The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1917-08-31
There is no royaI road to food con

| ililS ny Tic dCtlOH VI oui
whole people, each element in proper
ton to its means. 1t is matter OF
equality of burden; matter of min
ute saving and substitution at every
point in the 20,000000 kitchens, on the
20,000000 dinner tables and in the
100000 manufacturing, wholesale and
retail establishments of the country.
The task is thus In its essence the daily
individual service of all the people.
| Every group can substitute and even
the great majority of thrifty people
can save a little-and the more luXuri-
GUS elements of the population can by
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 a little while,
but a piling up of mortgages is but a
short step toward bankruptcy. Every
atom that we save is available for sub
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
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 a 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 Numbered 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 strong
control and this in many directions.
We are today in an era of high
prices. We must maintain prices at
such a level as will stimulate produc-
ton, for we are faced by a starving
world and the value of commodity to
the hungry is greater than its price.
AS a 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-
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. 4,
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-
len 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 its {
Utmost power and the utmost ability
hat patriotism can assemble to ameli-
,rate this situation to such a degree as
nay be possible.
The food administration is assem- {
bling the best expert advice in the r
on home economics, on food J
on trade practices and i
rade wastes, and on the conduct of G
public eating places, and we shall out S
inc from time to time detailed sugges- &
ions, which if honestly carried out by L
uch individuals in the country, we be- t
ieve will effect the result which we
must attain. We are asking every Il
lome, every public eating place and t
many trades. to sign a pledge card q
O accept these directions, so far as il
heir circumstances permit, and we are j
rganizfng various instrumentalities TO C
meliorate speculation. We are ask il
ng the men of the country who are r
ct actually engaged in the handling e
f food to sign similar pledges that
hey shall see to it, so far as they are II
BILE, that these directions are followed. u
+b;e To, rho occopao of dpmOcr0cy