The Monticellonian., 1917-08-23

the great majority of thrifty people can save little-and the more luxuri- ous clements of the population can by reduction to simple living save much. The final result of substituting other products and saving one pound or 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 little while, but 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- Da onH cinra ha hanan In tho elimination of waste, the simpitication of life, and the increase of it's 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, and 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 extravaganza on which we have lived hitherto. Simple temperate living is 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 al such level as will stimulate produe- tion, for We are faced by starving world and the value of 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 ill 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 i'll 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 ir the amelioration of prices.
 For Better Distribution.
 Beyond this the duty has been laid upon the food administration to coop crate with the patriotic men in trades and commerce, that we may eliminate the evils which have grown into oul system of distribution, that the bur den may fall equitably upon all by res toration, so far as may be, of the nor maj course of trade. It is the purpose of the food administration to use its utmost power and the utmost ability that patriotism can assemble to ameli crate this situation to such degree as may be possible.
 The food administration is assem- bling the best expert advice in tht country on home economies, on fooC utilization, on trade practices anC trade wastes, and on the conduct oi 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 wt must attain. We are asking every home, every public eating place and many trades, to sign a pledge carC to accept these directions, so far as their circumstances permit, and we are organizing various instrumentalities tt ameliorate speculation. We are ask ing the men of the country who art not actually engaged in the handling of food to sign similac pledges thar they shall see to it, so far as they art able, that these directions are followed We are asking all who. wish us wei 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 smal representation in each state, but may become a body of 50,000,000 people devoted absolutely to the services ot l democracy. We hope to see the in signia of membership in every patri otic window in the country.
 Autocracy finds it's strength in it! ability to impose organization b! force from the top. The essence ot democracy consists in the application of the initiative in its own people, |