The sun., 1918-01-28
WOULD NEED NEW LAW
Based on Britain's Expert
ence, Officials See Prob
ability of Drastic Step.
RETAIL SHOPS MENACED
Many Food Places Would Be
Put Out Of Business by Lii
censing System.
Special Desposch to Tas suS.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27.-An enforced
system OF rationing similar to that
abroad will result unless Americans OBJ
serve to the letter during the coming six
months the new voluntary food con-
servation measures effective Tomorrow.
This was admitted to-day by food ohi-
cials. Herbert c. Hoover and DR..
Alonzo e. Taylor. who ranks only second
to Mr.. Hoover in the Food Administra-
ton. believe that the new regulations will
be observed by .95 per cent Of the public
eating places and In at least 10 per cent.
OF the homes.
Before rationing could be enforced 1t
would be necessary to obtain new legis-
lation, the object Of which would be to
reduce the number of retail food shops
by one half, establish q food card sys-
d, tenn OF purchase and place heavy penal
ties upon those who consumed more
than fixed allowance.
II America by complying voluntarily
with the new rules reduces its consump-
ton OF sugar. wheat, fats and meat 1t
will be the first Of the major nations at
war to have registered such an achieve
ment Germany. Austria. Italy. France
and England In turn have been forced to
adopt the food rationing plan after try
ing the voluntary system.
ConsiaerinG Britain's Lessen.
In weighing the possibilities Of wide-
spread voluntary cooperation with the
Food Administration in the United
States Federal oficiais have carefully
considered the attitude OF the british
people. What they have 1eArne6~s4eUnA
reports has not encouraged the belief
in the minds OF many that the new
plan will he a success. But the Federal
Administration believes the voluntary
system must be tried in this country be-
fore compulsory rationing laws are pro-
posed and passed.
The greatest savings must be made
in the homes. The bakers hereafter will
be restricted to making the now Victory
Bread az the only white bread, but II
remains to be seen whether the Ameri-
can housewife will bake II voluntarily.
1t is 0imitted that the previous re-
quests 6f the Food Administration have
been fulfilled by only about 40 per cent.
OF the people. This IL significant since
the British people were forced to ration
ing when 1t was found that only 10 per
cent of the people were adopting the
food conservation measures Of their
Food Administrator, Lord Rhondda.
The hesitancy generally Of American
food experts to urge rationinS at once
Is because. whereas the Allies have al.
ways been forced to import food and re-
cognized quickly the need Of rationina
because Of the U-boats' destructivenes -
the American people always have raised
more food than they could consume and
as a result have been most wasteful OF
foods and would De less Inclined to be-
l'eve food rationing really was neces-
sary.
Doubts Lever LAVE Power.
When the question Of how far the
Food Administration could 60 under ex-
listing laws in establishing q forced or
rationing system Of food consumption
was asked Mr.. Hoover. he replied:
I doubt IL a construction could b
placed on section 4 of the Lever Law BY
which persons could he rationed as q
measure Of preventing waste. However.
mat section carries no punitive clause
Section 4. reads: That II is hereby
made unlawful for any person wilfully
to destroy any necessaries for the pur-
pose OF enhancing the price or restrict
ing the supply thereof; knowingly to
commit waste or wilfully to permit pre-
ventabe deterioration OF any necessar riee
IN OF In connection with their production.
manufacture or distribution: to hoard
or attempt to monopollze either locally
or generally any necessaries; to con-
spire' combine. agree or arrange with
any other person to limit the facilities
Ior transporting, producing. harvesting.
manufacturing. supplying. storing or
ueaiing In any necessar aries; to restrict
tne supply of any necessaries I; to restrict
distribution OF any necessaries: to pre-
vent limit or lessen the manufacture or
production Of any necessaries In order
70 enhance the price thereof: or to exact
excessive prices for any necessaries; or
10 aid or abet the doing Of any act made
unlawful by this section"