El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-07-03

Of the people whose food supply he
regulated Before he achieved the
task II was generally regarded as all
but impossible.
Food was running short in the
united kingdom in June. 1917. when
the then baron RhOndda was appoint
ed food controller Of Great Britain
The German U-boats were sending
ships TO the bottom Of the ocean and
Great Britain was supporting a ire
meud0us army in France. The civil
ians AZ home were beginning TO feel
the pinch. Long queues OF men,
women and children stood for hours
al the food stores in scores Of British
cities and there was a loud grumbls
from the public
His Hide Was Thick.
The nan who as David A. Thomas,
had been managing director OF the
great Cam brian coal combine, APP
parently undertook his task with
many misEiTinEs- II have a suspi-
cion,T ne told his welsh friends. that
Llyod George conscripted me for this
almost impossible JOB because he
knew I had the hide OF a rhin0ceros
Il am going there" he added as
guardian and trustee Of the consumer
Fnd particularly the poor consumer"
He declared that he was determined
70 stop prOfiteering mad speculation
in food
IF it IS necessary TO put the whole
country on compulsory rations. 7 viii
do It without compunction." he gave
warning Then followed a series OF
orders and regulations that year or
two before would have reused the
Briton TO wrath The new food con-
troler took over control Of all the
crops for 1917 and within a few
months announced the formation OF
an intarallied food council TO pur-
chase in the United States food SUD
plies 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-
vance in the prices Of food
Controlled the Prices Also.
BY fixing the prices, he put into
eject a policy Of controlling the
profits Of food dealers. from the pro
ducer down 10 the retailer.
Transportation in America was
snoWbDund for weeks during the win
ter Of 1917 and America failed TO de-
liver TO England the food she had
promised RhOndda met the crisis BIZ
fixing the amount Of food to be
served every person in hotels. res
taurants and boarding houses down TO
the minute fraction 1t carried Eng
Aa-AA 4HNA llA@ A4N4E anu resulted
his elevation TO Tiscount
Almost Starved Himself.
But the new viscount seemed to Z
have fallen a victim 10 overdevotfon
90 his own theories He had boosted
that he was living on a far smaller
ration than he had Imposed upon the
British public but in April. 1918. suf-
fered a physical collapse that was at
tributed to mis- short ration regimen. {
The queues had disappeared from
the British food stores Prices were
established and. while stories Of the
sufferings Of Germany and Austria
leaked past the censorS, the Briton
smiled and boosted Of what Rhondda
had accomplished for him There was
food enough and each obtained his
share; the coal king had won the
fight and the applause Of his country I
men
Before undertaking that task,
Rhondda had in 1915 organized the
British munitions buying in the
United States and Canada and put II
on a business basis
Controlled Many Mines.
Born at Adare. Wales. March 26. /
1856. David A, Thomas was the son Of
a colliery owner Succeeding TO his
fathers business. he became head Of
the great Camb brian combine. which
controlled many mines producing
steam coal used by the British navy.
He was elected to parliament from
Cardiff and twice refused 10 be made
ure in public life he vas widely
known in America as the British coal
king His favorite recreation was
in farming
IN 1852 he married sybu Haig. Of
Penithon. and they had one daughter. I