he Food Sifuafloni 
 
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 49 
 
 1962 
 
THE FOOD SITUATION OF THE 
 
 COUNTRY, WITH SOME REMARKS 
 
 ON THE URGENT NECESSITY 
 
 FOR A NATIONAL FOOD 
 
 COMMISSION. 
 
 BY 
 
 H. EDWIN LEWIS, M. D., 
 New York City. 
 
 There is grave clanger in the fact that the 
 people of America do not adequately realize 
 the all-important role that the food prob- 
 lem is going to play in the war in which this 
 country is now engaged. They may know, 
 more or less vaguely, that war conditions — - 
 German submarines in particular — have 
 created a serious shortage in the food sup- 
 ply of the European belligerent and neutral 
 nations, but it is a matter for genuine ap- 
 prehension that so few recognize that the 
 final outcome of the war may be determined 
 by the amount of food the United States 
 will be able to contribute to the pool of the 
 Allies' resources. Thanks, however, to the 
 American Press, and the splendid service it 
 has never failed to render at crucial mo- 
 ments, the people at large are gradually be- 
 ginning to see that the most vital and 
 
 [Reprinted from American Medicine, NewJjSeries, Vol. XII, 
 No. 5, May, 1917.] 
 
dominating question before the world to- 
 day is that of the food supply. 
 
 But recognition of the importance of a 
 complex problem does not imply that it is 
 understood, or that its manifold details are 
 widely or generally known. The truth of 
 this is particularly manifested by the amount 
 of definite and comprehensive knowledge 
 which inquiry concerning the food resources 
 of the United States will elicit from per- 
 sons of even more than average intelligence. 
 The vastness of this country, its wide varia- 
 tion of climate, its diversity of agricultural 
 enterprise, and the localization of interests 
 as a result of state lines, have served to 
 divide the United States into practically 
 forty-eight separate and distinct countries. 
 As a consequence, the information possessed 
 by those who are interested in agricultural 
 matters is essentially limited to their own 
 localities. There are a few. of course, whose 
 knowledge in this direction is national in 
 its scope, but these — with rare exceptions — 
 are the experts connected with the Federal 
 and State governments, whose special 
 studies and labors have given them per- 
 force a comprehensive grasp of the agri- 
 cultural resources of the entire country. 
 
 For nearly three years the American peo- 
 ple have been viewing the Great War "from 
 the sidelines." In spite of the attention 
 food matters have received, abroad and in 
 
L 5 9> f 
 
 3 
 
 this country, and the widespread discussion 
 of every phase of the question in the news- 
 papers and magazines, the great majority of 
 the people still look on the food problem as 
 a proposition merely of "increasing the 
 food supply." Recently, numerous publica- 
 tions, well meaning but somewhat lacking 
 in their sense of proportion, have instituted 
 a campaign to stimulate the planting of 
 vegetables in back yards, open lots, small 
 parks, private and public lawns, and so on. 
 This is all right as far as it goes, and it 
 seems too bad to have to criticize a move- 
 ment so praiseworthy in its intent. But the 
 great danger liable to attend this plan of 
 every one planting his "little bit of ground," 
 is the false estimate sure to be formed of 
 the benefits to be derived from such efforts. 
 A large proportion of those who will thus 
 engage in agricultural pursuits on a Lillipu- 
 tian scale, are totally uninformed and inex- 
 perienced. Not only will this make the har- 
 vest extremely doubtful, but devoid as these 
 amateur farmers are of practical knowledge, 
 they are bound to make mistakes, neglect to 
 do the things they should do, and look for 
 results that are impossible of realization. 
 The public, misled by these activities and 
 the attendant enthusiasm, will become over- 
 sanguine in regard to the returns, and be 
 falsely reassured as to the effect on the real 
 situation. 
 
