The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-07-17
HOOVER SAYS IN EXCLUSIVE IN ERV1EW:
HOUSEWIVES AND FARMERS0F
AMERICA HAVE SAVED THE WAR
GIVE MUST ! COON
SAVING WHEAT
BY MILTON BRONNER
Special Staif Dispatch.

Of
~ Washington. July l6.-u.ast year We
invented a slogan to the effect that
food would win the war 1t is a mat.
ter of simple truth to tell the Ameri-
can housewife and the American farm
er that American food this spring
saved the war"
This statement was given me by
the cOmmander-in-chi of the great.
est volunteer army in the history OF
the globe He holds his commission
from President Wilson, and such pow
ers as he has were grudgingly given
by an ungenerOus congress, but his
soldiers Of the common good were not
drafted. They number not millions,
but tens of millions. because they are
the farmers who raised the food and
the women who saved it, or course,
the general am quoting is Herbert
c. Hoover, national food administrat-
or.
: The last time had an extended talk
with him for readers Of the Daily
Tribune was six months ago. Every
prediction he made then has been
verified. He said the allies would
need over l40.00O0OO bushels of our
wheat and that our housewives would
save it. And it came to pass over 100
per cent Maybe Hoover, is physically
and mentally tired after his, grind of
the past year, but he is not weary
of well-doing and he is not pessimis-
tic about the plain people. He is
borne up by the knowledge that they
are, with him.
asked him how he liked his job.
He smiled quizzically.
"No man in Washington at the head
of big department is enamOred Of
his job" said he "No man takes
these tasks willingly; no man has a
right to refuse the country's bidding;
1T is impossible to make clear to
everyone in our 105,OO00O0 people the
reasons for a given line Of action.
Every decision in war times in con-
nection with business matters is the
choice Of that which is the least evil,
for war is destruction.
I'VE interfere by necessity with the
ordinary laws of supply and demand.
This is true because we deliberately
change the currents of production
and consumption to make way for
the distribution of resources that war
demands. j
ANY single measure is taken solely
from that aspect, and necessarily
means the disruption fsOme things
Soften this as much as we may, be
as wise as Solomon, somebody gets
hurt, somebody suffers.
1.-THE people Who suffer, mainly do
it willingly and philosophically as
part of the war/game. They are proud
Of the sacrifice But there are few
who are unwilling and who cannot see
why they must suffer more than their
neighbor Washington is the. happy
hunting ground of those few
'They not. only lombard the heads
Of departments personally with their
but also their congress
men and senators and the president
"The whole atmosphere. of Wash
ngtOn is mass of complaint Every |
congressman and senator gets his
viewpoint from the microscopic mi
,ority who complain because they are I
either selfish, or have a different pan
lcea to offer, or would be wiser If
hey had the job. S.. a,e
The net effect is that every man 7
n responsible position is leading a
lie Of misery from morning until
light in trying to deal with these.
in the midst OF more i'm
,ortant matters. 1t is difficult to
ieep ones balance in a situation like
hat -
.'Takesh casesifspo The middle
If last winter, when we were consid-
ne the guaranteed price OF wheat, we
we're flooded with statements that ii |