The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-06-16

completed a food distribution or ganization which is ready to func- ton instantly in case of war. Mill lions of ration books are being printed. Experiments are being made to produce nourishing loaf of bread with minimum of flour.
 Food Dictator
 If war broke out today the food dictator would be Sir Henry French, chief of the board of trade defense plans department. For two years he has worked on plans for an organ ization to handle the food problem during war.
 Great Britain IS more dependent than any other nation on imported food and London, vital center of food distribution for the nation, is more vulnerable to air attacks than any European capital.
 The British do not intend to be caught unprepared as they were in the World war when they almost starved during the crucial winter of 19l7-18.
 Millions here remember the dark days when German submarines were sinking. hundreds of thousands of tons of shipping monthly; meat was permitted only twice 8 week. Sugar was drastically rationed. Few of us ever got enough to eat and members of the United Press staff had a grim weekly weighing match to ascertain who had lost the most weight.
 War Chest of Food
 The British government is filling an enormous war chest of food stuffS. It Is buying 250000 tons of frozen meat for cold storage as a national reserve. Experts estimate it could be kept in storage for four years.
 This will be added to hoard of 100000 tons of wheat, 100000 tons of sugar and 100000 tons of whale oil (useful for margarine, soap and explosives) and unknown reserves of war metals. nickel and manganese are now being accumulated secretly.
 Normally there is only about six weeks supply of wheat in England, which is forced to import half of its meat, 90 per cent of its wheat, 70 per cent of its sugar, cheese and fruit. and 90 per cent of its fats.
 The increase in the population since the World war and a decrease in the merchant marine has made tke food problem more difficult.
 Commander All Stocks
 The war plans include comman- deering instantly all food stocks in the hands of dealers and cargoes afioat. Distribution will be con- trolled by 1,500 local food control committees in IS divisional areas under one central controller or dic- tator.
 In connection with distribution, every transport vehicle in the na- ticn is being registered. Every re- taller will be licensed. A survey of all food stuffs of the nation has been completed.
 The plans of Sir Henry French include 8 program whereby normal trading would cease immediately and wartime control instituted. The food controller would purchase food- stuffs abroad on behalf of the gov | ernment. The public would be re- quired to have ration books for meat, sugar and butter and perhaps other commodities.
 Wholesalers and manufacturers would act as government agents to supply retailers at controlled prices. A director of supplies would be ap- pointed for each commodity.
 Wheat in SiIos
 Because of London's vulnerability to air attacks the government is storing its wheat largely in silos in West England and meat in the ware houses of Liverpool and Manchester. The newspapers of Lord Beaver brook have been campaigning to increase the production of foodstuffs