The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-05-11
BRIT ain TO Give
UP ITS MEATLESS
DAY EXPERIMENT
Find It Increased Demand
For Bread aid 9th
er Food.

London, May 11.-Great Britain's
"meatless day. is to be abolished be-
cause it augments the demand on
! bread-stuffs and other substitutes
which are less plentiful than meat.
This was announced recently by Ba-
ron Davenport, the Food Controller,
in. the House of Lords. He said that
a diminution in the consumption of
breadc--ffs was of vital moment and
| a main factor in the situation, but
| he added:
| Provided that the call for a reduc-
ton is responded to and the efforts
| of the submarines are not successful
/, beyond reasonable likelihood, we shall
| get through with fairly satisfactory
balance in hand to the time when the
new harvest becomes available
| The Food Controllers pronounce
ment was made in answer to a ques-
| ton by Baron Buckmaster, who asked
| If the Government could make any
statement regarding the position of
food supplies, and whether the Gov
eminent proposed to take any innme-
| date steps to make certain that such
supplies should be equally distributed
| among all classes of the population,
Continuing his reply, Lord Davenport
said: ~
| LAS recently stated, the consump-
ton of bread has not yet been suffi-
GENTLY reduced in the country gener-
ally. Large classes of the commun-
1ty ,have diminished their consump-
| ton, but the pressure upon the work.
ing classes, owing especially to the
| shortage of potatoes and the severity
| of ir,fo he
been SO great that it has almost been
impossible until recently for them,
however willing, to cut down their
| bread consumption.
/, SIN the meantime, the food cam
paign, which is being conducted with
great energy by the National War Saw
| ings Committee ana by various other
methods, has been greatly stimulated
Itby the action of his Majesty in the
proclamation promulgated last week.
| Thought it takes some time to bring
home to the populace generally the
reality of the situation, the efforts
now being made are cumulative, and
we may confidently expect that in the
course of the next few weeks they will
| realize substantial results. Apart,
however, from the actual consumption
of bread, the quantity of wheat which
this country requires will be lessened
by reason of the fact that all flour
must contain-ufider my milling or
lders-10 per cent. more of the contents
i of wheat or grain than in normal
times and must also have at least 10
per cent of other breadstufs mixed
with it. I may find it necessary still
further to increase the extraction of
flour from wheat and to augment its
admixtuTe with other cereals
Discussing the supply of other high
ly important neeessaries, Lord Dew
onport said that the imports of meats
since the first of January were little
less than in the corresponding period
Of last year, and that the home herds
were as large, If not larger than at
any previous period.
4 with little prospect Of a meat
shortage so long as my quotas were
adhered to-" he continued, 1--WE de-
cided to abolish the meatless day en-
forced by the May meals regulation
order, as having a. tendency to aug
ment the demand on fbreadstuffs and
other substitutes which were less
plentiful in supply, than meat. The
supplies of what are technically
known as fats, such as butter, marga-
rine, and lard, have SO far been bet
ter this year than last year.
Regarding the necessity of equal
ity of supply among all classes of the
people, Lord Davenport said:
''In view of the increase of subnna-
rine activity, and being determined
to take no risks of shortage; we
thought it expedient that preliminary
steps should be taken for a system of
: rationing our people to be set up at
r the earliest moment so that it could
be brought into force then If requir-
led. AS this system Wi1I> have to be
administered by the local authorities.
some time must necessarily be occu-
pied in preparing them for the dis
charge of their duties.''
This part of Lord Devenport's
speech undoubtedly was intended as
an answer to the demands which are
being made by a number of newspa-
pers that the rationing system be put
into effect Immediately. The con-
troversy over this point is being wag-
ed with considerable heat.
Lord Davenport continued: @'The
most reliable method to secure equal
ity and certainty of distribution is tc
effect lit through the ordinary estab-
lished channels of trade. When cir
cumstances necessitate that these shall
be deviated from there is always dis
location and consequent irregularity
Ito be expected. But in war times
the machinery of trade may have tc
be wrenched from it's customary
| grooves to meet new conditions
The question Of beer versus food
. kwas discussed in the House of Com
mons recently. Many of the speak
ers criticised the Government for per-
uniting the brewers to use valuable
D food in the production of alcoholic
beverages. The debate elected nc
statement on the Government policy
with respect to the rumored State