Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-03-20
CONTROL OF
FOOD BIG j. S. NEED,
SAYS NOTED EXPERT
Charles w. Perkins Urges That
States and Cities Create
Market Dep'ts to Operate
Under u. S. Supervision

NEW YORK, March 17.-"O1e of the
greatest problems the people of the
United States will have 40 face in case
of war is the food problem. And it
misAt be we'll to add that whether our
country is actually at war or not, so
far as the economic effects are concern
ed, we are in the war now and the prob
lem is upon US"
This is what George w. Perkins,
noted financier and business man, and
expert on the subject Of marketing and
food supplies, says.
eff war comes we shall find it neces-
sary to adopt some form OF centralized
control and direction of distribution OF
foodstuffs There are some things We
can do now. and ought to do at once.
Il believe every state should make
every possible effort to increase her
acreage Of crops planted.
THAT is going TO be difficult. Peo-
ME in the cities must realize this is not
a question of milk and honey for the
farmer. Everything he needs on the
farm has increased in price-and price
of labor has gone up so that in many
cases he will actually not ne able to ges
the help to plant his crops,
The states should do everything pos
courage the planting Of larger acreage.
And another thing is TO teach people
how To buy, prepare and use food. We
Americans, speaking freely, have come
to he a race of gluttons.s We eat more
than we need. and without any intelli-
rence as to the food content of what
we eat
att is literally true a European fam
lily in moderate circumstances can live
on what an American family wastes.
Here are potatoes selling above 50
busheI. as high as they are in Europe.
Is anybody talking. thinking. or giving
any attention to the great waste that
comes from peeling a potato before 1t
Is cooked? Not at all, and yet this re-
suits in wasting 20 per cent OF the food
value OF the potato-a bushel out OF
five thrown away!
''The European war has demonstrated
what we ought to have known anyhow,
that no nation can any longer live Its
independent, self-centered life. We arc
as much in the war now, so far as the
economic effect upon our people is con-
cerned, as If we had actually declared
war. And We ought long ago to have
taken steps to meet the food situation
that is upon US.
'The first step is for the various
states to create departments of market
and for the cities to do the same, all TO
be co-ordinated through the federal gov
eminent, for distribution OF information
so food products could be sent to the
market where they are needed in some
sort OF orderly fashion.
1--WE have state departments for most
everything else, such as education,
health, banking, Transportation. but lit
tie or nothing has been attempted by
the states to help or protect the people
in the important matter Of their food
supply.
"The next thing is establishment and
Encouragement of state-reeulated CO.
operative agencies by which collective
buying or selling may be conducted.
Cooperation, replacing wastes or
unrestricted competition, must come. We
cannot afford much longer to submit to
the wastes involved in the enormous du
riication of effort in the distribution OF
such commodities as milk in our large
cities.
Under the spur Of war conditions and
war prices. we will have to sweep aside
old prejudices and preconceived notions,
and erect a scientific fabric of food dis
tributfon, and methods of announcement
Of food production. that will insure first,
that the maximum OF food shall be pro-
duced, and, second. that u shall be dis
tributed to those who need It with the
minimum loss OF time. without duplica-
ton, friction, waste and spoilage that
now helps to raise the cost"