Evening journal., 1917-07-03
THE WEAPONS
IN This WAR
BY HERBERT HOOVER

The weapons In this war are fight
ing men, munitions. food, ships and
finance. II we are to defend liberty
in this year 1917, all these must be
upon such a scale as will demand the
energies OF our whole people. In
previous wars small proportion Of
the community went to fight. another
small portion was devoted to their
support. but the great bulk OF the
nation did business as usual"
Autocracy has been for years or
ganizing its resources to the end that
they have placed one out OF seven
OF its population on the fighting line
and have so modified the civil popu-
lation as to afrorG them complete
support They have suppressed pro-
duction OF every luxury and reduced
even every necessity. Their arrogant
confidence that they will become
Masters OF the World" is based upon
their belief that The materlalism. the
selhshness and the jealousy of indi-
vidual interest in democracy makes It
impossible for IL TO organize such a
strength They do not deny the bray
cry OF the men Of DEMOCRACY in bat
tic, but they comfort themselves in
the belief that we have not the self
sacrifice at home for their support.
Our problem is not alone to mobilize
our civilian population for the sup
port OF our fighting men. but we also
have me responsibility OF the support
Of the fighting men Of our allies And
food is not the least OF their necessi-
tics. One OF the great Euroncan
statesmen has said. the war will ntI
be won by the last 100000 fighting
men, but win be won by the last 500.
GOO bushels of wheatp II IS within
our ability to give this last 500 600
bushels. but only n we Organize to
produce. organize 10 save, and organ
ize TO supply all.
We must feel our allies that their
people may remain constant in the
war. Liberty cannot be maintained
upon the empty stOmachs OF the
women and children Through the
drain OF war our allies have steadily
decreased In food production and
other agencies also curtailed their
supplies. Out Of our abundance, by
eliminating waste ana extravaganza,
IL is In our power. Ell in our power
alone. to hold the wolf from the. door
Of the world Our obi cation is great
er than war itself, humanity de-
mands IL OF us.
We must save in all food. We must
cat plenty but wisely and without
waste. II we save In our consumption
and our waste we can increase our
surplus to export; II we substitute
other commodities for those we can
export. we can further increase this
surplus.
Furthermore. by our economics we
can save a major portion of the cost
Of the war We can increase our abil-
ity to subscribe TO Liberty Loans. II
we save food we can lower the price
OF living TO ar own people and re-
lieve the strain and distress under
which they labor today. We can only
do this by organization so that there
shall be no prohteering from our eco
nomy. that all shall bear the burden
equally.
The Food Administration is a volun-
teer organization to be endowed with
powers by the government. This
volunteer organization is not 10 be
limited TO a few executives I'm Wash.
ingtOn. We are solicitous. nay.
anxious. 10 secure as actual members
of this volunteer effort. every man
end every woman. every hoy and girl
in these United States who will un-
dertake the task with us. There is no
dictatorship in volurtee effort. Il is
by voluntary mobilization that we can
answer Autocracy with Democracy. II
Is as crest in efficiency and greater
in spirit.
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