The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-02-28
Frederic Haskin's Letter
For a Corn-Fed World.

generally preferred rye ~.
wheat was not to be had.
Americans have felt that tbi, A.,
like was due mainly to ignorans.
not many Europeans know nm.
about corn. and those who h.sa
tasted 1t more often than NOT -.
prejudiced by bad cooking.
There is a story along this IN.
about Carlyle and Emerson H..s
son wrote to his friend Csr,saS
recommending corn as a food -.
saying that he had sent a pact.s.
so that the Carlyle family mi,s.
try it. Carlyle wrote back polis.,s
to thank Mr.. Emerson, but tn y.
that after several experiments ~.
really did not find the favor !,
corn meal agreeable. The COW
spondence stopped here until NJ,
Emerson could copy off some ~ -.
best recipes. Then the Carl,,..
were asked to try again. They IA
and wrote back enthusiasticail, =
know where they could get mo,s
of the American delicacy.
Carlyle Ate Corn.
This incident, from the ,et,.,.
Of Carlyle and Emerson, is ON. :.
the grounds on which Amerie,s.
base their conviction that Eur.s.
would like corn if it could ever 4
persuaded to give it a fair tn,
The department of agriculture one.
sent demonstrators and lectures
over to Europe to enlighten the an
ferent countries as to the possibii.
ties Of Indian corn. Neither Elm
quence, nor samples OF corn dis.
guised in griddle cakes, muffin,
gingerbread, or corn pone arop,.d
any enthusiasm. Mostly. tho,.
present did not even come forvaM
to get the samples.
Because of such experienc,,
when the food shortage began n
afflict Europe, the United Stat,
did not send corn to the rescr
You may remember that Herber
Hoover urged US to eat more con
and save wheat because Euroo.
could not very we'll be taught IA
eat a new kind Of food in SO critiul
a period.
Now the situation is different
and Hoover accepted the olferN
corn gladly. About 1000, 900 bush.
els it is announced will be fed to
children of the famine areas, md
probably most of it will be prs.
pared by the relief organization
and served to the children at FEED.
ing centers.
What goes to adults may or NAV
not be cooked before Distributed
Where it is not prepared for eat.
ing directions will doubtless h
given to insure sufficient cookins
With adequate cooking, the no.
tritive value of corn is about The
same as that of wheat. Corn con.
tains a large amount of sugar and
starch which supply the body with
heat and energy. 1t also has !
good deal of protein which builds
up the body tissues. Il Is not
however, rich in minerals, needed
in bone formation. Experiments
have shown that corn is about as
digestible as wheat and that 30 per
cent of its dry matter is absorbed
in the process of digestion. o
Possibly it does not become
America to be too impatient with
the European lack OF appreciation
of corn. The high nutritive value
of corn is realized all over this
country and We have been eating 4
ever since the Pilgrims by accident
dug up some seed corn buried BY
the Indians and got them to explain
the growth and uses of the grain
Further back than that, Columns
is said to have found corn growing
over here, and the Aztecs in Their
great civilization used it. This
country has had plenty Of time 10
study corn and its uses. Yet II is
estimated that less than 10 per
cent of our big corn crops is eaten
by people, whereas practically al
of the wheat is turned into -four.