The Washington times., 1917-02-25
WOULD HAVE FOOD
DICTATOR HERE
Congressman Bennett Fayors
Regulation by Health
Board. z
WOULD PREVENT WASTE
Offers Resolution Designed to.
Follow Other Countries
Example.
WOULD PREVENT WASTE

Congressman william s. Bennett OF
New York today explained to The
Times his reasn for asking Congress
for food dictator for the District.
Mr.. Bennett yesterday introduced In
the House a measure making IL Illegal
to waste food in the District and linn
iting the amount of food a person
may eat Mr.. Bennett would have the
Health Department made dictator and
control supplies.
I'VE are now in a very abnormal
situation" said the Congressman this
morning. Thirty million people In
Europe have been turned from. pro-
duction to destruction and the amount
Of food produced over there Is very
limited. In our own country oru crops
have failed. The total supply of food
Is abnormally small at the present
| time.
One big trouble is the Unlimited
waste going on at present. The
Health Department should have the
right conferred upon it by legislation
to take any steps necessary to elm
mate this waste.
/Cites Other Countries.
Every other country onw limits
the amount Of consumption. I don't
know whether we have reached that
necessity here, but IL this food situ-
alton gets worse the Health Depart
metn ought to have that power"
When asked IL he had any practical
plan for the working out Of his reso-
luton, CIR. Bennett said that he had
none, but would leave that 10 the dis
cretion OF the Health Department.
"I suppose that it would be worked
out on some system of caloriesL /
understand that about $500. calories
per day Is the right amount for the
average man. II so. I see no reason
why that amount should not be ap-
portioned to each man at the hotels
and restaurants, but I'll leave that to
the experts in the Health Depart
ment"
Mr.. Bennett said that he highly ap-
proved OF the work being done by
George W. Perkins in New York IF
we would do that here, Il would be
much better for the CITY," he said.
Fears Delay In Enaetment.'
DR.. william c. Woodward. when
asked II he knew how the matter
would be worked out in practice. said:
''I haven't given It much thought as
yet. 1t Is big question, and should
be settled BY Congress before have
anything to do with 1t. 1t would come
under my direction, IL the measure Is
passed"
Mr.. Bennett said that he did not
think the measure would be passed
this session
'I sincerely hope it may be passed"
he said. Congress will be adjourned
for nine months and the situation II
liable to grow more serious, so !
would like to see the Health Depart
ment have the power to act in enaer-
gency. ! have done my duty, a. a
human, and hope that Congress will
now do the same"
The text of the Bennett resolution
Is as follows:
Resolved, that the Health Depart
ment of the District of Columbia be
and is hereby empowered to reduce
the cost of food supplies to the people
generally by limiting, by appropriate
orders. waste in food and limiting
quantities which may be served at
public dinners: the said department
may also limit the amount Of food
which may be served any one person
In any one day in the hotels and
restaurants in the District Of Co
lumbla."