The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-12-29
by Federal Food Administration for
North Dakota.o

I'VE must ask the American peo-
pie to sacrifice far more than was
at first thought necessary" says
Herbert Hoover, United states food
administrator, in his latest appeal TO
the American people.
The allies today ask for rs per
cent more meat and fats (pork, dairy
products and vegetable oils) than we
consider our monthly production per-
| mits us to send them without en-
trenching on our own supplies, or, on
the other hand, unless we can consume
less. Due to the shortage in ship
ping, our available sugar supplies
must be less than normal from the
present time forward"
It is also well known now that our
exportable surplus of wheat is all
gone. All that we can send to our
soldiers in France and to our assoc
| ciates in the war, will be what we
can save out Of the amount Of wheat
that we usually eat.
Just how much can we cut out Of
our daily rations Of wheat, meat,
fats and sugar? Almost everyone
will admit that we have been eat
ing more Of these food products than
We really need. At least we have
been using more than we need. What
we like and what we need are two
entirely different things.
The present day German sugar
ration according to official statistics
is just about one tenth of what we
Americans eat. Their wheat ration
is twenty-seven per cent lower than
our wheat consumption. Their meat
ration amounts to one-sixth Of the
meat we eat, while their fat ration
s. - " y
every assurance that the Germans
are sufficiently, even if not well. fed.
Judging from the best reports avail
able, their only serious shortage is
fats, especially dairy fats, which un-
fortunately bears hardest on the
children.
What does this mean? It must
mean either that we eat very much
more of these foods than we actual
ly need. or else that the German peo-
pie so manage their supplies that
they get more out of a given amount
than we do. and so conserve their
vital foods for vital needs.
There is a good deal OF evidence
that, in spite Of three years war and
a world shortage. we are still regard
ing food from the point Of view Of
our likes and not Of our necessities.
an example,: We made quite good
deal Of noise about that. Yet what
was the truth OF the matter? Why,
that our ninety -pound-p er-annum
appetite for sugar was hit a blow.
But the French are now on less than
thirteen pounds, and the Italians
are getting along on a nine-pound-
a-year ration, while the English, who
had a ninety three-pound-a year ap-
petite for sugar. have cut to twenty
six pounds.
The fact that the English people
can get along with no serious detri-
ment to their health on q great deal
less than third of the sugar they
used to consume, can only mean that
large part OF that consumption was
because OF a national sweet tooth,
and not national need.
But, after admitting that, we must
be very sure not to classify, our de-
mand for sugar altogether as a
mere taste. Sugar is as necessary to
the human body as coal is to a steam
engine. It gives it energy. 1t gives
II warmth. Clothes keep us warm.
Sugar makes us warm.
And that puts it up to us this way:
Many of the pounds of sugar we con-
sumo are over and beyond what we
need, and represent taste only. We
have on the scale before us our taste
for sugar and the allies need of II.
To which side are we going to send
the balances? Are we going to al
low our national sweet tooth to gnaw
at the warmth and energy OF those
who are paying the terrible price in
suffering and sacrifice for the free
dom of all OF us from Germany's de-
sire?