 V 
 
To exert any appreciable influence on the 
 actual volume of America's agricultural 
 products, millions of acres must be planted, 
 in addition to those under cultivation in 
 1915 and 1916. The increased output of 
 grain, potatoes, beans and all other staples 
 must be in millions of bushels to have any 
 measurable effect in meeting requirements. 
 Let us not fool ourselves with the belief 
 that the extent of our back-yard gardens, or 
 the quantity and kind of products raised 
 therefrom, can be more than the proverbial 
 "drop in the bucket." Again, those who 
 plant back-yard areas, aside from expect- 
 ing too much from their labors, will be very 
 prone to give more time and effort than the 
 actual returns can possibly justify, and 
 thereby waste energies that might much 
 better be directed to more effective pur- 
 suits. A particularly apt illustration of this 
 is shown by the picture at the top of the 6th 
 page of the Times Pictorial Section for 
 Sunday, April 29th. This depicts a body of 
 seventy or eighty — possibly more — stalwart 
 men engaged in spading up a plot of ground 
 that could be opened up much more satis- 
 factorily — and, of course, more quickly — 
 by one man with a pair of horses and a 
 plow. Xo criticism can be offered of the 
 patriotic impulses which prompt such con- 
 centration of "man power." but is it not 
 reasonable to suppose that the time and 
 
energies of so many men. undoubtedly 
 skilled in other lines of thought and effort, 
 could be utilized to much greater advantage 
 in other directions? It would seem that 
 the use of the time in studying the food 
 situation, and in employing knowledge thus 
 gained to spread the truth concerning the 
 problems confronting the Nation would be 
 much more productive of tangible results. 
 Finally, there is considerable danger that a 
 great many of the people who cultivate a 
 plot of a few feet square, in anticipating far 
 more returns than are possible at best, will 
 sadly deceive themselves as to the value of 
 their contribution to the situation, or their 
 service to the country. I do not want to 
 be understood as discouraging any effort, 
 however insignificant ; under no circum- 
 stances would I suggest a discontinuance of 
 any one's project, however small and in- 
 consequential ; but let us not delude our- 
 selves in regard to our undertakings, and 
 if we do anything, let us employ our ener- 
 gies with a view to the result, not merely to 
 do something — and salve our consciences. 
 More than anything else needed at the 
 moment in connection with the food ques- 
 tion, is a thoro understanding of the 
 fundamental situation ; in other words, a 
 comprehensive realization of what the actual 
 problem is, what can be done to solve it. 
 and how this solution can be effected with 
 
greatest certainty, efficiency and despatch, 
 and with least difficulty, waste of effort or 
 disturbance of the economic conditions of 
 the country, now or later. 
 
 The American people are level-headed, 
 they have a wealth of common sense, and 
 an appeal to reason thru a plain state- 
 ment of facts and cold blooded logic, will 
 surely achieve results in needed directions, 
 when more devious and indirect methods 
 would fail. Undeniably, the United States 
 of America is confronted by the most 
 stupendous and serious problem that the 
 Nation has ever been called upon to 
 solve. It is the paramount issue of the 
 hour, the most momentous question that 
 any people have ever had to answer, for on 
 this answer, not only the comfort and well 
 being of millions of our own population will 
 depend, but it is certain to have a far-reach- 
 ing influence on the whole world. This is 
 a rather large statement, but no one who 
 has kept in touch with the food situation 
 thruout the world during the past two 
 years can deny its accuracy. The march of 
 time, and the irresistible trend of circum- 
 stances have made the United States the 
 source of a considerable portion of the 
 world's food supply. Fortunate beyond 
 compare in its natural advantages, and 
 blessed with a large measure of success in 
 making the most of them, the wonderful 
 
prosperity and accumulation of wealth 
 which have made America the most hated 
 and bitterly maligned of nations, enable it 
 to stand today in the happy position of the 
 one country that thru its accumulated 
 riches, unlimited resources, and spirit of 
 magnanimity and philanthropy, can save the 
 world. I say "the world," for tho Amer- 
 ica is at war with the central countries 
 of Europe, there is no hatred of the people 
 of these nations, or desire to see them 
 suffer; if peace were declared tomorrow, 
 the people of Germany and Austro-Hungary 
 would have no reason to complain at the 
 treatment they would receive from this 
 country. I also say "unlimited resources," 
 for it is an incontrovertible fact that the 
 United States has sufficient tillable land to 
 raise enough grain and other food stuffs 
 to feed the entire white race, and possibly 
 the whole world ! 
 
 In order to insure the maximum develop- 
 ment of the food resources of the United 
 States, however, the people must be mobil- 
 ized as never before. It must be mobiliza- 
 tion of brain power, of comprehension, of 
 cooperative purpose, and above all, of 
 sympathetic approval of the acts and regula- 
 tions of the authorities to whom we trust 
 our affairs. 
 
