Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1918-02-21
What the Commission
To France Found the
Food Conditions to Be-

almost Immediately on a speaking
tour of the middle western states at
ter making their official reports.
This commission was sent to Eu
rope to ascertain the actual food con
ditions, and it's members will tell the
American people the pressing need O
providing food for the nations asso
ciated with America in the prosecu
ton Of the war.
Through England the entire com
mission of six men. of whom John B
Lord, who appears in Watertown on
February %, was one, thoroughly in,
vestigated city and country life-saw
the long lines at London's municipal
Kitchens. studied England's farm pre-.
parations for increasing the food sup,
ply, motored through the agricultural
districts of France, and in addition
conferred with British and French
food controllers, and visited the front
line trenches. For five days they liv-
ed with the soldiers in the American
expeditionary forces, and at this time
had conferences with General Pershing
and his staff officers.
Two members, at the invitation of
the king of Italy are now visiting
Italy, securing al accurate resume of
food conditions among the civilian
population and along the battle-lines.
The commission arrived in England
December d. What they have seen
and learned is indicated in letters
they have written home. From the
day of their landing their time has
been fully occupied in tours of in
spection, conferences and personal con
tact with the soldiers and civilians
of the allied countries. OF their first
days experiences. John b. Lord says:
I'VE We're officially met at the dock
and received instructions to proceed
out into the country to inspect one
of the training camps where m
get intensive farm training III eight
weeks. The girls come from any walk
OF life and from any occupation-sing
on as soldiers e~nlist-learn to do
d%airying, blowing with sturdy little
tractors1, seeding, planting and in
fact everything about farming by
practical experience. After such train
ing they go by order to any part of
the country to any farm where a
man can be released for military duty.
I'VE have read of the women of
France; the women of England are
just as remarkable and their spirit to
aid the country is just as sroerb.'
Hurrying on to London, for the
purpose of comforting with Lord
Rhondda, British food controller. and
inspecting the municipal kitchens
the food commission went through
an air raid, details of which they will
probably tell their American audi
ences
What we saw was not warfare
just plain murder; direct attempts
made on lives OF innocent non-com-
batants.a one member commented.
Not only did the commission find
out how the English civilian popula-
ton lives. but the members made al
special trip to a German detention
camp, where large numbers Of Ger
j a civilians. in England when war
was declared, are interned. Here the
housing and plan Of feeding was in.
spected.
In France the commission spent four
days visiting the British front and the
same length OF time with the French
forces. For FIVE days the commission
had quarters and mess with the AM
erican expeditionary forces, billeted
with the troopers. American audi
enees will be told actual conditions
in the army camps food s~upply--not
III the form of official reports, but in
the more interesting style Of the lee.
turerwno has an eye for the human
interest element involved
Frances ability to produce food
crops was carefully investigated BY
the commission BY motor the entire
party toured HE agricultural regions
yar behind the lines, visiting country
that has been neglected BY virtually
all writers going abroad eager to see
the military operations rather than