The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1917-08-23

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| .States, that we retain u proper supply
| for our own country, and we must
| adopt such measures as will ameliO-
rate, 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-
alton OF normal economic forces"
would starve that element Of the COM
munity to whom we owe the most pro-
| lection. 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 proper
tion to Its means. 1t Is matter Of
equality of burden; a matter Of min
ute saving and substitution ut every
point in the 10000, 900 kitchens, on the
'2O,O0O,OO0 dinner tables and in the
1000, 900 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 people
can save little-and theemore luxuri-
Gus elements of the population can by
reduction to simple living save much.
The final result of substituting other
products and saving one pound OF
wheat -four. two ounces of fats, seven
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 SSpects
of utmost Importance. Wars must be
paid for by savings. We must save
in the consumption In commodities and
the consumption Of unprOductive la
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 since the war began in the
elimination of waste, the simplifcation
| 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
period of competition without parallel
| in ferocity. After the war, we must
maintain our foreign markets II 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 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 reverberati0ns
of Europe's increasing shortage would
have Numbered twice as loudly dur.
| ing the coming year even had we not
entered the wT.
We are today in an era of high
| prices. We must maintain prices at
| such level as will stimulate prOduc-
| ton, for we are faced by a starving
| world and the value of acOmmOdity to
| the hungry is greater than its price.
AS 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 nutritious.
| 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 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
toration, so far as may be. of the nor
NAL course of trade. 1t 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 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.
lions, which if honestly carried out by
1 such individuals in the country, we be-
.lieye will effect the result which we
must attain. We are asking every
home,1 every public eating place and
many trades, to sign pledge card
| to accept these directions, so far as
| their circumstances permit, and we are