Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-07-03
BRITAIN LOSES
FOOD CONTROLLER
viscount Rhondda, Man Who Put
United Kingdom on War Rations,
Dead-Won Gratitude of Nation by
Efforts to Conserve Supplies and
Save Country From Disaster.

London, July s.-viscount Rhondda
David Alfred Thomas) the British
food controller, died this morning.
Since recent operations for disper-
sion Of the fluid consequent pleurisy
Lord Rhonnda has weakened gradually.
There were few rallies and the bulle-
tins yesterday recorded that the pa
tient had lost strength and that his
heart showed signs Of falling.
viscount Rhondda was the man who
put England and most OF the United
Kingdom of Great Britain on rations
ond won the gratitude even of the
people whose food supply he regulated.
Pefore he achieved the task 1t was
generally 1egarded as all but impos-
sible.
Food was running short In the
United Kingdom In June 1917, when
the Baron Rhondda was appointed
food controller of Great Britain. The
German U-boats were sending ships to
the bottom Of the ocean and Great
Britain was supporting a tremendous
army in France. The civilians at home
were beginning to feel the inch. Long
queues Of men, women and children
stood for hours at the food stares In
scores Of British cities and there WAS
loud grumh.e from the public.
The man who as David A. Thomas
had been managing director Of the
great Canlbrian coal combine appar-
entity undertook his 'tasl, with many
misgivings. Il have suspicion" he
told his Welsh friends. that Lloyd
George conscr;pted me for this almost
impossible job because Ne knew I hac
the hide Of a rhinoceros
'I am going there" he added. "as
guardian ant trustee of the consumer
and particularly the poor consumer"
He declared that he was determined
to stop prof, eering and speculation in
food.
IF it is necessary to put the whole
country on compulsory rations will
DO it with out compunction." he gave
warning. Tnen followed a series Of
orders and regulations that a. year or
two before would have reused the
Briton to wrath. The new food con-
trcller took over control Of all the
crops for 1917 and within a few
mcnths announced the formation of an
inter. allied food council to purchase in
the United States food supplies
for Great l'r tain. France and Italy in
corporation with Herbert Hoover, the
American Coed administrator. The
pus opse wos to eliminate competition
and stop srtcu, ative advances in the
prices Of food.
Ey fixing t',- rrices, ne put into eff
feet pn,!cy 1f controlling the profits
Of food dealers from the producer
down to the retailer.
Transportation In America was
snowbound for weeks during the wins
terlof 1917 and America failed to de-
liver to England the food she had
promised Rhondda met the crisis by
fixing the amount of food to be served
every person IN hotels. restaurants and
boarding houses down tc the minute
fraction. 1t carried England over the
crisis and resulted in his elevation to
Viscount.
But the new v;scount seemed to have
fallen victim to over devotion to his
own theories. He had boasted that he
was living on far smaller ration than
he had imposed upon the British pub
lie but in April, 1918. suffered physi-
cal collapse that was attributed to his
short ration regimen.
The queues had disappeared from
the British food stores. Prices were
established snd, while stories Of tir,
sufferings Of Germany and Austria
leaked past the censors, the Briton
smiled and boasted Of what Rhondda
had accomplished for him. There was
food enough and each obtained his
share; the cca1 king had won the fight
-and the applause Of his country
men.
Before undertaking that task
Rhondda had in 1915 organized the
British munitions buying In the United
States and Canada and put it on a
A,, ,eipcsc ha clio