New-York tribune., 1918-04-20
Italian Bakers
Join in Pledge
To Save Wheat
Five Hundred Agree to
Meet All Requirements of
Food Administrator

Half a loaf of bread, resembling
rye IN color, but approximating lead in
weight, was placed upon the desk of
Augustln McNally, director of the
rood Boards Bureau of Public Infor-
nation, yesterday afternoon. Mr.. Nc
Nally could not explain how it came
there. He did not know why baker
had taken the trouble to bake the loaf
He did know, however, that nobody
would eat it.
he secuted the theory that it was
the original loaf from which the comic
paper railroad sandwich was cut.
In nearby room about five hundred
Italian bakers discussed the problem
that has been agitating all the bakers
IN America-how to make Victory
bread, using Is per cent Of wheat sub
stltutcs, without offending the public
palate. Most of the bakers have solved
the problem now; the others are re-
celvlng instruction daily from bake
shop laboratory experts at the Food
Board Offices.
SO this explained the heavy, hard,
half loaf. 1t was the result of the
attempt of one New York baker to
carry out the food rules. He has since
mad an opportunity to learn.
Bakers Pledge Loyalty
The Italians voted unanimously in
favor of rule of the food admins
tratlon forbidding bakers to bake any
bread that they themselves had not
mixed. This abolishes the home made,
bakeshop- baked loaf, which is so pop
ular with Italian housewives. The OBJ
Ject of the rule is to prevent Italian
women from making bread with whole
wheat dough. Another rule, also in
dorsed by the bakers. forbds bakers
to sell -four and substitutes.
The Italians showed great willing,
ress to observe the Victory bread
rule After Joseph Bachman and John
". Iownley, baking experts, had ex-
planned the necessity and had offered
laboratory formuln> for the new
breads, the bakers pledged their
loyalty and promised to save wheat.
Ihey even discussed the possibility
OF using potatoes as substitutes for
flour in making macaroni and spa
ghetti.
Fiftyseven New York bakers we're
ordered by the Food Board after a
hearing yesterday to close their shops
next Wednesday, Thursday and Fri
day for failure to observe the sub
stitute rule.
Potato CONSUMPTION Increases
The Food BOARD has revoked the
eggs and poultry license of Elmer
Wood & Co., of Moulton, Iowa, who
sold Swift e. Co. eggs at an unreason,
able price, and thus began the series
of transactions which resulted in Swift
d Co. being ordered to close their egg
departments in New York for thirty
days. In addition, Elmer Wood g. Co.
have been ordered to buy Liberty
bonds to the amount of the overcharge
and to give the bonds to the American
Red Cross. c. A. English, who acted
as agent for Elmer Wood & Co., has
been directed to subscribe S10O to the
Red Cross.
The Food Boards campaign to in
crease the consumption of potatoes is
meeting much success, according to
John Mitchell, chairman of the Food
Board, and Arthur Williams, food ad-
ministrator. They announced yester
day. that the Food Council Of New
York City and the deputy food ad-
ministrators upstate had reported
gratifying results.
Seventy-eight carloads of potatoes
reached New York yesterday, twenty
seven more than the day before, it was
announced.
Representatives of all the retail
grocers' associations of greater New
York told the board yesterday that
they would do their utmost to promote
tc post signs in prominent places urg
ing the public to buy large quantities
o. o. potatoes at the prices fixed by the
ROOD board by arrangement with the
farmers and wholesalers - 81 az a
bushel retail delivered, or 10 pounds
for 25 cents not delivered.
wholesale potato merchants will
meet next Monday at the Food Boards
offices to make adjustments in this
price arrangement.