The Benson signal., 1917-08-25


reduction to simple living save much.
The final result of substituting other
products and saving one pound of
wheat flour, two ounces Of fats, seven
ounces of sugar and seven ounces Of
meat weekly, by each person, will,
when we have multiplied this by one
hundred million, have increased our
exports to the amounts absolutely re-
quired by our allies. This means no
more than that we should eat plenty,
but eat wisely and WITHOUT waste.
Food conservation has other aspects
Of utmost Importance. Wars must be
paid for by savings. We must save
in the consumption in commodities and
the consumption of unproductive la
Dor in order that we may divert our
manhood to the army and to the shops.
If by the reduction in consumption Of
labor and the commodities that it pro-
duces and the diversion Of this saving
to that labor and those commodities
demanded by the war, we shall be able
to fight to eternity. We can mortgage
our future savings for little while,
but piling up Of mortgages is but
short step toward bankruptcy. Every
atom that we save is available for SUBJ
scription to Liberty bonds.
The whole of Europe has been en-
gagged ever since the war began in the
elimination of waste, the simplificatiOn
of life, and the increase of its indus
trial capacity. When the war is over
the consuming power of the world will
be reduced by the loss of prosperity
and man power, and we shall enter a
period of competition without parallel
in ferOcity. After the war, we must
maintain our foreign markets If our
working people are to be employed.
We shall be in no position to compete
If we continue to live on the same
basis of waste and extravaganza on
which we have lived hitherto. Simple,
temperate living is moral issue of the
first order at any time, and any other
basis of conduct during the war be-
comes wrong against the interest Of
the country and the interest Of
democracy.
The impact of the food shortage of
Europe has knocked at every door of
the United States during the past three
years. The prices of foodstuffs have
nearly doubled, and the reverberatiOns
of Europe's increasing shortage would
have thundered twice as loudly dur
ing the coming year even had we not
entered the war, and it can now only
be mitigated if we can exert a strong
control and this in many directions.
We are today in an era of high
prices. We must maintain prices at
such level as'will stimulate produc-
ton, for we are faced by starving
world and the value of commodity to
the hungry is greater than it's price.
AS result of the world shortage Of
supplies, our consumers have suffered
from. speculation and extortion. While
wages for some kinds of labor have
increased with the rise in food prices,
in others, it has been difficult to main
tain our high standard of nutrition.
By the elimination of waste in all
classes, by the reduction in the con-
sumption of foodstuffs by the more for
tunate, we shall increase our supplies
not only for export but for home, and
by increased supplies we can help in
the ameliOratiOn of prices.
For Better Distribution.
Beyond this the duty has been laid
upon the food administration to coop
crate with the patriotic men in trades
and commerce, that we may eliminate
the evils which have grown into our
system of distribution, that the bur-
den may fall equitably upon all by res
tOration, so far as may be, of the nor
NAL course of trade. 1t is the purpose
Of the food administration to use it's
utmost power and the utmost ability
that patriotism can assemble to ameli-
crate this situation to such degree as
may be possible.
The food administration is assem-
bling the best expert advice in the
country on home economics, on food
utilization, on trade practices and
trade wastes, and on the conduct Of
public eating places and we shall out
line lFOIu IlIuS JO IlIIlc ueIdllcu SuSScS~
tions, which if honestly carried out by
such individuals in the country, we be-
lieve will effect the result which we
must attain. We are asking every
home, every public eating place and
many trades, to sign a pledge card
to accept these directions, so far as
their circumstances permit, and we are
organizing various instrumentalities to
ameliorate speculation. We are ask
ing the men Of the country who are
not actually engaged in the handling
Of food to sign similar pledges that
they shall see to it, so far as they are
able, that these directions are followed.
We are asking all who wish us well
ana who undertake our service to be-
come actual members of the food ad-
ministration, just as much volunteers
in national service as we ourselves are,
so that thus the food administration
may not be composed of small body