The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-08-11
HUGE JOB HAS TO DO
WITH FEEDING WORLD
Half Billion Peoples Comfort
Depends Upon Americas
Crops-He Will Announce
Wheat and Flour Control
Plan in Few Days
BY ID. NJ. EDWARDS,

pendent
Washington, Aug. f0--Herbert G.
Hoover. on his forty third birthday.
today became the arbiter of the diet
of more human beings than any Ro-
man Caeser ever dreamed of feed
lag.
Shortly after noon President Wilson
affixed his signature to the food con-
troll bill upon which the ink was hard
w.. dry from the signatures of Vice.
President Marshall and Champ Clark.
At $40 this afternoon the presi-
dent summoned Mr.. Hoover to the
White House presented him with the
pen with which he signed the bill
and signed an executive order ap-
pointing him to the place provided for
him in the bill.
Under the powers conferred upon
him he may advise every farmer and
breeder what ne should raise He
may direct every distributor how all
food is to be handled. He Is already
teaching every man, woman and child
In the United States how 1t should
be consumed.
His will be the advice upon which
the United States will control It's ex-
ports to the allies.
Hunger or Plenty for Half Billion.
Thus, hunger or plenty for half
billion of people, lie tonight in Her
bert Hoovers hands.
He realizes the hug.eness OF his Job. \.
Months ago he said before a senate
committee:
II don't believe l can do II, do
not believe any man can do it. /
won't last much more than six
months. But If can last six months
viii have gone long ways tow
ards the solution OF this problem and
the next man can carry IT on"
Mr.. Hoover has already started on
HIS task. He has already done every
thing he can do without official au-
thority. Already his campaign OF VOL
unteer education has enlisted hun
dreds OF thousands of housewives as
members Of the food administration,
following it's instructions for economy.
and has modified all the most power
full and most public spirited OF the
food raising and distributing agencies
behind him.
Devised to Correct Abuses.
Mr.. Hoover tells more OF his plans
in a statement he issued tonight:
The food administration Is called
into being to stabilize and not to dis
turb conditions. and to defend honest
enterprise against illegitimate compe-
tition." he said 1T has been devised
to correct the ahnormalities and
abuses that have crert into trade b~
means of the world disturbance and
to restore business as far as may be
to reasonable basis.
The homes Of the food admtnistra-
tion are three-fold. First. to so guild"
the trade in the fundamental food
commodities as to eliminate vicious
speculation. extortfon and wastefui
prs ctices. and to stabilize prices in the
essential staples. Second. to guard our
exports so that against the worlds
shortage we shall retain SUFFICIENT sup
PLIES for our own people and to CO.
operate with the allies to prevent In
fation OF prices. and third. that we
stimulate In every manner within our
power the saving Of our food that we
may increase exports to our allies to
a point which will enable them to
properly provision their armies and to
feed their peoples during the coming
winter.
Business Men Realize Obligation. y
1.-The business men OF this
country. / nm convinced, - . re-
suit of many hundreds OF confer
ences with representatives Of the
great forces Of food supply. real
ire their own patriotic obltgAtion
and the solemntty Of the situa-
ton. and will fairly and sener-
ously cooperate IN meeting tho
national emergency. do not be-
fevs. that drastic force need b.
applied to maintain economic
distribution and sane tissue Of
supplies by the grcat majority At
the American people. and have
learned . deep and abiding fAith
tn the intelligence Of tho average
American business man whose
aid wa anticipate and depend IN