Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-05-19

The world is now facing food shortage which is due in part
to falling off in production in part to the ruthless
of food ships by the German submarines. In some way Tic
world must try to food and the appeals TO women anu
children apply their labor the solution Of the problem ov
cuvatng back yards and odd deserve every
tion But there another Of helping the SITUATION "
requires additional labor, but simply exercise OF wiz
the part of the In the last resort !ne
is the real food dictator and his wishes determine
all production If he elects to spend his money
which bread the producers will try to meet MS
demand and much of the productive force OF the country as
might be used for food will be used In other ways
The of whskey decreed last year that our oS
tres should use up 80 bushels of grain OF various
kinds con rye malt etc. we'll as 152 million gallons ol
moasses Our breweres produced So million barrels OF Ter
mented liquors. which, according advertisement puosheo
by the Brewers Association in the New Haven
Register May required So million bushels OF barley nearly
16 million bushels and million bushels OF rice or ~
million bushels of grain all Other estimates are hgne OUT
have taken the figures of the brewers order avoid the
charge of exaggeraon In other words the consumers OF al
cohoc drinks used up million bushels of edible gram
the molasses ali of which had to be Withdrawn
consumption food though part OF the refuse
food for live stock The grain used for liquor used
directly consumption would have supplied bushel
apiece for every man, and child IN the country or
about four bushels for average family
tobacco it's various forms required Tor the
satisfaction 900 of land in 1915 and the
used in 1916 probably more rather han ess me
devoted to tobacco about tnfd OF the acreage u
voted to potatoes If of only 80 bush
which less than the average crop OF the Unted
States this land capable Of giving us 1O9 million bushe OF
potatoes OF more third of the OF 1916 1hs
would supply each family of four persons with tour OIL
potatoes year.
Not only of land devoted the production OF
very large but it increasing Since 1905 the acreage
devoted to this plant about Is cent the
United States while the devoted to potatoes has IN
about 25 cent have selected potatoes as con-
venient object comparison because familiar and STAN
dard product All of the land devoted tobacco not be
we'll adapted potatoes but is fair assumption that land
which be raised could be made available for some
food CROP provided only the would exercise
dybich make
to raise food than to raise tobacco
The consumer could accomplish another result quite
important could free for food production for mill
tay purposes large part OF the workers whom he requires by
virtue of his demand work the manufacture of liquor
tobacco the time Of the last nearly eight years
ago. number Of engaged the production OF dis
titled malt liquors. apart from those engaged in their dis
tibution bartender walters restaurant Keepers etc. was
$4,000 About hreeuartes of these males over
years age The number of engaged in the manu-
tobacco not counting those engaged in selling OF
advertising it, 00O and the number has doubtless in
creased very greatly that me with the increase in the
consumption Of these 10000 males 6 of
There great shortage of farm labor and
drafting and children well to the farm If
could give the consumption of whiskey and bee
should release $4,000 people, If could cut
sumption of tobacco half should probably release
100000 do this it would only be necessary for tobacco
themselves with the amount which satisfies
ally Great Britain In the year before the var
sumption tobacco 81 pounds CAPITA than
q times that of the United Kingdom.
clear from what has been stated that all of who
alcoholic drinks and tobacco either directly
directly cutting the food supply of the world effectively
submarine which torpedoes food ship and each drnker
whskey and beer and each of tobacco has virtually be-
come submarine, each doing his bit. That bit
small to the individual because of the small price of
single cocktail single cigarette and song afford
the expenditure, give the matter little thought Few know
how much they spend individually such things the
and still fewer realize how great is the aggregate for
the country Alcoholic drinks absorbed in 1915 according to
the American Grocer about and Have estimated
that tobacco takes from 2O0O00O0O to $O0O0000O AS
Stunning only the lower figure the people of the country spend
these about $28ooooo 900 year, nearly
times total ordinary expenditure of the United States gov
enment including the interest on the public debt for the last
fiscal year. If the many people who doing such splendid
patriotic work in other fields would decide off but fac
ton of their expenditure these items they would
the available food supply of the world they would