 As previously stated, an enormous 
 amount has been written and published con- 
 
cerning the food question, and while this 
 has served a very important purpose, much 
 of it, unfortunately, has not been of a char- 
 acter to give the people exact information in 
 regard to 
 
 First. What America must do to save 
 the world from famine : 
 
 Second. What the actual resources are 
 in (a) surplus food supplies, if any; (b) 
 available tillable land; and (c) prospective 
 labor ; 
 
 Third. How the forces of the nation can 
 best be organized (a) to increase the food 
 production to the highest point for the com- 
 ing season ; (b) to avoid the various factors 
 liable to jeopardize the various crops ; (c) 
 to aid and promote successful harvesting; 
 (d) to control the uses and disposition of 
 the crops when harvested; (e) to insure 
 necessary transportation to storage and dis- 
 tribution centers ; (f ) to regulate food 
 prices, if necessary, without injury to the 
 producer, injustice to the consumer, or dis- 
 turbance of collateral trade conditions; and 
 finally (g) to avoid all possible decrease or 
 depreciation of natural resources in order 
 to conserve their future productivity. 
 
 With the food problem thus explained in 
 detail, the people will realize the desirability 
 of any action the ( iovernment may decide 
 to take, and not only give their hearty ap- 
 proval, but, with the true spirit of patriot- 
 
ism and democracy, will ungrudgingly sup- 
 port and cooperate with the required regu- 
 lations as they become necessary. 
 
 With earnest convictions in this direction, 
 and a firm belief that a matter so vitally 
 important warrants as full discussion as pos- 
 sible from every angle, I deem it not alone 
 a privilege, but a duty to take up seriatim 
 some of these various details of the food 
 problem. 
 
 First, let us consider zvhai America must 
 do to save the world from famine. Re- 
 duced to its simplest terms, this country 
 must contribute, beginning with October, 
 1917, at least 1,000,000 tons of staple food 
 products a month to the allied and neutral 
 countries of Europe, over and above its 
 normal exports; and should peace be de- 
 clared before this date, this amount will 
 probably have to be greatly increased. To 
 aid in the realization of what this will mean, 
 let us just briefly point out that this in- 
 crease of food export will require the move- 
 ment of 30.000 freight cars or 1,000 trains 
 monthly, or over 30 trains of 35 loaded cars 
 daily to get this quantity of food to the sea- 
 board. Carrying this thought a little fur- 
 ther, it will require the loading and des- 
 patch r of over six 5,000-ton ships every day 
 to get this amount of food stuff to the ports 
 of entry on the other side of the Atlantic. 
 Let me emphasize that this is entirely sep- 
 
10 
 
 arate from the shipping that must he devo- 
 ted to the country's regular foreign trade 
 in food stuffs, or other exports, such as 
 machinery and building material, fuel, farm 
 implements, war munitions and the supplies 
 that will he imperatively needed if an army 
 contingent is sent to France. These figures 
 are conservative and probably should be 
 substantially increased. 
 
 There is no exaggeration, therefore, in 
 the statement that this country is face to 
 face with the most prodigious undertaking 
 the world has ever seen. The human mind 
 can hardly grasp what this means in the 
 aggregate volume of material. Before this 
 huge amount is sent away, moreover, the 
 needs of the American peoplcmust be looked 
 after, and enough food retained to make 
 certain that grim want shall not make its 
 influence felt here. In other words, suffi- 
 cient food supplies to meet the requirements 
 of the United States must be conserved, 
 with the retention of necessary reserves to 
 meet contingencies and provide a safe sur- 
 plus to allow for unexpected crop conditions 
 in the following season. A special reserve 
 for seed purposes must also be held back. 
 
 The thought that instantly arises is: how 
 can all these things be accomplished with 
 least possible delay, interference with es- 
 tablished customs or usual trade conditions. 
 
11 
 
 and inconvenience or abridgment of indi- 
 vidual rights and privileges? 
 
 The answer is plain. There should be an 
 immediate organisation of a National Food 
 Commission to take full charge of the food 
 problem. Doubtless, it is superfluous to 
 state that this Commission should have 
 plenary power in regard to every detail as- 
 sociated with the control and direction of 
 the country's food supplies. It may also 
 seem presumptuous, in view of the thought 
 and attention being devoted to these mat- 
 ters, to make such a suggestion, much less 
 to lay down any definite scheme of organi- 
 zation. But, here again I plead the gravity 
 of the situation, the tremendous importance 
 of getting it well in hand at the earliest 
 possible moment, and the possible aid any 
 earnest consideration of the presenting 
 problem may give in its ultimate solution, 
 if in no other direction than to help prepare 
 the thinking people of the country for con- 
 ditions certain to arise. 
 
