McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1917-08-24
HOW AMERICA CAN
FEED ITS ALLIES
Important Message to People
From Herbert c. Hoover,
Administrator.
WORLD SUPPLIES ESTIMATED
Increased Production, Elimination OF
Waste and Careful Control Of Food
Exports Form the Solution
of This War Problem.

Washington, Aug. 20--What the peo-
pie of the United States not only can
but must do in the matter of food pro-
duction and use In order to help win
the war Is set forth in detail in a
statement issued today by Food Ad-
ministrator Herbert G. Hoover. If we
fail to do our part In this respect, he
says, the people of the allies cannot be
maintained at war, for their soldiers
cannot fight without food.
The normal imports Of wheat and
other cereals by France, Italy, the
United Kingdom and Belgium, and the
estimates of the 1917 crop In those
countries compared to the normal pro-
duction are given by Mr.. Hoover in
tabulated form, and the conclusion is
drawn that in order to provide normal
consumption it will be necessary
for them to import In the next u
months 577,0O00O0 bushels of wheat
and 674,00O000 bushels of other eere-
ais. If the crops Of the United States
and Canada all mature safely, North
America will have, an apparent sur
plus of 20S,000,000 bushels of wheat
and 950,00O000 bushels of other cere-
ais. The allies, therefore, must use
other cereals than wheat for mixing
in their war bread, and the people of
America must reduce their consump-
ton of wheat flour from FIVE to four
pounds per week per person.
Decrease In Food Animals.
A careful estimate of the worlds
food animal position shows a total net
decrease of 115,O05,000, and this will
be greater as the war goes on. As
the increase of herds and flocks takes
years, we must reduce the consump-
ton, eliminate waste and carefully con-
troll meat exports.
Our home dairy products supplies
are decreasing, while our population is
increasing, and we must ship in
creasing amounts of such products to
our allies. Consequently this indus
try must be stimulated, and home
users must save the wastes In milk and
butter. Much the same may be said in
the case of sugar.
Mr.. Hoover urges greater con,
sumption of fish and sea foods, in
which our coasts and lakes are enor-
mously rich. The products of the land,
he reminds us, are conserved by the
eating of those of the sea.
Our Duty.
In conclusion the food administrator
says:
have endeavored to show In previ'
Gus articles that the world is short OF
food; that Europe is confronted with
the grim specter of starvation unless
from our abundance and our waste we
keep the wolf from the door. Not only
must we have proper use of our food
supply in order that we may furnish
our allies with the sinews with which
they may fight our battles, but 1t is
an act of humanity towards fellow
men, women and children.
BY the diversion of millions Of mer
from production to war, by the occu
patton of land by armies, by the iso.
lation of markets, by belligercnt lines
and by the destruction Of shipping by
submarines, not only has the home pro
duction Of our allies fallen by over
600,000,O0O bushels of grain, but they
are thrown upon us for much larger
proportion of their normal imports for
merly obtained from other markets.
They have reduced consumption al
every point, but men in the trenches
men in the shops, and the millions OF
women placed at physical labor re.
quire more food than during peace
times, and the incidence of their saving
and any shortage which they may suf.
fer, falls first upon women and chill.
dren. If this privation becomes toe
great, their peoples cannot be main.
tanned constant in the war; and we will
be left alone to fight the battle Of
democracy with Germany.
The problem OF 1000 conservation IL
one of many compilations. We cannot
and we do not wish, with our free In
situations and our large resources Of
food, to initiate Europe in its p0llced
rationing, but we must voluntarily and
intelligently assume the responsibility
before us as one in which everyone
has a direct and unacceptable interest
We must increase our export Of foods
to the allies, and in the circumstances
Of our shipping situation, these exports
must be Of the most concentrated
foods. These are wheat, -four, beef
pork and dairy products. We have 9th
err foods in great abundance which we
can use instead of these commodities
and we can prevent wastes In thou.
sand directions. We must guard the