The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-03-19
AMERICA MUST
REDUCE CEREAL
CONSUMPTION
French High Commissioner
Says Grain Shipments
Must Increase
LBy Asspeiated Pressl

tBy Associated PresS.l
Baltimore, March Is.-America mus
DO more toward reducing the domes-
TIC consumption Of cereals and in
creasing exports or food to France
declared Andre Tar6ieu, French high
commissioner TO the United States. in
an address he delivered here last
night before the Southern CONNER
cial Congress.
You must do il, because it is q
/ case or necessity, because il must be
done" asserted Nj. Tardieu- For
these last three months shipments az
cereals from America TO Europe have
1 oecn short about one-third OF the sup
ply recognized as indispensable 10
strictly compressed needs"
summing up some or the economies
| or food practiCed in France to en-
phasize his request for more food
from America, NJ. TaTdieu said:
You are aware that the French
nation has always lived mostly on
Wheat-bread. Our pre-war cOnSump-
ton was 100000 tons per month Our
present consumption has been now re-
duced to $4,000 tons, a reduction OF
about IS per cent.
''Of course, il was impossible TO re-
duce to any great extent the bread
ration Of the soldier. That ration.
which amounted in the first year Of
the war to about IS ounces, has been
progressively cut down 20 a little
over q ounces.
But, on the other hand, as regards
the civilian population, we had to es-
tablish the individual bread card, al
lowing only about 10 ounces per day,
which means barely the third part Of
the average daily bread consumption
Of the French peasant or woTkmen
before the war.
Feeding OF horses and cattle on
cereals which could be used for the
making Of bread has been prohibited,
This resulted in a decrease Of so per
cent in the number of horses in
France and in an important reduC-
ton Of our cattle.
we have radically suppressed, on
the other hand, all flour-consumin
industries. The manufacturing OF
biscuits, and of pastry, has been com
pletely prohibited. Strict rules have
been imposed on hotels and reStau-
rants namely: Absolute suppression
Of fancy bread.
Cattle Feed Shortage.
Il heard that some Americans. who
were in France, a few weeks ago,
have been wondering why we have
not kept the meatless days.
This suppression OF meatless days
resulted from the lack Of cereal for
the cattle feeding, which involved the
killing Of cattle, and the killing OF
cattle was meant, on the other hand,
20 bring about a reduction in the
human consumption OF these same
cereals. may be allowed 10 add
that, Of late, my good friend, Mr..
Hoover, insisted that. as far as pos
sible, we ought TO Try 10 substitute
the meat-consumption for the con-
sumption OF cereals.
I'VE have reduced our sugar con-
sumption by 49 per cent; our rice
consumption by 81 per cent; our i'm
ports OF fried vegetables have been
reduced by So per centi Of oils and
fats by As per cent.
The people who have imposed such
sacrifices on themselves are n peo-
pie who have kept fighting for almost
four years-a people who have mobi-
lized 1000, 900 men from a population,
which, excluding the invaded terri
tories, does not exceed $4,000, 600 in
habitants, a people whose women and
children have taken the burden Of
industrial and agricultural work left
by the men who have Joined the
army, a people whose army lost over
a million men in killed, over a million
men in maimed-a people whose
army, nevertheless, is still holding,
With an uncomfortable steadfastnesS,
over two thirds Of the western front
within the last weeks. despite the
restricted measures 1 have stated,
there have been in France agricultural
districts which had for days, to put
I'D with a complete, absolute depriva-
Al -a4# 80 m
endangering the physical and
moral health Of the nation.
Must Increase Exports.
Il am aware OF what YOU have done
in order to reduce your domestic con- /
sumption and to increase your eN- |
ports. But you must do more. You /
must do lie for IL is a case Of ne |
cessity. You must do Ii because II
can be done.
Il beg OF you TO repeat again to
your people what have told you.
Ask all American citizens, stand |
ing unanimously for the national ideal /
by the President, in order |
to win the war, whether they do not /
deem that the time has come for new /
in consumption. Re-
strictions, however strict they may be- Il
are necessary in order that over there /
on that front where your troops are
beginning to fight, when the whole
of the great American army viii be
in line, she win find unalteTed the
situation on which final victory de-
Ponds.
ave and our European allies the
British, the Italians, have been taught
10 suffer Americans, who are now
our burden OF blood and OF
death on the battle line, we are re-
luesting OF you to share, as well,
m the rear, our burden Of suffering.
In order that you and we win the
war, it is necessary that you, here IN
America, should all agree 10 a new
Effort and to new privations."