The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1918-01-24
MORE WHEATLESS DAYS SOON
State Official Brings Pessimistic Pic
ture of Conditions and Says That
People of This Nation Must Re
ward Faith of the Allies.

Sup to this time the Allies, and
when I say the Allies, I mean we and
our associates in the war are licked.
The picture may be pessimistic one,
but it is the only picture that one in
intimate touch with events can bring
to you. 1t was lack of food that
brought the collapse of Russia, it was
that same lack Of food that brought
the collapse of the Italian line. I say
to you in all seriously that the peo-
pie of the United States must indie
pendently provide for the feeding of
ourselves and our associates, in the war,
independent of all the rest of the
world. If we do not do this there will
be more collapses just as on the Rus
sian and italian fronts. The winning
of the war is a question for Americans.
We believe that we will win because
we have never gone to war save for a
just cause. We know that our cause
is just now and that we will event
ually win, not only by the bravery of
our soldiers, but by the patriotic
sacrifices of our people,.
This was the urgent appeal for food
conservation made before the County
Council of Defense and other interest
ed citizens at special meeting held
at the Chamber Of Commerce on Sun
day morning. 1t was made by Andrew
I'll. Melville, secretary of the Wisconsin
State Council of Defense who has just
returned to Wisconsin after confer
ence with similar officials from all over
the nation in Washington. He came
to Kenosha to ask the question, FWhy
has Kenosha not joined with the
other cities in the important work
of food conservation"
Mr.. Melville brought the first Of
fetal message of what the men in
Washington, who are handling the
big war work, believe the conditions
are today.
"We have already made an over
draft on our supply of wheat to the
extent of 90,000,O00 bushels, he de-
an overdraft Of 100000 bushels
more. We must send this wheat to
France to feed the four hundred boys
that we have taken from Kenosha
county and the hundreds Of thousands
from other states in the nation. The
only place that we can get this wheat
is by saving it and we depend upon
the people to make these savings. We
must take it out of our own kitchens
to feed the boys on the battle front.
Do you begrudge food to the men who
are fighting for you? We must from
now on cut and cut deer into the con-
sumption Of wheat, sugar and fats.
The soldiers of England, Italy and
France have been looking to us with
implicit child-like faith to aid in the
winning of this war; Their belief in
us and in our willingness to aid in
this critical moment has kept them
fighting a military power that threat
ems to grind all the nations of the
world under its iron heel. I want you
people to understand that if we can
not furnish food the defeats q the
Russian and Italian fronts are going
to be repeated on the western front
and on the French front. The one
thing that men can not do is fight on
empty stomachs. They can It and they
WON It. It was the lack of food that
put Russia on the rocks. We know
that Finland is starving, but we must
first take care Of ourselves and the
people who are fighting for us. The
submarine danger is not passed. Not
bit of food is being brought from the
South American countries to feed the
Allies. Tt is matter that we must do.
France is allowing her people seven
pounds of sugar a year. We are de-
handing ninety pounds a year and
forty-fve per cent of this is being
served to us in candy and soft drinks.
The primary purpose of the food
commission is to prevent things getting
out Of sight in price. Just as
important is to produce and to dis
tribute the food to all the nations
of the world with the exception of
the Central Powers.
Some one is quoted as saying, they
are going to put some one out of bust
ness. The government is just and
fair as it can be. Tt does not seek to
put any one out of business, but it is
going to control things and the law
gives it the full power to control. We
want to curtail deliveries of goods to
make it possible for the merchant to
continue in business and make 2 fair
profit. We want to release men who
are now driving delivery wagons that
they may be drafted for service with
Pershing in France. We want those
men, not a year from now, but tomor-
row If we can get them. We want to
take from the retail business its big