Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-11-02
WHY TO SAVE FOOD, AND HOW
l. THE NECESSITY FOR CONSERVATION
By DR.. Raw LYMAN Wilbur.

By DR.. Ray Lyman Wilbur.
president of Leland Stanford University, Direc-
tor of Food Conservation in the Food Admins
tration.)
'Why?" is a catchword always on every Amer
leans tongue. In fact, no matter what the census
says, it always seems to me that Missouri must be
the largest state in the union, many people aver
they come from there and waiting to be
Shown" .
''Why?" At this time, when so much is being
said and written of food conservation. this eternal
query keeps cropping up in all sorts Of places and
from all sorts of people. That is both healthy
and hopeful sign, for it shows that Americans are
Interested And interest is the essential first step
toward any sort of progress. Nobody who Is bored
ever takes the trouble to ask "Why?" Perhaps that
is the reason nobody who is bored ever accom-
plishes anything.
Nowadays it is always cheering to when
anyone. either friend stranger demands with
challenge in his voice: why all this TODD about
food conservation" For 1 know that particular
man or woman is not putty, willing to acquiesce
about everything, but rather tough old hickory,
needing only conviction to go out and achieTe big
things.
question marks like bullets from machine gun.
It is good sign that Americans today are doing
that in regard to food conservation.
Why" the reiterated query. Just
WHY are we being urged to food in time OF
plenty? This country has always had enough to
eat And according to indications, sufficient food
stuffs are hand, or being raised, to go around
for u.s. Therefore, with all obvious wartime
burdens why should we ponder and fret over this
matter of food and its conservation
fair question, this, for it is put in all SINGER
ty None the less it fails absolutely to touch the
heart of the matter. The hour has strickland
that too, with a ringing tone-when Americans
have got to stop thinking of themselves and con-
slider others We're not playing solitaire any more,
sitting in cosy armchair with the lamplight shin
ing peacefully down upon the cards while the old
Tabby purrs and snoozes in our lap No; it's not
that sort of game any longer. We're out in the
CRIME and sweat and din and blood of battle,
O
and voluntary seIf-sacrifce shall enable us to
save from own food sufficient to supply the
wants Of others.
Now suppose that as nation, do not put
our shoulder to the Wheel either through careless
or wilful negligence. Suppose We do not play
up" Can such inaction be called mere Needless
ness or at worst national peccadillo, to be ex-
cused by future historians? Will it get off scot
free? Or will such negligence entail stern and i'm
mediate penalties? The answer is simple one,
so simple it may be put in ten words.
We've got to conserve our food or lose the war.
There it is stark, unvarnished threat, based
on a thousand different cOntributory causes, but
merciless in it's single truth. You may take it or
leave it, but there it stands And there it will
stand: Conservation or defeat. Not all the
sOphstries of placid optimiSts calculating OBJ
structionists shake that fact.
If the spirit of sef-sacrifce cannot persuade us
to action the instinct of self-preservation must.
But that instinct, showing us what must be done
to win the war, may come too late. Far speedier.
and far more effective in the end is the zeal which
bestirs itself for the sake of others.
Have you that zeal? And if not, are you doing
YOUR utmost to cultivate it?
straning every sinew and every brain cell and
every nerve to help those who are struggling for
the ideals which too hold sacred.
Or at least that is what We ought to be doing.
So you see, there is sort of mockery in ask
ing: 'Why save food? We don't need it," That
ia not the real issue. The real issue-and no is
sue was ever more white-hot and raZor-edged-is
that others, in other lands, do need food.
Our own boys lover there need it, And those
other boys, allies, need it. And their wives
and children need it. And we must supply it. And
the way to supply it is to save it.
When the patriotic American gets that
through his head he will stop asking "Why?" and
begin to ask. "How?"
That is the task ahead, and neither specious
argument nor the iuctuating fortunes of war can
serve to conceal minimize that task. Unless
we take measures to prevent it, what begins
privation over there must end starvation.
That is why conservation of food is neces-