Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1918-02-20
NOTED SPEAKERS TELL
OF FOOD CONDITIONS
MEN WHO HAVE MADE CAREFUL
STUDY OF REAL CONDITIONS
IN EUROPE.
WE MUST FEED HUNGRY EUROPE
Speakers Tell of Horrible Scenes wit.
messed in War Stricken Europe.
Food VIII Win War.


Bringing a message to Manchester
from lover there" and appearing un-
der the direction of the National Gov
ernment, Hon. Everett Colby, DR.. Roy
Lyman WILDER and Mrs. Isabel Beech
er delivered inspiring addresses at
the City Opera house last Thursday
evening. The meetings which they
are holding in this vicinity are part
of a nationwide educational move
ment directed by the Government and
intended to give the people authora-
tive first hand information about the
war.
Mr. Colby is an eminent lawyer
from New Jersey. Dr. Wilber is presi-
dent of Leland Stanford University
and Mrs Beecher is woman Of ma
tional reputation as speaker and
elocutionist, who it will be remem-
bered, has appeared here on the chau-
tauqua pIatIOrm.
The speakers did not arrive until
nearly nine o'clock, belated by bliz-
zard which kept the country people at
home. But Notwithstanding the un-
favorable conditions large audience
of town people greeted the distinguish
ed visitors and were amply repaid.
Six weeks ago Mr.. Colby was in
France. He was sent over by our
Government to visit the various bat
tie fronts and for the purpose of
gathering information and impress
ions to bring back and relate to the
people at home.
The audience sat in rapt attention
as he related the experiences Of his
trip. eff we do not send food now
to the allied armies of Europe we shall
be obliged to send more and more of
our boys across next year and the
year after. The armies on the wes-
tern front do not fear the Germans
as much as they fear food shortage.
was repeatedly told by the French
and the English that they could hold
that line until doomsday if they could
feel certain that America was back
of them with food and men, It is that
peculiar. element called morale which
our participation in the war has CIV
en- the allies and the French in par
ticular. They have taken new cour-
age to fight on with the consciousness
that we are coming, that America is
back of them to the end. My friends
you do not know what shaft of
steel went through the hearts of the
allies when that message from Mr.
Hoover was received saying, America
has given you its entire surplus.
There will be no more available un,
til next CROP I was in London at
the time and when it was read to me
never felt such feeling of shame
in all my life. l knew at home very
little had been done in the way of
conservation. People were eating
and wasting as much as ever and men.
women and little children in Europe
were actually suffering the pangs Of
hunger for the want of enough food
to sustain life. We must feed Europe
now or the war is lost. AS things
stand now we are the losers. If we
do not send more food and more
men and steadily increase the flow
until victory we shall not have it and
we shall suffer the disasters that fol-
low defeat.
when l visited General Pershing I
noticed a keen-eyed, 1.-THE limbed SOL
dier in the khaki of the good old u S.
A. l asked him what part of the coun-
try he came from and with character
istic spirit he replied: "The best state
in the Union-Iowa.'
II stood by the grave of an Iowa
boy. 1t was the one who had his
throat cut in No Mans Land after he
had been wounded Think of his sac
rifce! Think of his mothers sacri-
fee! The woman gave her all to the
country, and the boy gave that which
is most prized by us all. Contrast
with this spirit of true sacrifice the
complaints l am told some of you
make to the county food administra
tor and the local fuel board when you
are told to use substitutes for wheat,
sugar and fats. or are asked to close
your stores a little earlier. Shame
on you!
Compared with the supreme sacri-
flee of thousands of mothers and wives
and the test of true patriotism ap-
piled to the boys of this nation, what
sacrifice are you making when you
buy with a pound Of wheat flour a
pound of corn meal or some other sub
stitute. 1t should not be considered
a hardship to obey such regulations
it is a privilege.
France has lost 100000 men in
killed and 100000 men wounded.
Folks, we haven't begun to sacri-
fee yet. But the time is here now as
sure as the world. If the record in
France is not duplicated in the United
States in the matter Of dead and
we must save food to short
en- the war.
"I have been connected with Mr.