The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-08-31
HOW AMERICA CAN
FEED ITS ALLIES
important Message to People
From Herbert C. Hoover,
Administrator.
WORLD SUPPLIES ESTIMATED
increased Production, Elimination of
Waste and Careful Control of Food
Exports Form the Solution
of This War Problem.


Washington, Aug. 20.-What the peo-
pie of the United States not only can
put must do In the matter of food pro
duction and use In order to help win
the war Is set forth in detail in
statement issued today by Food Ad-
Illustrator Herbert G. Hoover. If we
faii to do our part in this respect, he
says, the people of the allies cannot be
maintained at war, for their soldiers
cannot fight without food.
The normal imports Of wheat and
other cereals by France, Italy, the
United Kingdom and Belgium, and the
estimates of the 1917 crop in those
countries compared to the normal pro-
duction are given by Mr.. Hoover in
tabulated form, and the conclusion is
drawn that in order to provide normal
consumption 1t will be necessary
for them to import in the next II
months 577,000,000 bushels of wheat
and 674,000,000 bushels of other cere-
ais. If the crops Of the United States
and Canada all mature safely, North
America will have an apparent sur
plus of 20S000,000 bushels of wheat
and 950,000000 bushels of other cere-
ais The allies, therefore, must use
other cereals than wheat for mixing
in their war bread, and the people of
America must reduce their consump-
ton of wheat flour from five to four
pounds per week per person.
Decrease in Food Animals.
A careful estimate of the worlds
food animal position shows total net
decrease of 115,005,000, and this will
be greater as the war goes on. AS
the increase of herds and flocks takes
years, we must reduce the consump-
ton, eliminate waste and carefully con-
troll meat exports.
Our home dairy products supplies
are decreasing, while our population is
increasing, and we must ship in
creasing amounts of such products to
our allies. Consequently this indus
| try must be stimulated, and home
| users must save the wastes in milk and
butter. Much the same may be said in
the case of sugar.
Mr.. Hoover urges a greater con.
| sumption of fish and sea foods, in
which our coasts and lakes are enor-
mously rich. The products of the land
he reminds us. are conserved by the
eating of those of the sea.
Our Duty.
In conclusion the food administrator
says:
! / have endeavored to show in previ-
| Gus articles that the world is short OF
food; that Europe is confronted with
the grim specter of starvation unless
| from our abundance and our waste we
keep the wolf from the door. Not only
| must we have proper use of our food
supply in order that we may furnish
our allies with the sinews with which
they may fight our battles, but it is
an act of humanity towards fellow
men, women and children.
BY the diversion of millions of men
from production to war, by the occu-
patton of land by armies, by the iso-
lation of markets, by belligerent lines
and by the destruction of shipping by
submarines not only has the home pro-
ductfon Of our allies fallen by over
5O0.0OO,0O0 bushels of grain, but they
are thrown upon us for much larger
proportion Of their normal imports for
merIy obtained from other markets.
They have reduced consumption al
every point, but men in the trenches
men in the shops, and the millions Of
women placed at physical labor re-
ouire more food than during peace
times. and the incidence of their saving
and any shortage which they may suf
fer. falls first upon women and chill
dren. If this privation becomes to-
great. their peoples cannot be main
tanned constant in the war, and we vii
be left alone to fight the battle o.
democracy with Germany.
The problem of food conservation il
one of many compilations. We cannot
and we do not wish, with our free in
stitutions and our large resources o
food. to initiate Europe in its police'
rationing, but we must voluntarily ant
intelligently assume the responsibiiit.
before us as one in which everyon,
has direct and unacceptable interest
We must increase our export of food
70 the allies, and in the circumstance
of our shipping situation, these export
must be of the most concentrates
foods. These are wheat, flour, beet
pork and dairy products. We have 9th
er foods in great abundance which "
can use instead of these commodities
and we can prevent wastes in thou
sand directions. We must guard tn
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