The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1917-08-31
HOW AMERICA>C 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.

Exports Form the Solution
of This War Problem.
Washington Aug. 20.-What the PEG.
pie of the United States not only can
| but must do in the matter of food pro-
| duction and use in order to help win
| the war is set forth in detail in a
statement issued today by Food Ad-
ministrator Herbert c. Hoover. If we
fail 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 DJrmal 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 -
months 577OO0,0OO 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 20S,000,000 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 a 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
aotipu of tboSa of thp Spa
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 a 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-
alton of markets, by belligerent fines,
and by the destruction of shipping by |
not only has the home pro-
1uction of our allies fallen by over |
SOC, 100000 bushels of grain. but they |
ire thrown upon us for much larger |
)roportion of their normal imports for !
nerly obtained from other markets.
They have reduced consumption at |
very point, but men in the trenches,
men in the shops, and the millions of
women placed at physical labor re-
Iuire more food than during peace
lines, and the incidence of their saving |
nd any shortage which they may suf-
er, falls first upon women and chill
ren. If this privation becomes too
reat, their peoples cannot be main
aimed constant in the war, and we will
re left alone to fight the battle of
emocracy with Germany.
The problem of food conservation is
ne of many compilations. We cannot,
nd we do not wish, with our free in
titutions and our large resources of
pod, to initiate Europe in its policed
ationing, but we must voluntarily and
assume the responsibility
efore us as one in which everyone
as a direct and unacceptable interest.
re must increase our export of foods
, the allies. and in the circumstances
{ our shipping situation, these exports
lust be of the most concentrated
,ods. These are wheat, -four, beef,
ork and dairy products. We have 9TH
: foods in great abundance which we
IN use instead of these commodities,
nd we can prevent wastes in a thou
md directions. We must guard the
rainage of exports from the United
tates, that we retain a proper supply