The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-05-23
STARVATION and
DISEASE WORSE
Than BULLETS
Hoover Tells Dairymen They
Are Morally Drafted to Aid
Food Supply.
(By Associated Pressl

NEW YORK, May 23.-The greatest
human decimation in Europe has not
been wrought by German bullets but
.by starvation and its attendant Gis-
eases in the districts overrun by the
German military power, declared Food
Administrator Hoover, in an address
to the National Dairy League here to-
day. Pointing out the service which
the dairymen of the nation ARE moral
ly drafted to fulfill" he said he was
convinced that ''if the war were to
cease tomorrow the toll Of actual dead
from starvation and its attendant dis
eases would double or treble the five
million or six million killed by Ger
many and her allies"
Calling upon the dairymen to do
their part in maintaining the United
Hoover said:
"It is worse than folly to put FIVE
million of our boys into France il the
civilian population of our allies Is not
also to be maintained in strength and
morale with our food.
Supplies so Percent.
During this fiscal year North Amer
ica will have supplied approximately
foodstuffs imported by the allies and
fifty percent. came from more remote
markets. Before the war, we con-
tributed probably less than ten per
cent. The shipping situation or the
war situation might develop to point
where these ships must be withdrawn
to the nearest markets-our own. II
that became necessary and if we could
f1,a hn nj
ing fleet could be diminished by 1,5CO,-
in the war This contingency may not
arise. but if it should arise and we
are unprepared to meet this demand
for a doubling of the whole of the
food exports from this country. it
might result in the losing of the war.
North America" Mr.. Hoover con-
tinued. stands unique In one great
particular We are independent of
sea transport for feeding stuffs for
our animals. We grow them side by
side. Here lies the great economic
difference between ourselves and
Europe. and this, is one reason why
we can and must be the great final
reservoir Of supplies
In order that people of the allied
powers whose dairy herds have been
diminished by lack of feeding stuffs
and other exigencies of war, may be
provided even with slender milk and
fat ration by the United States, Mr..
Hoover explained it would be neces-
sary for the dairymen of this country
not only to maintain the herds but to
build up stocks in warehouses in sea
sons of surplus productions. He said
dairy products in storage at present
was not a cause for alarm and legis-
lation. but should be source of sat
isfaction.
Referring to the work Of the various
milk commissions and distributors
with fairness to the consumers. Mr..
Hoover declared the present market
system in dairy products is inherently
wasteful and expensive system, Our
consumers need relief from the pres
ent high price levels of milk. This re-
lief may partly come through cheaper
foods but it appears to me must be
to larger degree in reduced cos: Of
distribution
To solve the problem Mr.. Hoover
advocated a complete reorganization
of distribution methods, intimating
that in cities and towns where there
are several distributing companies
these concerns should be combined.