Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-23
FOOD DISTRIBUTION A
PATRIOTIC DUTY

THE food situation has become Of far
greater importance and gravity than
the railroad crisis of last summer The
two conditions have one basic feature in
common--the necessity for keeping lines
Of transportation open in order to feed
and keep in health the inhabitants of the
great cities.
The Interstate Commerce Commission
and the railroads have acted with prompt
ness in dscardng train schedules and
urge patience until large supplies now on
the way arrive at eastern points Of dis
tribution. This must not be expected to
produce more than temporary relief, as it
is known that farmers are holding back
many hundrsds Of carloads of food for the
highest prices they can get. But the sales
that will shortly follow should tend to
lower prices sufficiently to break some of
the confidence of the farmers. who must
know by this time that they cannot hold
out to the starvation point. Thus trans.
portation facilities should first he assured.
1t must be remembered that in the
event of war we cannot depend upon the
emergency methods which the railroads
are now inclined voluntarily to adopt
Congress should give the Administration
the authority which Mr.. Wilson sought in
his address at the opening of the session
last December, when he asked for
the lodgment in the hands of the Ex-.
ecutive of the power, in case Of mill
tary necessity, to take control Of such
portions and such rolling stock of the
railways Of the country as may be re-
quired for military use and to operate
them for military purposes. with au-
thority to draft into the military service
of the United States such train crews
and administrative officials as the cir
cumstances require for their safe and
efficient use.
This military necessity may come at
| any moment, if, indeed, it may not be
considered to he here already i'm view OF
the fact that the navy is now being put
in readiness for possible action. call
for volunteers for the army would make
necessary the immediate provisioning of
large bodies of men concentrated in those
| eastern ports which at this moment are
feeling most keenly the need of the held.
back supplies.
What measures can be taken to put the
food prices within the reach of the poor
in the trying days of increased tension
to come, when all sources. of domestic
discomfort should be stamped out so that
united nation can face calmly it's danger
overseas, are debatable in a Congress
given overmuch to futile debate proc.
lamation by the President. appealing to
patriotic producers to abandon for the
time their speculative advantage, might
have some effect until a just means of
distribution could be worked out in
Congress.
Meapwhle the city and State authori.
ties should not be idle. Mayor Mitchell has
thrown himself into the breach with his
usual zeal in New York, and it is regret.
table that Mayor Smith is not in this city
to superintend the work of inquiry and
of temporary relief measures. If the situ-
alton does not improve today and tomor-
row, it may be necessary to take meas.
ures for relief by purchasing supplies
For this work. however, in the absence
of official service, doubtless good citizens
will volunteer in the emergency to make
all possible sacrifices to bring food to the
most needy.