 The Commission should not be large. It 
 should consist of seven men ; a chairman, 
 to be known as Director of National Food 
 Control, who should be the executive head 
 of the Commission with power and authority 
 to act therefor. To facilitate the work of 
 this Commission, which will be enormous, 
 it should be divided into a number of de- 
 
12 
 
 partments. These, at the beginning at 
 least, should be six, as follows : 
 
 1. Department of Food Production. 
 
 2. Department of Supplies and Labor. 
 
 3. Department of Transportation. 
 
 4. Department of Distribution. 
 
 5. Department of Finance and Eco- 
 nomics. 
 
 6. Department of Research and Con- 
 servation. 
 
 Further study and investigation may sug- 
 gest a different division of the Commission's 
 activities, but for purposes of consideration 
 and discussion, the foregoing will afford a 
 practical working basis. Each department 
 should have a member of the Food Com- 
 mission as its head. He should be vested 
 with supreme authority in all matters com- 
 ing within the purview of bis allotted re- 
 sponsibilities, with a single exception; his 
 acts and orders should be by and with the 
 advice and consent of the Chairman or Na- 
 tional Director. Experience, in my humble 
 opinion, has shown the wisdom of the cen- 
 tralization of authority in great crises. 
 ( riven a strong, capable man of high re- 
 solve, constructive vision, and a deep sense 
 of responsibility, and the interests of the 
 people will be much better served by him, 
 acting alone, than by a considerable body of 
 men of divided responsibility and restricted 
 authority. The single official, answerable 
 only to bis conscience and the laws of his 
 
13 
 
 government, and guided by nothing but his 
 convictions and desire to do his best, will 
 get better results, and much more quickly, 
 than a group of men, each equally able and 
 conscientious but acting in concert. The 
 single official may make some mistakes, 
 but if he is well trained, intelligent 
 and abundantly supplied with moral 
 courage, he will accomplish his task more 
 satisfactorily, and in less time, than a body 
 of men, however capable, but who are 
 handicapped by the necessity of working as 
 a group ; that is, considering everything in 
 committee, harmonizing opinions often 
 widely divergent, and being bound by the 
 decision of the majority, which may not be. 
 after all, the actual viewpoint of any one 
 member. Division of responsibility does 
 not promote efficiency, and this has been 
 repeatedly demonstrated by committee ad- 
 ministration. The acts of a group of men 
 invariably lack the clear cut decisiveness, or 
 the definite and positive character of those 
 of the official who is obliged to assume en- 
 tire responsibility in the disposition of any 
 important question. In other words, a com- 
 mittee's acts constantly indicate an attempt 
 to bring the ideas of several men to com- 
 mon ground, to decide on a course of ac- 
 tion that shall "strike an average." Too 
 often, therefore, this course is a compromise 
 
14 
 
 reached by mutual concessions of the dif- 
 ferent members to each other. Thus not in- 
 frequently it goes too far for the conserva- 
 tives, and not far enough for the radicals. 
 Therefore, as before stated, it often rep- 
 resent- no "lie's real opinion or belief. 
 
 Recognition of these facts can hardly fail 
 to lend one to the earnest belief that in any 
 great crisis like this concerning food 
 control, individual responsibility insures 
 maximum safety, efficiency and expedition. 
 
 The activities of the different depart- 
 ment < of a national organization for food 
 supervision and direction, as seems so 
 urgently called for by the exigencies of the 
 hour, will develop as the plan unfolds, and 
 new and unexpected occasions arise. 
 
 With these observations in mind, let us 
 briefly consider some of the lines of action 
 that can be foreseen and provided for. 
 
 1. The Department of hood Production. 
 This should have charge of everything di- 
 rectly concerned in the investigation of 
 present supplies, the kind and quantity of 
 crops raised in the past two years, the avail- 
 aide acreage, stimulation of planting, the 
 control and allotment of public lands, the 
 spread of information on all topics relating 
 to crops, the preservation of careful records, 
 and the constant surveillance and direction 
 of food production generally. 
 
