Evening star., 1941-05-19
Washington Apathetic
To Scent Milk,
Mrs. Roosevelt Says
Food Stomp Plan
Ought to Be in Force
Here, She Asserts

Washington was described as
apathetic in its interest in the scent =
milk program by Mrs. Roosevelt (
before her press conference today.
Washington seems to be suffer-
ing, as usual, from lack of taking
hold and correcting things immedi- +
ately," she commented.
Mrs. Roosevelt's remark was made 9
after a reporter had announced that I
only 5000 families in the city were &
taking advantage of the milk pro- Z
gram.
Told that some groups were not
buying the milk because the milk
stations were too far away, Mrs.
Roosevelt said she believed the milk
should be bought at the same time
as surplus commodities. Informed,
however, that the food stamp plan
is not in operation in Washington,
she Immediately responded that she
thought it should be.
Discusses Nutrition in Defense.
Mrs. Roosevelt's comments were
made as she gave the much dis
cussed but still uniformed Home De-
fense Agency another shot in the
arm by citing nutrition as part
of the home defense program in
which women could operate.
Mrs Roosevelt turned the entire
conference over to promoters of the
National Nutrition Conference for
Defense which will be held In Wash
ington next week.
In answer to questions. Mrs.
Roosevelt said she didn't feel that
any one could make a definite state
ment about nutrition in home de-
fense until a co-ordinator Is an
nounced and states his plans"
Il should think" she said, how;
ever, that in the area where wom-
en- come into home defense one Of
the first things they would do would
be to look over the field of what is
being suggested as good policy for
not only defense at the moment.
but for all time, to see how they
could implement it better than has
ever been done before.
"I think 1t would be desirable
through the home defense plan to
give more strength, reality and vi
tallty to plans which are for the true
defense of the Nation as q whole"
Several Proposals Made.
A home defense plan, which Mrs.
Roosevelt was among the first TO
advocate, has travelled a rough road
through various Government agen-
cies. Several proposals for setting
up such civilian defense program
have been laid on the Presidents
desk. Various men have been sug-
gested as co-ordinator, but the
President has yet to name any one.
DR.. Louise Stanley, chief of the
Bureau of Home Economics in the
Agriculture Department and a
member of the Nutrition Advisory
Committee which is sponsoring next
weeks conference, said that 50 far
the nutrition program has been
mobilization of existing resources
in the States, but added that she
hoped it would be included in the
home defense setup. The conference.
it was explained, has been called
to compose a program for educating
the public to good nourishment
within their present financial
levels.
DIR. Stanley emphasized that the
health of the Nation, whether in
the Army, industrial, or civilian life,
is "a decided part of civilian de-
fense"
Mrs. Roosevelt declared that an
I immediate reason for renewal of
interest in nutrition should be a
consideration of the number of
men rejected from selective service
because of malnutrition. She pre-
, dicted that Congress will eventually
, pass the heretofore rejected amend
!, ment providing funds to study NAL
!, nutrition in men rejected by the
Army.