The Washington herald., 1918-05-11
PRESS
POTATO PLEA
AS URGENCY
Food Administrators La,
Stress on High Value as
Food, Low Cost.

During the last year or so the Amer
lean farmer has been raising pota-
toes on such large scale that there
are now more on the market than
can be consumed II eaten at the same
rate as during the last twelve months.
This large surplus Of potatoes can be
eaten and used very advantageously
now as a substitute for wheat. An
order was issued some time ago stat
ing the seriousness Of the wheat sit
uation and the vital need for doing
everything possible to save II in the
home for use at the camps and at
! the battle front. Various grains eve
! been recommended as substitutes.
Now q real food is being pushed as
a substitutes food that had its birth
| right here in the States but which,
so far. has been neglected as a wheat
| saver and highly nutritive food. A
movement has been started to make
more use of the potato. Mr.. Clarence
Wilson. District Food Administrator.
appointed John H. wilkins as Chair
man Of the Potato Committee.
Urgent Request.
When interviewed yesterday. John
H. wilkins gave the following state
ment OF the situation:
when the American citizens are
asked to eat more Of this food. or
| that, and save other foods, II is not
meant as a command-they ought to
| understand that it's Just a request
| for US at home to help and do Il
right away.
IT think some people have the
wrong opinion Of the food admins
tration-they think Mr.. Hoover wants
the great populace TO stop eating al
| together and starve. This Is a wrong
! thought. What he does want the
citizens to do is eat good food. care
fully prepared. and as much as they
need for proper nourishment so that
the folks will be healthy. and happy.
But there are a few foods that
we have to stop eating to a certain
extent to save for shipment to ca:nns
and our Allies. Wheat Is one of
them. In fact, it's the most import
ant Potatoes are one food We are
asked to eat plenty Of Several
months ago Herbert c. Hoover, the
food administrator, issued the order
saw "utdl- ne ulOI say e1dCuy
how it should be done but recon-
mended other wheat substitutes. Po-
tatoes make the best substitutes.
IF I'm not greatly mistaken, po-
tatoes are second to wheat only in
food value. And besides. at &c. a
pound. they are cheaper than grain
by a good bit.
This potato committee was formed
with the idea and aim Of teaching
the American people of the food value
obtainable from 'spuds' at such q
low cost. We have been reasonably
successful so far. More people are
eating potatoes and those who cat
them before only three or four times
week are eating them for every
meal. every day. I guess that shows
patriotism. doesn't 1t But even at
that. I'm not satisfied yet The folks
have to eat still more-I dol"
Supplies Ample.
Mr.. wilkins says, too, that there
are ample supplies of both the old
and new crop potatoes on the market
which can be bought at practically
every food store in the city Of Wash
ington at very reasonable prices.
Many prominent business men Of
this city have given and are giving
precious time to make this movement
a success.
They have all pledged themselves to
set an example by eating potatoes as
much and as many times as pos
sible.