Evening star., 1917-11-07
I|ND|V|DUAL|SM IS
5':::,DE:M0CRAcY'S !: D FAITH
u. S. Should. Avoid Extremes
. of Socialism and Bureau
/. cracy, Says Hoover.
ADDRESS TO CITIZENS

GaSStk6SS
: . ."
Z. Asserting that this country "has been
founded and built upon individual In
i.ftfatits.. and thit Is the broad basis OF
@sbur faith, and what we are hEhting
for" Herbert. C. Hoover, addressing
..neeting at the Powell School last even
ing, warned against wartime practices
which might tend either toward bu-
reaucracy on the one hand or socialism
on the other.
Seeming to sxemplify the democracy
which he preached. the United States
food administration. TO- whom the world
looks for . solution Of the food ques-
tion. went out last evening to neigh
eorhood gathering. the meeting of the
Columbia Heights Citizens Association.
and there for more than half an hour
skstched along broad lines world FOOD
conditions and the part food will play
IN an allied victory. -
o. 8. Food Policy Different.
He reviewed the food control meth
The United States had adopted a policy
different from these, which eliminated
IN Germany's regulation. because TINS
country is PLEDGED 70 dem9oraSy: en- S,,,,; ana ana
compulsory rationing smacked OF au-
tocracy.
After calling attention to the danger
of heading toward bureaucraSy OF: 80
otalism through these methods MT.
"Sinoe these things are contrary to
the democracy we are hghtipg for, and
the preservation Of tbs principle or IN
dividual Initiative for which we stand.
q, 20 mn
faith for anything short OF losing tho
war itself"
In conclusion Mr.. Hoover solemnly
sounded another warning:
"A democracy which 10 truly demo-
cratic can mobilize mon and means to
its defense No political faith can hold
unless II can defend itself. and II we
have to lose our faith in our defense
nght.'
Surplus Of Food In q. S. Today.
There is a surplus Of foodstuns in
the United States today" Mr.. Hoover
said. '-The country Is not facing star
walton. We are not asking any one to
ssarve. We are facing the problem OF
Our allies needs are being met on
the basis Of what will maintain health
with no regard to taste. We are seek
ing to supply them with grains, meats
tiles which would be nutritious are too
bulky for shipment in view OF the great
shortage In tonnage. Such a conInod-
ity is potatoes
maintain health without eating bread
III all But from centuries OF use bread
has become a fetich with nearly all
peoples. Many OF the populations We
of life There Is no means Of :educat-
ing them away from bread seattng,
therefore we must give 1t to- them.
TN these nations war bread is being
wheat, and the bread is hard and not
tasty. But the loaf Is being maintained,
which is part Of the psycholoe1 Of feeding
our allies" .iasa
food administration has received from
business and commerce, the speaker
said: So,
Commercial Men Honest.
Our general testimony is that the
commercial men Of the United States
rot only are honest but extremely
patriotic and possess a sense of duty
perhaps above the average. But II one
rian out Of a hundred in trade uses
Unfair methods he forces the others
;T a position of self defense. and the
ctject Of our regulations has been to
protect the ninety-nine OF the hundred
who are seeking to serve"
M Hoover said that food admins
tration touches each individual more
closely than any other war function.
Therefore, he stated. it devolves upon
the food administration to develop a
sense Of wartime service and sacrifice
among the people.
The last quarter of century has
been one Of overgrowth in individual
ISM" he continued. 'Self1shness has be-
come too general Here we have an op-
portunity to bring the people back to
Il devotion to q common cause.
All war is q losing business. We
we're forced into this one. and we must
Sght 1t to q victorious conclusion. 1t has
but one compensation. the stimulation
Of self denial and abnegation in the
interest Of the common welfare"
Germany Preparing Forty Years.
-his war is not a war Of soldiers, but
q war of civilians. the food adminstra-
Tor said. He said that Germany has been
preparing for forty years to exert the
fu!l striking power of her entire popu-
lation and to contest her power the
United States must strike back with
seual force,
IN civil war times the men who were
Gader arms. could be replaced" he
-;'i. '"roday.in Europe among our al
les alone 100000 men are in the
sr-vtce. As many more millions are sup
bprting them. Hence the decreased pro-
auction OF the entire world. Shipments
also shipments of seeds. fertilizers, i'm
dement's and other factors in produce