The New York herald., 1922-04-16
Too Much Meat, Too Little
Cereals Eaten Here, Say
Dietitians.
ENGLAND IN SAME FIX
Other European Countries,
Taught Lesson by War, =
Live Rationally.
OUR LUXURIOUS TABLE
Discussed in Interview with
Prof. ROBERT E. CHADDOCK,
3tatistician Columbia University.
IV IHO can live on an exclusive
Nv diet of potatoes and sugar?
If anybody can (and he need

w THO can live on an exclusive
nv diet Of potatoes and sugar !?
If anybody can (and he need
not mix these foods) he is the only
person in this broad America who is
not still paying high cost for living
caused by the war. And as it is safe
to say nobody does try to exist on
these foodstuffs alone, then there may
be something in the statement or the
accusation that we are at the moment
the most luxurious people so far as
the table is concerned in the world.
In the latest published statistical re-
port of the Bureau of Labor under the
United States Department Of Labor the
two items mentioned are the only
items in list of ordinary food prod
ucts that have come down in price to
prewar times; the others have slowly
decreased, truly. but irregularly, and
showing a tendency. due to various
causes, to rise and dip like a pendu-
lum. This report shows the prices of
food as compared with the average
prices in December, 1921 Qatest re-
port), the following increases: So per
cent. in 1917. 113 per cent. in 1918, ia
per cent. in 1919, 95 per cent. in 1920
and 26 per cent. in 1921.
From other sources statisticians and
economists whose business and delight
it is to note changes of all kinds in
food supplies there sounds a note of
alarm. In cereal production we are
not keeping up to our own increase of
population. We are no longer to be
called without hyperbola the granary
of Europe. The loss of this prestige
has been insidious, and it is not quite
fair to take away our glory thus, since
we are still able to export grains
largely, and are still helping Hoover
in his big job Of feeding the starving
Of Europe, but the exports and the
ability to help without stinting our
selves Is steadily IL slowly diminishing.
And there sounds the alarming note.
Demand and Procure Best
lAnd Live Too Richly
A reason for this is given as the
way we continue to demand and pro-
luxuriously. Europe has put itself on
a meager diet, but one sufficient to
sustain life and energy, and its expen-
sive foodstuffs it is sending to Eng
land and the United States. They are
the two nations of the world which
obstinately continue to- sit down to a
bountiful meal whether they can at
ford ii or not.
DR.. Raymond Pearl, a celebrated
man in the realm Of biometry, which
is the measurement Of all life and
health facts. and who is now con-
nected with Johns Hopkins Univer-
sity: Prof. G. Russell Smith. eminent
in the field Of economic geography
Prof. c. K. A. Winslow OF the Ameri'
can Museum of Natural History, who
is now In Switzerland gathering world
figures on food values: Prof. Wesley G
Mitchell and Prof. Robert r. Chaddocl
OF the statistical department of Colum-
bia University. each in his own field
is seeking to gather facts and draw
conclusions that will change the con-
dition noted before it becomes danger
Gus. and one Of the subjects which Is
germane to each special division oi
the main subject that interests them
all is the food ration.
What Are Food Values?
No Ideal Ration Ye,
There is as yet no ideal ration and
only by means of the studies Of these
experts are we beginning to learr
what real food values mean. But while
they are investigating, measuring, de-
ducing, America, at least, goes on
wastefully eating. There is as yet nc
world menu" in sight.
1t is highly complex problem. this
OF food supply. ana 1t cannot be dis
missed by the social philosopher or
solved by the calculations Of the
economist. Complex 1t is also with its
involvement OF factors and interests
in agriculture, commerce. industry and
nutrition, and in IL Is found an op-
portunity for an interplay of science
and the arts, OF experience and in
vestigation.
Are we Americans eating too much!
Especially are we eating too great
quantity Of flesh foods? Are we vast
ing the food values of our grains? II
the answer to these questions Is af-
firmative and the doctors" seem tc
agree that It is what Is the remedy
Can we reduce our table to cereals
fruits and vegetables, can veto be
emphatic--become in our diet as alb
stemious as the myriads of India who
never tasted meat, and those of China
and Japan, whose principal feeding Is
on Ash and rice?
Prof. Chaddock was willing to so
as far as this; said he: IF our people
should be reduced to a diet resembling
the food of a .laborer in China, Japan
or India they could never keep up the