Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-24
ALLIES NEEDS PUT
i, s. FLOUR USERS
ON ONE-HALF BASIS
Mr.. Hoover Says Allowance Is
=: .. One and a Half Pounds
Per Person Weekly.
SEES NO-ESCAPE FROM
*. SERIOUS SITUATION
r.
Rye Stocks Also Depleted and Bread
So Composed Will Soon
Disappear.

Consumption of wheat flour in the
United States must be reduced to one
and one-half pounds per person per week
for the next three months, according to
an announcement last night by the Unit
ed States Food Administration.
This is less than one-haif pre-war
consumption in America. and less even
than the present wartime consumption
In France and England,'in both of which
countries the civil populations are on
bread rations.
There is no escape from the situa-
ton because, food administration OF
ficials says. after the minimum require
ments for overseas shipments have
been met. there will be left but Il
600. 900 bushels of wheat month for
use in this country. against norma
consumption of 42,ooo.0ao bushels
month This is a reduction of 30 per
cent in the amount of wheat available,
but the reduction in the public supply
Of wheat -four will be greater than
half. for the needs of the Army and
Navy and other special cases must De
met.
Rive Stock Also Depleted.
The stock of rye also is being de
pleted rapidly; and rye bread is likely
"a disappear before many weeks. the
mills are grinding barley -four in in.
creasing quantities. but the stock OF
barley is limited and will not hold out
uhtil the next harvest. The people
must depend on oats, corn meal ana
uotatoes as their chief substitutes for
wheat flour.
The allowance of twenty-four ounces
of -four per week must not only fur.
nish bread. but it must supply an
four needed for cooking purposes. ana
used in the form of macaroni, crackers,
pastry, pies, cakes and wheat break
fast cereals. If victory bread is used
instead of bread baked at home. the
allowance is one and three-quarter
rounds of victory bread and one-half
pound of flour for all other purposes
The wheat -four content OF bakers
bread. designated as victory bread.
WIN be reduced to IS per cent on April
=. further reduction is likely to
~ made soon. The wheat flour con-
tent now allowed is so per cent Flour
sales by retailers will be cut to one
eighth of barrel (twenty-four ana
6alf pounds) to town customers and
oae-fourth of barrel to country Gus
fofners The requirements that con-
Sumers must purchase an equal weight
of other cereals will continue.
wheatless Day Rules
public eating places and clubs will
be required to observe two wheatess
DAYS a week, as at present. and in ad-
dftion will not be permitted to serve te
any one guest at any one meal an az
9regate of breadstuffs. macaronl.
crackers, pastry. pies. cakes or wheat
breakfast foods containing a total OF
more than two ounces of wheat flour.
The full seriousness of the wheat Sit
uation, and some of the difficulties
with which the food administration has
had to contend in warding of famine
from the allies became known with the
announcement of the new conservation
plans.
: With food rations in France and
England cut to the utmost, there has
been constant danger that the United
States could not meet even minim UNI
demands because of transportation
handicaps. The temporary breakdown
IN the railroads upset the corn exporta-
ton schedule so that on March l there
had been sent abroad only IA. 900 900 bush
chs, against the 81 600. 900 of last year, and.
fhe 10e.000.000 bushels which it was
hoped to send.
Accordingly. the foreign populations
have been dependent on wheat. Their
need of wheat is growing, for after
April 1 the shipment of corn is at
tended with great risk of loss. owing
to the possibility of termination. More
than 10 1000 900 bushels of contract corn
has been gathered for shipment abroad
In the last few days through the CO.
operation of grain exchanges and big
handlers with the food administration.