 These various phases of activity may be 
 given over to special bureaus, each headed 
 by a competent expert, definitely respon- 
 
15 
 
 sible for the matters placed under his super- 
 vision, and answerable to his department 
 chief. Each bureau should be a separate or- 
 ganization, entirely distinct from the others 
 in direction, control and personnel, but ar- 
 ranged and prepared to cause minimum de- 
 lay or "lost motion," if I may use the term, 
 in their active cooperation with each other, 
 or in the performance of their respective 
 duties. 
 
 2. Department of Supplies and Labor. 
 This department should have charge of the 
 problems of seeds, fertilizers and equip- 
 ment ; the distribution of these where need- 
 ed to responsible companies, associations 
 and individuals ; the arranging for imme- 
 diate or deferred payments for same ; the 
 mobilization of labor for agricultural work ; 
 and general direction of all agencies con- 
 cerned in the cultivation and harvesting of 
 crops. 
 
 3. Department of Transportation. This 
 department should have entire charge of 
 the movement of food supplies, ( a ) to con- 
 centration points; (b) from these to centers 
 for domestic distribution ; (c) to seaboard 
 cities for foreign shipment ; the rolling stock 
 required for the proper distribution and 
 handling of food products ; the grain ele- 
 vators or warehouses in which supplies 
 must be stored pending shipment ; the labor 
 connected with transportation and storage ; 
 the provision and control of docking and 
 loading facilities ; the control and manage- 
 ment of the ocean or coastwise shipping 
 needed for a steady flow of food supplies to 
 the nation's allies ; and general supervision 
 of all matters directly associated with the 
 transportation of the country's food prod- 
 ucts from the source of supply to the point 
 of final distribution. Thru appropriate 
 
16 
 
 bureaus, this department, in addition to its 
 other transportation problems, will have to 
 provide and maintain a large fleet of ships. 
 Doubtlessly, a considerable number can be 
 obtained thru charter, the confiscated 
 German and Austrian ships will be avail- 
 able, and the special wooden and steel 
 vessels now being built by the Government 
 should be placed under the direction of this 
 department of the National Food Commis- 
 sion. Furthermore, the powers of the Com- 
 mission should be enlarged to include the 
 building of such aditional ships of mod- 
 erate tonnage as may become necessary or 
 desirable. The work of this Department of 
 Transportation unquestionably will be 
 among the most important of the Commis- 
 sion's activities, for the utility and adequacy 
 of those of all the others will depend to a 
 large degree on the way in which the food 
 supplies are made available to the ultimate 
 consumer. 
 
 4. Department of Distribution. The 
 activities of this department, at first 
 thought, might be looked upon as falling 
 within the scope or field of the Department 
 of Transportation, but as conceived in the 
 scheme of organization under discussion, its 
 duties will be quite distinct, for they will 
 have to do in particular with the manifold 
 details pertaining to the elaborate mecha- 
 nism of vending and accounting between the 
 producers, distributors and consumers. So 
 complex will lie the questions involved that 
 only the most general description of the du- 
 ties of this department will be possible at 
 this time. Suffice it to say that all compli- 
 cated problems concerned with the establish- 
 ing and satisfying of proprietary interests, 
 the transferring of rights and ownership in 
 food supplies, the investigating and approv- 
 
17 
 
 ing of credits and liabilities related to these 
 supplies with countries, companies, associa- 
 tions and individuals, and the adjusting of 
 all claims, will come within the administra- 
 tive authority of this department. Its de- 
 cision will be final, with, of course, the ex- 
 ception of appeal to the laws of the land. 
 Special provision will have to be made to 
 handle and protect individual interests in 
 the delivery of food supplies to European 
 governments. The Commission should 
 stand in the position of middleman in such 
 transactions, and save the producers from 
 the annoyances and red tape which all too 
 often work a genuine hardship on those 
 who deal with governments. 
 
 5. Department of Finance. The func- 
 tions of this department will be identical 
 with those of similar departments in all 
 large commercial enterprises ; the handling 
 and disbursement of all funds placed at the 
 disposal of the Commission for conducting 
 its affairs ; the actual payment of all claims 
 on presentation of orders from the Depart- 
 ment of Distribution ; the collection of all 
 accounts due from transactions between the 
 Department of Distribution and the nations, 
 parties and persons with whom the Commis- 
 sion has commercial dealings, as agent or 
 principal ; and the entire supervision and 
 discharge of the fiscal affairs of the Com- 
 mission. 
 
