The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1918-10-25
THE WHY'S OF THE
FOOD CAMPAIGN
REASON GIVEN FOR GOVERN
MENTAL CONTROL
Strict Laws Cannot be Made to Apply
Everywhere as Conditions
Vary

Why restrict wheat when we have
such big harvest?
The program is calculated to sup
ply home consumption, to send what
we ought to furnish the allies, to
reserve enough to carry us over the
end of the year-and that's all. Un-
restricted wheat consumption would
not meet the program.
Why let down the wheat rule to
1920?
We can use more wheat because
we have more. This is not so much
a let-down as might seem. The old
rule covered bread and all cereals;
this applies to bread, cereal use
otherwise to be encouraged. So far
as it does let down the enforcement
of substitutes, it is because we shall
be poorer this year in feed for cat
tie than in food for people.
Why must we use substitutes?
In addition to economic reasons,
the United States and the allies have
agreed on a universal victory bread.
The least we can do is to share equal
ly with those whose burden is great
er than ours.
Why not ship corn?
We do, we will; but armies can be
better fed with raised bread and
where there is no proper kitchen out
fit for baking, some wheat is needed
for bread.
Why is sugar restricted?
To win the war, by sending men,
on ships borrowed from Asiatic trade
set free by furnishing sugar from
American sources.
How long will the sugar restriction
continue?
There is no probability of relaxing
the program within the next six
months.
Why doesn't Canada conserve sug-
ar?
The allowance in Canada is / 1-2
pounds per person per month.
Why not close the candy shops?
Their sugar supply has been cut
down fifty per cent. That's enough
until further measures are feasible.
Why make US save when the
breweries and distilleries waste
grain?
They don't; they are going out Of
business as fast as their present
stocks are exhausted.
Why doesn't the government do
something about prices?
The law gives no authority to fix
any price to the producer, except
wheat. The Food Administration
provides against profiteering by man.
ufacturers, wholesalers or jobbers;
provides against waste and specula-
tion in the main channels of trade;
the administration points out a meth
cd of fixing fair prices by local COM
munities. The community itself
must police retail prices and nobody
else can.
Why doesn't the government lay
down a schedule of rations to fol-
low?
There is no schedule of rations
that will suit all people. There is
one necessary portion for coal
HEAVIER and another for retired
clergyman; one for a boy with hol-
low legs, another for young sales
man; another for middle aged ac-
countant. The mother who feeds
four children, sweeps, cooks, sews
scrubs and works in the garden, can
not live on what will suffice the dear
old lady with folded hands. What is
abundance on Florida piazza would
be famine for lumberjack where
it's 20 below.
The ration changes every few
weeks and every few miles to agree
with what's in the market.
You could find an average but
you can't eat an average.
The ration must be set by every
household and by every individual
according to age, occupation, activity
and residence.
Finding the ration for each home
and person requires intelligent study
of food values and intelligent ad-
vice from those who know how much
nutrition is in each sort of food and
how much it takes to keep going.
Why not compulsory rations?
The success Of Americas great
experiment in democracy-the vol
unteer basis--as compared with par
J tial failure of all compulsory schemes