Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-03
RHONDDA DIES, VICTIM
OF RATION THEORIES
British Food Controller Lived
on Less Than Public
Was Allowed


Fiscount Rhondda Davld NfrcG
Thomas), the British food controller,
died this morning al o'clock.
The NlScount seems 10 have fallen
victom to overdevotion to his own
theories. He had boastcd that he was
living on a far smaller ration than lie
had imposed upon the British public
but in April. 1918. suffered a physical
collapse that was attributed to his
short ration regimen
Since the recent operations for dis
persion of the fluid consequent to a
severe attack of pleurisy. Niscount
Rhondda had weakened gradually. There
( were few rallies. and the. bulletins from
his bedside in The fast few days had
held out little hope for his. recovery
Yesterdays announcement recorded that
the patient had lost strength and that
his heart showed signs of failing to
respond TO treatment.
3 Viscount Rhondda was the man who
put England and most of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain on rationS
and won the gratitude even of the peo-
= pie whose food supply he regula ted. Be
fore he achieved the task it was gen
orally regarded all but impossible.
Food was running short in the United
Kingdom in June, 1917, when the Baron
Rhondda was appointed food controller
of Great Britain. The German Uboats
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 pinch Long queues of men, women
and children stood for hours at the food
stores in scores of British cities and
there was loud grumble from the
public.
Foe of PrOiteers
The man who as David \. Thomas
had been managing director of the great
Cambyian coal combine, apparently
undertook his task with many misgiv-
ings Il have a suspicion" he told his
Welsh friends that Lloyd George con-
scripted me for this almost impossible
Job because he knew | had the hide of
a rhinoceros
II am going there he added, 'as
guardian and trustee of the consumer,
and particularly the poor consumer"
He declared that he was determined to
stop protiteering and speculation in food.
"If it is necessary to put the whole
country on compulsory rations I will do
II without compunction." he gave warn
Ing Then followed a series of orders
and regula tons that a year or two be-
fore would have reused the Briton to
wrath. The new Food Controller took
over control of all the crops for 1917,
and within a few months announced the
formation of an Inter-Allied Food Coun-
Gil to purchase in the United States
food supplies for Great Britain. France
and Italy in cooperation with Herbert
Hoover the American Food .Adminis-
traitor. The purpose was to eliminate
competition and stop speculative ad-
>ances in the prices Of food.
h., ,1-f..a Ia.
policy of controlling the profits of
food dealers from the producer down to
the retailer.
Transportation in America was snow
bound for weeks during the winter of
1917, and America failed to deliver to
England the food she had promised.
4 ,ondda met the crisis by fixing the
amount of food to be served every per-
son in hotels, restaurants and boarding
houses dow to the minute fraction 1t
carried England over the crisis and re-
suited in his elevation to Viscount.
Queues Disappear
The queues had disappeared from the
British food stores. Prices were estab-
lished, and, while stories of the suffer-
ings of Germany and Austria leaked
past the censors, the Briton smiled and
boasted of what Rhondda had accom-
plished for him. There was food enough
and each obtained his share; the coal
king had won the fight and the applause
of his countrymen.
Before undertaking that task Rhondda
had in 1915 organized the British mu-
nitions buying in the United States and
Canada and put 1t on a business basis
Born at Adare. Wales, March &c,
1856, David \. Thomas was the son of
colliery owner. Succeeding to his
/. fathers business, he became head of the
great Cambrian combine which controlled
many mines producing steam coal used
by the British navy. He was elected to
4 Parliament from Cardiff and twice re-
fused to be made a peer Long before
he began to figure in public life he was
widely know In America as the british
( Coal King His fayorite recreation was
N farming.
In 1ss2 he married Sybil Haig. OF
+ Rsnithons and they had one daughter.