The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-07-06
RHONDDA PUT ENGLAND
AND u. S. ON RATIONS
Remarkable Achievement of Late
Food Controller Recalled.


da, the British food controller, who
died Tuesday, was the man who put
England and most OF the United
Kingdom of Great Britain on ra-
tions and won the gratitude even Of
the people whose food supply he
regulated. Before he achieved the
task it was generally regarded as
all but impossible.
Food was running short in the
United Kingdom in une, 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 pinch. Long queues OF
men, women and children stood for
hours at the food stores in score
OF British cities and there was a
loud grumble from the public.
The man who as David A. Thom-
as had been managing director OF
the great Cambrian coal combine,
apparently undertook his task with
many misgivings. 81 have a sus-
picion," he told his Welsh friends,
that Lloyd George conscripted ME
for this almost impossible job be-
cause he knew | had the hide OF
a rhinoceros.
81 am going there" he added, "as
guardian and trustee OF The con-
sumer and particularly the poor
consumer" He declared that he
was determined to stop proiiteer-
ing and speculation in food.
He Warned Country.
"If it is necessary to put the
whole country on compulsory ra-
tions | will do it without compunc
tion," he gave warning. Then fol-
lowed a series OF orders and regu-
lations that a year or two before
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
the formation OF an III
ter-allied food council to purchase
in the United States food supplies
Tor Great Britain, France and Italy
n cooperation with Herbert Hoo
yer, the American food administra-
or. The purpose was to eliminate
and stop speculative
advances in the prices of food.
BY fixing the prices, he put into
Effect a policy OF controlling prot
IS OF food dealers from the produc-
n down to the retainer.
Transportation in America was
for weeks during the
winter OF 1917 and America failed
o deliver to England the food she
lad promised Rhondda met the
risis by fixing the amount OF food
o be served every person in ho-
els, restaurants and boarding
louses down to the minute frac-
ion. 1t carried England over the
rsis and resulted in his elevation
o viscount.
But the new viscount seemed to
ave fallen a victim to oyerdevo-
ion to his own theories. lie had
oasted that he was living on a far I
mailer ration than he had imposed
pom the Britt shpublic, but in ,
lpril, 1918, suffered a physical col
lpse that was attributed to his
hort ration regimen.
British Smiled.
The queues had disappeared from
he British food stores. Prices
ere established and, while stories
t the suffcrings of Germany and
.ustria leaked past the censors, the
triton smiled and boasted of what a
hondda had accomplished for him. t
here was food enough and each i
btained his share; the coal king r
ad won the fight and the applause /
t his countrymen. +
Before undertaking that task, Q
hondda had in 1915 organized the 4
ritish munitions buying in the q
nited States and Canada and put II
on a business basis. d
Born at Adare, Wales, March 20, |
so, David A. Thomas was the son .
coliiery owner. Succeeding to
S fathers business. he became
,ad of the great Cambrian COM r
ne which controlled many mines =
oducing steam coal used by the !,
ritish navy. He was elected to h
rliament from Cardiff and twice =
fused TO be made a peer. Long y,
fore he began to figure in pub
lie he was widely known in :
nerica as the British Coal King"
is favorite recreation was in FARM
9.
In 1882 he married Sybil Haig of
.nithon and they had one daugh-
r.