Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-04-17
FOOD CONTROL
MEANS VICTORY
European Shortage Places Prob
lem Before American Govern !
ment-FarSlghted Policy
Adopted.
NEED 100000 Blu. WHEAT.
Food Administration Asks Aid Of
Every American In Gigantic
Task of Feeding Millions.

II Is the food problem over there
that makes a food problem over here.
If we wished TO be supremacy selfish
and supremacy shortsighted-we could
go on eating as much as we like and
whatever we like. without much diff.
Guilty or interruption-at least. until
the Germans camel
But we are not doing things In that
selfish and suicidal way. We are try.
ing TO make great common pool Of
all of our food, and all of the food Of
the allies, and all of the food we can
get from South American and other
neutrals, and dividing it up fairly
among America, England. France. Bel
GUM and Italy.
This does not mean that all of the
people In the great pool are going to
have the same ration, but means that
we are trying to arrange TO have
enough for everybody, so that the sol.
diers-our soldiers and their soldiers
will be well fed, as they have to be
to fight hard and continuously, and
that the munitions workers and til
workers In all the other necessary in
dustries. and the men and women at
home will all have enough to keep
alive and well. 1t is absolutely neces-
sary to do this If the war is to be won,
and we are going to do it, but it means
Y.lo nj cir
ating. being careful, not wasting, saw
ing.
And 1t means that each and every
one of us has got to help.
Now, we have enough and more than
enough food for ourselves, and the
Government is going to see to it that
we keep here at home sufficient sup
ply of every essential kind of food to
support our people. But over there
they simply have not enough. Lord
Rhondda, the English food controller,
recently cabled the American food ad.
ministrator, that unless we can send
the allies before the next uropean
harvest 100000 bushels of wheat in
addition to what had been sent up to
January of this year he could not
assure the people Of the allies that
they would have sufficient supply OF
food to carry on the war.
Headid not say anything in this cable
about the other food necessary, but
he has told of these needs In other
cables-and by his actions in England.
For example, his latest regulation
compels a reduction of meat eating In
the United Kingdom to maximum OF
one pound per week per person, this
pound including the bone and other
waste parts in the meat as bought in
the shop.
The allies must have more wheat,
more meat, more fats more dairy prod
ucts, more sugar Their harvests were
very short-France had less than half
her normal crop of wheat--and the
available shipping is small in amount
aad constantly being lessened by sub.
marines, so that 1t Is now practically
impossible to use any ships for the long
voyage necessary to bring food from
Australia and other remote markets.
The food must come chiefly from
America. In specific figures it Is nee
essary for us to send to the allies
100000 tons of foodstuffs month.
This is great responsibility and q
great problem. The food must he
found, and also the ships to carry 1t.
1t is being done. but can only continue
to be done by the help and full CO.
operation Of all of us over our broad
land. We must produce and save
more.
To supply the wheat necessary until
the next harvest, we must reduce our
consumption by from one-fOurth to
one-third ; we must cut down our usual
average consumption Of meats and
fats by from 10 to Is per cent. and
dairy products by about 10 per cent
Over there they are tightening their
belts and doing everything they can
They are eating war bread; they are
cutting down their sugar In England
to two pounds per person per month
and In France and Italy to one pound
how much are you eating they
are using ration cards for most of the
staples. We must meet sacrifice with
sacrifice. IL we don't, we are helping
to lose the war instead Of helping to
win 1t.