Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-08-24


rate, so far as may be. the price condi.
tons Of our less fortunate. w. might
so drain the supplies from the country
20 Europe as BY the higi. prices tha,
would follow To force Tar people to
shorten their consumption. This oper-
I alton Of normal economic forces
would starve that element Of the COM
munity 10 whom we eve the most pro-
lection. We must try to impose the
burden equally upon all
Action Must Sc Voluntary.
There Is no royal road to food CON
seryation- We can only accomplish
this by the voluntary action OF our
whole people. each element in proper
ton to its means. II is matter Of
equality Of burden; a matter Of min
ute saving and substitution at every
point in the 2O.OOOOOO kitchens, on the
2OOOO.OO0 dinner tables and 10 the
/ 2,OD0-OOO manufacturing. wholesale and
retail establishments Of the country.
/ The task IS thus in It's essence the daily
{ individual service Of all the people.
! Every group can substitute and even
I
can save little-and the more luxuri-
Gus elements Of the population can by
reduction to simple living save much
| The final result Of substituting other
I products and saving one pound OF
wheat flour, two ounces Of fats. seven
ounces of sugar and seven ounces OF
meat weekly, by each p-rsOn. viii,
u-beu ha r7rr1sfv.lfad rhsa - r.ra
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 s<pects
OF utmost Importance Wars must be
paid for by savings. We must save
in the consumption in commodities and
the consumption OF unprOductive Ia
Dor in order that we may divert our
manhood to the army and to the shops.
The whole Of Europe has been en-
gagged ever size the war began In the
elimination Of waste, the simpl,fication
OF life, and the increase Of its indus
trial capacity. When the war is over
the consuming power Of the world viii
be reduced by the loss OF prosperity
and man power. and we shall enter q
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 10 compete
II we continue TO live on the same
basis Of waste and extravaganza on
which We have lived hitherto. Simple.
temperate living is a moral issue Of the I
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 I
Of Europe's increasing shortage would
have Numbered twice as loudly dur
ing the coming year even had we not
entered the war.
We are today in an era of high
prices. We must maintain prices at
such q level as viii stimulate produc-
ton, for we are faced by a starving
world and the value Of a commodity 10
the hungry is greater than its price.
As 4 result OF the world shortage %
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, Il 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 foOdstuTs by the more for
tunate. we shall increase our supplies
not only for export but for home. and
by increased supplies we can help ii
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 our
system of distribution. that the bur
den may fall equitably upon all By res
-OratiOn. so far as may be. of the nor
NAL course of trade. 1t is the purpose
IF the food administration TO use its
utmost power and the utmost ability
hat patriotism can assemble 10 ameli-
,rate this situation 10 such q degree as
nay be possible.
The food administration is assem-
bling the best expert advice in the
on home economics, on food
on trade practices and
rade wastes, and on the conduct Of
public eating places. and we shall out
inc from time TO time detailed sugges-
ions. which If honestly carried out by
uch individuals in the country. we be- &
ieve will effect the result which We q
must attain We are asking every
lone, every public eating place and 9
many trades. TO sign q pledge card j
o accept these directions. so far as
heir circumstances permit. and we are