South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-12
FOOD SUPPLY IS Of.
VITAL IMPORTANCE
Or. Barnard LikenS- Nations
of World to Mother
Hubbard'S Day.

INDIANAPOLIS. Ind. Dec. 12.-
"Old Mother Hubbard
Went 20 She cupboard
To get her poor dog a bone.
But when she got there
The cupboard was bare
And so the poor dog got none
The foregoing nursery rhyme ex-
presses just what happened when
the nations OF the world went 10
war and looked around to see where
the food supply was coming from.
according 10 Dr. r. +. Barnard.
state food administrator, who has
s.ued the following statement on
he subject.
Even Germany, in all it's prep
arations for war. did not realize that
ts food supply was vitality important
I'D the success of its men at arms.
-ountry after country went 10 the
cupboard and found there a dimish-
ng food supply. This made il neces-
.ary 10 organize both for the pro-
duction and distribution of food.
Nearly every country has had its
hands at 10 and most of them have
mess OF the situation. They have
axed maximum prices and minimum
prices. They have regulated the pro-
duction and distribution of food.
They have put their peoples on ra-
tons
THE best system ON the whole. is
stiIl that Of Germany with a large
population and comparatively poor
land The poorest is that of Russia.
:, no with her millions OF acres Of
fertile lands. ought 20 have no food
problems at all
Mr. Hoover has said. Whether
we like IL or not we must deal with
the food problem Of war I'm one of
two ways There IS not enough food
10 go around if We stick 10 the
lavish methods Of peace times. We
must either control the supply OF
food bv using Il carefully or we
must increase wages as prices rise
in an effort 10 make one keep pace
with the other OF course food con-
,rol is better than wage increase for
wage increase is a crude force
which operates slowly and indefin-
itely. and with great injustice and
suffering 20 millions Of workers. The
wages Of many workers do not rise.
Professional men, clerical workers
and public employees are on the
same wage scale as before the war
when food prices were half what
they are today.
Russia tried the experiment OF
letting wages adjust themselves to
the dimishing food supply and it did
not work The intolerable pressure
of the food supply on the ordinary
peaceful citizen is largely responsi-
bic for the condition bordering on
anarchy which exists in Russia to-
day. Therefore. whether we like il
or not food control is the only way
ont Of the present serious situation.
With a sensible food control we
shall handle the matter of increased
food production and at the same
time see that food is used in an
economical way
Food control may cause misap-
urehension. tt may 30 looked upon
IS an interference with the ordinary
laws which regulate supply and de-
mand. The farmer may think that
3. penalties him at a time when no
price seems too high to pay for his
products. The consumer may feel
that 10 compels him TO pay more
than he ought for his bread. But
when the real reason for food CON
trol is understood and after the ma
-hinery Of the food administration
has become adjusted IL viii have to
he admitted that food control was
portant problem we have 10 face in
tms world war"