Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-07-23
War Bread is Properly Describ

step farther by adding to the IS rer cent
extract Of ) per cent Of another kind of
-four or by using instead an 81 per cent
extract; I consider the latter composition
the worse because it contains a consider
able amount of indgestible matter which
the former, the mixture probably would
not do. The Censor is too strict to allow
us common mortals to know what tie
people ard the bakers really say to this
kind of war bread. But l was in London
in 1911, when the great Standard bread
craze was on, and watched its course
closely, the propaganda was engineered
by the Daily Mail and other papers AMI
magazines belonging to Lord Northcliffe
and based on the Manifesto Of eight
eminent physicians who had discovered
that the people had been starved by eat
ing white bread made from roller mill
-four and that if they were to escape ex-
tinction, they had to live henceforth on
an 50 per cent. -four including the germ
which composition was urged as the
standard to be determined by legislation.
But why so per cent? These coed people
had read in the chronological books Of
the middle of last century that the stone
mills obtained about IS per cent. of four
from wheat; ada 2 per cent. germ and
you have the 50 per cent. standard; 50 at
least it was explained to me. The adver-
Using campaign was in fulsomeneSs of
language. eXaggeraton Of unproven facts
and dubious claims similar to those we so
frequently see in regard to helly-ache
pills, nerve restorers, and breakfast foods,
but had before the latter the great adj
vantage that it was published in the edi-
torial columns of these papers, The
printed word has still magic spell for the
multitude. and who resist when he is Of
ferd health, strength Of body and mind
haoi, nd lou "a
thrown in for nothing with his daily
bread? The propaganda was at the be-
ginning very successful; the whole united
kingdom ate Standard bread, and the
most wonderful reports we're published
daily of the salutary effect on the people
who INDUCED in this wonderful food; es-
pecialy the growth Of the boys at schools
where the headmaster belonged to the
food faddists of this class was something
phenomenal. But it did not last long;
soon the enthusiasm began to flag the
gestion, and had to give it up. Half
year later all was over. and the craze an
object Of mockery and derision. The gen
tlemen now ruling Great Britain were
mostly at that time strong advocates of
the so per cent Standard bread. and to
them an experiment with the 81 per cent.
war bread would appear without danger,
even advantageous; they rely on their adj
yisorv physicians whose opinions may be
most valuable in matters medical and sur
gcal but who have no claim whatever to
post as experts in the manufacture and
supply Of food and in line of research
and investigation, based on facts. quite
distinct from that followed in the ordi-
nary medical practice, based mostly on
opinions only.
The italians decided on an IS per cent
extract for the -four used in their war
bread this product can be only very
coarse: but I was not able to get any in
formation whatever how the eaters of this
bread like it and fare on it. In our coun-
try hitherto Two suggestions have been
made in regard to war bread:
l. Mr. NORMAN assistant secretary Of
agriculture at Washington, D. c.. recon-
mends the use Of an at least SIS per cent.
wheat flour to which Is per cent. Of sub
stitute flour, made from rye. barley, corn,
or potatoes. might be added. He believes
that such kind of war bread or bread
made from whole wheat -four would be
more healthful for many people than our
present fine white bread.