Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-10-03
SHALL THEY ASK IN Vain?
BY c. HOUSTON GOuDiss
FOOD Economist Author Of Foods
That VIII Win the War"

inas Viii Win the war
Editorial Issued by tile laaa.s Eduea-
uonal Division, United states Food Ad-
mlnis,'atiuul
'inr hundred and thirty million peo-
PIE In England. Belgium France and
Italy hold ont their huudS 10 Us today
asking only thlS-thut We lend them
enough bread 10 keep body and soul
together while they work and fight for
freedom
our freedom and the worlds
For four Years they have strained
and died 10 hold at has the tiend forces
nt brute power. But for their strength
and courage. our own Atlantic coast
now might be the west front" and
our women and children the victims OF
pruSSian lust.
They have fed themselves IN shot
and Suftocation. They have withStood
wave after wave Of terror> that pale
he'll itself. And still they stand firm
against the foes of justice, honor and
mercy.
Still living wall between Us here in
America and the foulest plague that
ever menaced man
But their hands are outStretched to
uS-aSking only thar We share our
bread with them until the day break
and the shadows Zee away,
Dnpt{..r ,.h, ,.ltts.tts.. hnNn hu1
more than plenty, to spare them just
enough to staye of starvation and
keep them lit for working and fight
Ing,
Turning. in their hour Of supreme
need TO the worlds great granary and
asking-not for themselves alone, but
for all men now and for the future OF
Freedom-thht We who have always
Toasted like princes and whose vast
fields still are unscarred by shell UNI
married by beast.tracks, deny ourselves
just little
Pleading for wHEAT-they whose
fields are bare and blood.soaked:
whose tillers are in the trenches
Asking us, who have five times as
much corn as wheat, and who like and
know how TO use the rich yellow grain,
to lessen for little while our use Of
wheat 81 they can have enough TO hold
Famine off while fighting the foe.
WHAT SHALL WE ANSWER?
Is there any doubt or hesitation In
your heart?
DO you feel II would he little enough
to measure our giving by what they al
ready have given; to say, Take 1t all
Wen eat the corn and rice and oats
and thank God for them and for YOU "
If the giant now held in leash by
these hungry ones were to break
through. would it matter whether we
had wheat or corn?
Yet we need not give them all, Meth
err they nor our own country asks this.
We need only SHARE with them
our vheut--enough to stem the tide OF
hunger which, unsremmed, will sweep
US All to defeat and slavery!
But this we MUST do--not in
groups or by fits and starts, but
EVERY DAY IN EVERY PLACE
WHERE FOOD Is EATEN
We must do it NOW, and gladly.
We must count it privilege to eat
corn aud rice and potatoes In order
that these, our defenders, and our own
soldiers cover there can have the food
to which they have been accustomed
while making sthe great sacrifice.
They have nothing to fall back on
We have great stores Of many excel
lent foods. Their cupboards are bare.
Ours bulge with nearly everything but
wheat.
THINK how little they are asking !
Not food for feasting-not even enough
to satisfy their hunger--but Just
enough to keep them FIGHTING FOX
FREEDOM
Shall they ask in vain?