The Press., 1919-01-09

Washington:
 Connecticut, being q consuming rather than producing state, was one of the first to realize the presence of food problem, and early in March, 1917, the Connecticut Chamber of Commerce called a meeting of the rep- resentative citizens to consider what should be done in the event Of war. This meeting appointed large con- mittee, which was afterwards reduced to the following membership: Joseph w. Alsop of Avon, William c. Cheney of Manchester, Charles T. Davis of Middletown, John F. Elton of Water bury, George M. Landers of New Brit ain, Wilson H. Lee of New Haven, Robert w. Perkins of Norwich, Robert Scoville of Salisbury, Clifford I. Stod- dard of Woodbridge. This committee, feeling the lack of governmental au- thority, requested the support of Gov ernor Marcus H. HOlcOmb, and on April 10, 1917, under the powers vested in him by recent act of the Legfsla- ture, then in session, he formally ap- pointed the committee as the Con- necticut Committee of Food Supply.
 Connecticut Ready Early.
 So when President Wilson on Au- gust 10, 1917, signed the Lever Food Control Act and thereby gave life to the United States Food Administra- tion, which Mr. Hoover had already partially organized. the state of Con- necticut had for five months been con- ducting a war time food department. Scoviiie Named July 4, 1917.
 On July 4, 1917, Robert Scoville of Taconic, Conn.,, representative of the town of Salisbury in the Connecticut Legislatures of 1901 and 1903, New York banker and business man and Connecticut farmer and cattle breeder, had replied to Herbert HOover's tele- gram accepting the office of Federal Food Administrator for Connecticut without compensation. Former State Senator George M. Landers of New Britain, one of COnnecticut's most sue cessful organizers and a manufacturer, identified with numerous New Britain industries, had been chosen chairman of the Connecticut Committee of Food Supply, and Mir. Scoville was his most valuable and constant assistant on food production and conservation mat tera
 1 Worked With State Committee. When MT. Scoville became Food Ad- ministrator for Connecticut he prompt ly appointed Mr. Landers as Assistant Food Administrator. The offices of the Federal Food Administrator were housed at No. 36 Pearl street, Hart , ford, with the Connecticut Committee ! of Food Supply, which already had a number of active subcommittees work ing on food production and cOnserva- tion.
 1 Issued First Posters.
 It is interesting to note that the first food posters displayed in this country were distributed by the Connecticut Committee of Food Supply with the endorsement of the United States Food Administration. Within a few months after we entered the war MT, Scoville and MT. Landers had held several meetings with the leading hO- tel prOprietors and restaurant men and initiated one of the earliest food con- servation programs among the public eating places of America. Even be- fore the President had signed the Le- yer Act the Connecticut food authori- ties had instituted food conservation pledge card campaign and in June and i July, 1917, secured thousands of pledges from Connecticut housewives. Organization Perfected.
 When the Presidents proclamatio placed wholesalers and large retailers under license and rules and regula- tions were promulgated for various ] trades, Food Administrator Scoville secured the volunteer services of At torney Clark T. Durant, who was placed In charge of the Enforcement Division. During the late summer and early autumn of 1917 Mr. Scoville vis- ited nearly every town in the state, conferring with the leaders of various organizations and industries
 i Pledge Card Campaign.
 In October. 1917, Francis R. Cooley of Hart ford and D. Newton Barney of Farmin"lon were appointed as direc- tor and assistant director of the food pledge card campaign. William A. Sheehan of Hartford, newspaper man. was secured as volunteer public ity director of the food pledge card campaign. and. with the patriotic CO., operation of men and women, local and county directors in COnnecticuts s eight counties and 16S towns, the state made it's quota of 100000 signed pledges. This achievement was con. sidered highly crcditable In view ot COnnecticut'> actual population of ap- prOximately one million and half. 1 One of the first live issues that con- frOnted the Federal Food Administra- ton for Connecticut was the sugar shortage of 1917-191S After several attempted cases of sugar prOfiteering had been met by threats of severe pen alties the sugar situation of that win ter was successfully handled through the loyal cooperation of the great i body of Connecticut retailers.
 Hotel Division.
 \ Hotel Division was established about October 1, 1917, with Almon c. Judd of Waterbury as Chairman and Harry Bond of Hartford and F. A. Cantwell of Bridgeport cooperating. Long before Washington recon. mended the appointment of a commit tee for a hotel division Mir. Landers had called several meetings of the members of the Connecticut Hotel Mems Association for the purpose of devising plans to conserve food in the hotels and restaurants. The first meet. ing was called the latter part of April 1917, and the above named committee was appointed early in May, 1917 About January l. 1918, the committee was reOrganiZed, with Walter $. Garde of New Haven and Hartford and John Porter of Hartford acting with Chair man Judd. At the same time Edward l. Ingraham was employed to take charge of the office work of the divi. sion