“A man should take the bull by the
horns," advised the sage.
“Yes,” agreed the fool. “The trouble
Is to find a bull that will stand for it"
ittuvnb , * j*|
J) SHOTGUN
FOR TEN DOLLARS
And Filed on Western Canada
Land. Now Worth $50,000.
Lawrence Bros, of Vera, Saskatche
wan, are looked upon as being amongst
the most progressive farmers in West
ern Canada. They have had their
"ups-and-downs,” and know what it
is to be in tight pinches. They perse
vered, and are now in an excellent
financial position. Their story is an
interesting one. Coming in from the
states they traveled overland from
Cnlgnr.v across the Battle river, the
Red Deer river, through the Eagle
Hills and on to Battleford. On the
way their horses were stolen, but this
did not dishearten them. They had
some money, with which they bought
more horses, and some provisions.
When they reached Battleford they
had only money enough to pay their
ferriage over the Saskatchewan river,
and this they had to borrow. It was
In 1906 that they filed on homesteads,
having to sell a shotgun for ten dol
lars In order to get sufficient money to
do so. Frank Lawrence says:
“Since that time we have acquired
altogether a section and a half of
land, In addition to renting another
three quarters of a section. If we
had to sell out now we could probably
realize about $50,000, and have made
all this since we came here. We get
crops in this district of from 30 to
85 bushels of wheat to the acre and
oats from 40 to 80 bushels to the acre.
Stock here pays well. We have 1.700
sheep, 70 cattle and 60 horses, of which
a number are registered Clydes.”
Similar successes might be given of
the experiences of hundreds of farm
ers throughout Western Canada, who
have done comparatively as well. Why
should they not dress well, live well,
have comfortable homes, with all mod
ern equipments, electric light, steam
heat, pure ventilation, and automo
biles. Speaking of automobiles it will
be a revelation to the reader to learn
that during the first half of 1917, 16.
000 automobile licenses were Issued in
Alberta, twice as many as in thp whole
of 1916. In Saskatchewan, 21.000 li
censes were issued up to the first of
May, 1017. In its monthly bulletin for
June the Canadian Bank of Commerce
makes special reference to this phase
and to the general prosperity of the
West in the following:
“Generally speaking the western
farmer is, in many respects, in a much
better position than hitherto to in
crease his production. Two years of
high prices for his products have en
abled him, even with a normal crop,
to liquidate a substantial proportion
of his liabilities and at the same time
to buy improved farm machinery. His
prosperity is reflected in the demand
for building materials motor ears
and other equipment. It is no doubt
true that some extravagance Is evi
denced by the astonishing demand for
motor cars, but it must be remembered
that many of these cars will make for
efficiency on the farm and economize
both time and labor.”—Advertisement
USES TURF INSTEAD OF COAL
Switzerland, On Account of the War.
Is Forced to Fall Back on
Peat as Fuel.
According to a report to the depart
ment of commerce from William P.
Kent, consul at Berne. Switzerland,
the exigencies of war, the lack of de
veloped coal deposits, and the inability
to import coal In quantity sufficient tq
meet the needs of the population have
Induced the Swiss government, through
a semi-official organization, known as
the Societe Co-operative Suisse de la
Tourbe, whose address is Berne, to re
sort to the use of turf or peat as a
substitute or to supplement the insuffi
cient supply of coal.
The association is in the market for
the purchase of improved machinery
for cutting, raising, drying, and com
pressing turf. Turf or peat as a fuel
is not a satisfactory and complete sub
stitute for coal, on account of its low
calorific properties, particularly for
steam generation, but in those por
tions of the United States where it
abounds it may be used to advantage
for domestic consumption by admix
ture with coal, not only saving the
cost of distant transportation of coal,
but producing sufficient heat at a
much reduced cost.
TRY A MEDICINE THAT
PROVES ITS VALUE
During the entire period of time that
I have been handling Dr. Kilmer’s Swamp
Root I have never beard a single com
plaint. My customers are generally pleased
with results obtained and speak words of
praise for the merits of the preparation.
Very truly yours,
GILL COMPANY, Druggist.
Per Julian J Gill.
Sept. 29, 1916. Starkville, Miss.
i ■■ 1 ..
uircr 10
Dr. Kilmer tr Co.
Binghamton, N.Y.
Prove Whet Swamp-Root Wflj Do For Yoo
Send ten cents to Dr. Kilmer 4 Co.,
Binghamton, N. Y., f°r a sample size
bottle. It will convince anyone. Yon
will also receive a booklet of valuable in
formation, telling about the kidneys and
bladder. When writing, be sure and men
tion this paper. Large and medium size
bottles for sale at all drug stores.—Adv.
Sportingly Considered.
"Remember the story of the hare
and the tortoise?”
"Yes.” replied Mr. Erastus Pinkley.
“But dat story don’t tell you miffin'
'bout de odds dot was posted agin de
tortoise. Dem long shots do cotne In
sometimes. But you kaln’t 'pend on
’em.”
Insistent.
"That.” said the physician, as he ex
amined the lump on the man's neck,
“is the remains of an old l*>l! that
started to come and then became en
cysted there.”
“Well.” said the unlettered patient,
"it has sure encysted on staying there.”
You can’t blame the truth fur being
^often hitter, jt_is_so_oft_cu mistreated
