The Era-leader., 1917-08-23
There Is no royal road 70 food con. N

t,on +o its means. 1t Is a matter ol
eouallty Of burden; matter OF mln
ute saving and substitution at every @
noiut in the 20,000,0O0 kitchens' on M .ne
% 100000 dinner tables ana III 'hs
2 100000 manufacturing, wholesale anu
reta,i establishments Of the country
The task is thus in its essence the uu,is
individual service Of all the people'
rverv group can substitute and even
the great majority Of thrifty people
can save llttle-and the more iuAuil'
ous elements Of the population can oy
reduction to Simple living save mucn'
The final result Of substituting other
nroducts and saying one pound OF
wheat flour, two ounces OF FATS seven
ounces Of sugar and seven ounces o1
meat weekly, by each person, WILL
when we have multiplied this BY one
hundred million, have increased our
exnorts to the amounts absolutely re-
uulred by our allies. This means no
more than that we should eat plenty
hut eat wisely and without waste
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Food conservation has other aspeets
Of utmost Importance. Wars must pe
na,d for by savings. We must save
in the consumption in commodltles anu
the consumption Of unproductiVe la'
bor in order that we may dlVert oui
manhood to the army and to the shops:
r. nv the reduction in consumption OF
labor and the commodities that IT pro-
duces and the diversion OF this SAVING
to that labor and those commoolties
demanded by the war, we shall be aDle
> to fight to eternity. We can mortgage
our future savings for little while'
, but pillng up Of mortgages IS Du. d
i. short step toward bankruptcy. Every
atom that we save is available for SUD-
: scriptlon to Liberty bonds.
The whole Of Europe has been en-
- caped ever since the war began in the
: elimination of waste, the simplifcatlch
:. of life, and the increase of It's 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 paraliel
in feroclty. After the war, we must
maintain our foreign markets If our
s working people are to be employed
It We shall be in no position to compete
II II we continue to live on the same
g bas,s Of waste and extravaganza on
IS which we have lived hitherto. Simple
p. temperate living is a moral issue OF the
D. first order at any time, and any other
basis of conduct during the war be.
es comes a wrong against the interest OF
Is the country and the interest OF
n' democracy. =.
to The impact of the food shortage OF
IS. Europe has knocked at every door Of
ne the United States during the past three
nd wears. The prices Of foodstuffs have
In nearly doubled, and the reverberanon'
Of Europes increasing shortage woul(
~ have thundered twice as loudly our
In ing the coming year even had we no
Or entered the war, and 1t can now onl'
I'd, he mitigated If we can exert stron'
he control and this in many directions.
We are today in an era OF hlg
prices, We must maintain prices q
~. such a level as will stimulate produ(
W. tion, for we are faced by starvin
wi. world and the value Of commodity T
n, the hungry IS greater than its price.
~ AS a result Of the world shortage
ose supplies, our consumers have suifere
wa from speculation and extortlon. Will
Nv wages for some kinds Of labor ha7
,od increased with the rise In food price
,sh in others, it has been difficult to mall
,ch tain our high standard Of nutrition.
10 BY the elimination Of waste IN a
,o,s classes, by the reduction in the co
sumption of foodstuffs by the more fo
"a, tunate, we shall increase our suppl
,c,,. , not only for export but for home, al
,so- by increased supplies we can help
~. the amelioration Of prices.
|, nv Beyond this the duty has been la
nrn. upon the food administration to coo
,yer crate with the patriotic men IN trau
.hev and commerce. that we may elimina
roar the evils which have grown into 0
for, system Of distribution, that the b'
den may fall eQuita6ly upon all by n
-. toration, so far as may be, Of the NJ
~. NAL course Of trade. It is the purpo
n Of the food administration to use
w.. utmost power and the utmost abil'
oaro M that patriotism can assemble to ame
49, 49, crate this situation to such 9 degree
srt. may be possible.
s.,. The food administration Is asse
49, bling the best expert advice In
,o,n WV country on home economics, on fe
~ r,,,, utilization, on trade practices q
~ - trade wastes, and on the conduct
" public eating places, and We shall q
line from time to time detailed sugg
on 10 tions, which If honestly carried out
nno'' such individuals in the country, we
e III. lieye will effect the result which
~ ~ o! must attain. We are asking ev
! alos. home, every public eating place
ano many trades. to sign pledge G
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