The sun., 1917-04-12
Foremost Duty of Amer
lea Is to Feed Allies.
He Says.
HE URGES SELF.DENIAL
Relies on American Women
to Eliminate 1t and Ex-
travagance.

LONDON April 11.-Herbert c.
hoover, head OF the American Commis-
sion for Relief in Belgium. has after
consultation with his colleagues on the
commission accepted the chairma nship
Q, the new food board in the United
States offered to him by the National
Defence Council.
Mr.. Hoover expects to leave soon for
America. Meanwhile he has initiated n
wide inquiry in France. England and
italy regarding the existing food situa-
ton, having the cooperation Of the va
rious Governments in this work. The in
suiry includes examination Of the pros
poets of the coming harvests. import ne
cesslties methods of food regulation and
control now in operation in tho allied
countries and the results achieved
through these methods.
After having accepted the position Of
chairman of the American food board
Mr.. Hoover made this statement outlin-
ing his plans:
beginning to-day I am initiating q
wide inquiry in France. England and
Italy. in cooperation with Government
departments. into the existing food sit
uation. the prospects of the coming har-
vest import necessities ami the methods
Of regulating food control as ct present
in operation and their working results
In allied countries.
"One important feature Of this inquiry
will he the methods used to control
prices and for the elimination Of specula-
ton for Europe has been a vast expert
mental laboratory in this particular.
The staff of the relief commission which
recently evacuated Belgium has voun-
teered TO undertake the details Of this
nyestigaton.
Americas FOremOst Duty.
"The foremost duty Of America toward
her allies in this war is to see that they
are supplied with food. France. Eng
land and Italy in ordinary times de-
pended largely on Russia, Rur1nnia and
bulgaria for large portion OF their
trsadstuffs. With the isolation Of these
areas they were thrown wholly upon the
Western Hemisphere. The bumper West
ern harvest of 1915 was able to carry
the load without strain, but the more
normal, or in places short. harvest OF
1916. coupled with the fact that our
allies are to-day giving their whole and
sbleboded manhood to arms and the
manufacture of munitions has brought
the whole allied world face to face with
shortage of bresdstuffs. From the
necessities of the case we can put but
few soldiers in the field, but every spade
tul Of earth turned by our farmers, every
seed we plant. every ounce OF waste we
eliminate. Is just as much q contribution
to the joint cause as that Of man in
the trenches.
"We must increase our production by
every device Of our able farming COM
munity with the stimulating advice and
guidance our agricultural institutions
can invent. but beyond this we must
stop waste in every scrap OF foodssun
We must even be prepared to deprive
ourselves if necessary. In order that
our allies may be supported. They have
eliminated waste and are deprivlng them.
selves to-day. and 1t is not less our uuty
than theirs.
IF America will only eliminate waste
and extravaganza In food 1t will 90 far
to help the whole problem. Now that we
are In the serious and terrible conhict
the very existence OF our national ideas
Of waste and extravaganza In public
places and among certain classes IN
America is a public scandal. Beyond
public places So per cent. Of the Amert-
can food Is consumed in the household.
The women Of America thus really con-
trol Americas food consumption.
Reliance ON Women.
Among our allies the women are
working as hard as the men. There -
no body Of women In the world 80 ca
pabe OF rising to an emergency as
American women, nor Is there any prob
lem SO peculiarly capable of solution by
their as the elimination Of waste and
extravaganza Much can be done by the
substitution OF the more abundant COM
modities for those that our allies need
most,s For instance. every person IN
America who eats corn bread instead OF
wheat bread helps In the present wheat
shortage, for the English people have
never learned how and have not the
equipment TO make corn bread, because
they do not bake in the household at all
and corn bread cannot he served from
the baker
ut is obvious that our allies must
have first call on our food surplus. II
We are to divert our man and woman
bower to furnish foodstuffs to neutrals
they must be compelled to give some
equivalent service TO our allies. They
san ''rn'sh shipping or commodities or
manufacturers which our allies need In
'r'uu TO-. tOod from us.
Moreover. In this war against Ger.
many We should allow no products OF our
!a'or or soil to go to any country Or any
Peoples who assist Germany directly or
70 Stats bordering on Germany, which
: converted into meal for German use.
j delryrg our allies Of just that much
''ld a'i o"nehting our enemies.
The war probably will last another
year aud from the present outlook OF
ne "of.d's food supply we shall have all
We en- 20, by the utmost elimination OF
vast lu4 the utmost stimulation OF
I94aa' 'a, 10 carry our allies through
WIN !.e.T 'Ill hghtiug stamina.
|9r ra" we allow speculation or
~ oa rerug 20 burden our own people
III .sr prices. We must devise and
no . Hs'a.da to reduce and maintain
''r' reasonable prices, both for our
'"' .''o'' ans the Allies.
AN ih-se are problems which the
.'i' Sd, md h,gn .,eas of self-sacrifice
w 'Hr American people can accomplish
'H'"'H ird efficiently. Legislation and
''"' idr' regulations can accomplish
-' han tho voluntary self-denial
.''4 4''o'lpu " our people