Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-24
WASHINGTON. Jan. "a.

L States Food Administration since
It's inception some time after the be-
ginning "a the war last April have been
slightly different from the popular con-
csptIon of what they should have been,
though on the whole they have been
pretty much what the national and in
tsrnational American interest dictated
they should be-
Summed up, the accomplishments
have been these:
The food administration has handled
the available American food sources
and supplies. with the supreme ultimate
object of helping to win the war for
America and the Allies by getting that
food as abundantly produced, as care
fully conserved and as economically
and euuitably manufactured and dis
tributed to strategic food points in the
American and Allied world as possible.
Its great task has been. is and will
continue to be so to administer Amer
ica's food resources that American and
Allied morale will not be lowered
through lack Of food. All other con-
siderations have been. are and will con-
tinue to be predicatcd on this single OBJ
ministration's principal reason for cX-
istence.
To effect this. the food administration
has had TO do the best it could with
the legal and other equipment with
which 1t was invested and which it
possessed. TO the provisions of the
food act the administration has added
moral suasion and the powerful weapon
OF voluntary agreement based on per-
s..s... a.
tween its representatives and repre-
sentatives of the businesses and COM
munites affected concerning specific
food commodities and conditions
With these utensils in hand and the
world food problem reduced to clear
facts and figures which showed it what
specific things it must do to accomplish
its supreme object. the food administra-
tion instituted an extensive campaign to
acquaint the American public with the
situation and to point out to It what
Its share in solution Of the problem
must be.
Primarily, however the great task
begun with this equipment was TO
eliminate waste, boarding. proftecring
and speculation in the manufacture and
distribute of all basic food COM
modltes. TO do this, voluntary agree
ments TO this end We're made wherever
possible through more than 500 con-
ferences with representative food men
Of all basic branches. In addition the
food administration assumed by presi-
Dental proclamation, absolute control
through q system OF licensing Of all i'm
porting, exporting, storage, manufactur-
Ing, distributing and sales organizations
Including retailers doing more than
100000 worth of business annually, Of
the twenty basic food products Of the
country.
Countrywide reports show that the
. elimination in this way of waste. hoard
ing speculation and excess profit has
stabilized certain prices between pro-
ducsr and small retailer and, on some
commodities, between producer and con-
lsumer incidentally in some instances
this price stabilization has reduced
prices TO the American consumer. In
the case Of sugar, stabilization was ef-
fected between producer and consumer
by fixing the price of sugar at the point
M Of production.
In this and other branches of its work
the food administration has built up
volunteer, unsalaricd organizations of
men and women peculiarly equipped by
their business or professional experience
70 put its plans and policies into effect.
It's aim has ever been maximum accom-
plishment at minimum expense.
ORGANIZATION OF STAFFS
Srhis organization consists Of divi-
sonal directors and their staffs at ma
uonal headquarters in Washington, and
FEDERAL State administrators and their
staffs in the various States and terri
Il torial possessions of the United States.
me food administrations relation with
me public generally has been decentral-
sed through the State organizations.
aatters Of international. national and
sectional policy are decided co-ODera-
uNely by the national and State admin
Auation chiefs.
IN its direct relations with the general
puDhc the food administration has aimed,
.hrOugh voluntary effort on the part of
NN public, to eliminate household waste
w hoarding of food ana to bring about
.eNhg and substitution i'm the use of
" war foods Allied Europe urgently
us-wheat, meat fats, sugar and
vary products.
WOMEN POTENT ALLIES
10 this end it has enlisted as mem-
9sis 1.-THE United States Food Admins
euoh between lO,00G,C00 and IL 100000
american women. These home-mskc kcrs
le pledged to do their share in home
svhserNauon. How much they have done
anot be estimated because specific
rs.etSS dlt not yet aNalldDles DuI lut
spued amounts of war foods available
.sr Shipment TO Europe proved that they
ahe the patriotic hotel. restaurant, din
'ns-car and boat people, also voluntarily
nnsted In this conservation campaign,
nave done much.
me invaluable cooperative work OF
e american press in fixing the food
PRESERVATION idea firmly I'm the individual
neHcan mind has been supplemented
carefully planned campaign Of pub
speaking. pictures, pamphlets and
lsVhal appeals to bring the vital wal
"ooiem Of food home to every citizen.
above all, the food administration
uled, and believes II has in large
,essnre succeeded, with the aid of The
~nlted States Department of Agri'
ture and other Government and indi
nual agencies, in stimulating produc
ph OF needed war foods through ap
80 ana encouragement to farmers e
eupce food and by pointing out specifi
ns 70 them what. why and how mucl
'ein things were needed.
4 believes il has succeeded IN admlp'
s'ine those food supplies already n
'''s'Hnee 50 that they wire sold whole