 6. Department of Conservation and Re- 
 search. This department will have a most 
 important division of the Commission's 
 work altho it may not be as prominent as 
 some of the others. For example, the ques- 
 tion of waste will require especial attention. 
 It is a well established fact that the waste of 
 food each year is enormous. The amazing 
 
IS 
 
 prosperity thruout the country during the 
 past few years has made the people careless, 
 and in the kitchens of our homes, our large 
 hotels, and public institutions especially, 
 the waste, according to very conservative es- 
 timates has been said to exceed ten per cent. 
 Indeed, there are those who, as a result of 
 careful thought and investigation, do not 
 hesitate to claim that twenty per cent, is 
 nearer correct. ( )bviously, there is no way 
 of ascertaining the exact loss each year from 
 the food waste incidental to carelessness, 
 ignorance and neglect, but the most casual 
 observation justifies but one conclusion, and 
 that is that it must be very great. At any 
 rate, no one will deny that this problem 
 should be studied, and the people taught 
 rational economy in the preparation and use 
 of food stuffs. The housewives especially 
 can be marshalled in this particular move- 
 ment, and a little teaching along practical 
 lines will enable them to become factors of 
 far-reaching influence in cutting down need- 
 less waste in the home. 
 
 In addition to the foregoing there is the 
 waste due to thoughtless extravagance in 
 supplying our tables, a common fault of 
 which the majority of the American people 
 are guilty. Thus at every meal in the home 
 or public eating place, the average individ- 
 ual invariably insists on having a great deal 
 more than he needs — often more than he 
 can possibly eat. The remainder is usually 
 thrown away. Xot the least of the duties 
 of this department will be the systematic 
 dissemination of information in regard to 
 the amounts and kinds of food required to 
 maintain perfect health. Most people will 
 gladly readjust their habits and customs 
 when shown to be in error ; thoughtlessness 
 is almost always the cause of dietetic er- 
 
19 
 
 rors, and education is the most certain 
 means of effecting reform. 
 
 Again, the people must be shown the ad- 
 vantages of new, or substitute foods. Our 
 country, fortunately, has such a diversity of 
 climate, and such wide geographical distri- 
 bution, that there is hardly any known food 
 product that cannot be grown in amounts 
 to meet all needs. Just as an illustration, 
 reference may be made to the avocado or al- 
 ligator pear as a source of fat. Offering 
 over twenty per cent, of edible fat, this 
 fruit can be grown in quantities to obviate 
 any shortage in this essential direction. In 
 addition, we can have a practically inex- 
 haustible supply of edible oils and fats from 
 our peanuts, cotton seed and cocoanuts. Al- 
 ready a substitute butter made from cocoa- 
 nut oil is on the market that seems to settle 
 all fears of any lack of the dairy made prod- 
 uct. The way clarified cotton seed oil has 
 been gradually but surely superseding lard 
 for all cooking purposes during the past dec- 
 ade speaks eloquently of the possibilities in 
 this direction. There are many other de- 
 velopments in regard to the evolution of 
 new and valuable food stuffs — only a few 
 days ago the manufacture of a very satis- 
 factory butter from alfalfa was announced 
 — and this department, with its command of 
 the nation's scientific resources, and its own 
 corps of experts, will be able to amplify and 
 expend the available food supply to a 
 gratifying degree, not only by developing 
 new foods, but by devising new methods of 
 using the old ones, and extending popular 
 knowledge in respect to food values. 
 
 Another line of investigation that seems 
 to be especially needed is in regard to the 
 undue refinement of various foods, notably 
 the milling of certain cereals, wheat in par- 
 
20 
 
 ticular, whereby the coarser portions of the 
 wheat kernel are removed, leaving only the 
 soft, inner part. This makes the very de- 
 licious white bread that has become the most 
 staple article of the modern dietary. It has 
 been claimed by some, however, that this 
 white bread, appealing and appetizing as it 
 is, is in reality much less healthful and 
 nourishing than that containing a certain 
 percentage or made entirely of whole wheat 
 flour.' It has also been stated that the use 
 of white flour exclusively entails serious 
 waste. Practically all of the European na- 
 tions at war have discarded the baking of 
 white bread, and made it compulsory to use 
 only that made from coarser wheat flour, 
 or special combinations of cereals, potatoes, 
 etc. This question of the relative food 
 
 1 "The increase in the price of labor as well as 
 the demand for flour or meal brought about the 
 invention of a device for the more economic 
 milling of these cereals, the roller mill system 
 which came into use in 1878. This process 
 made it possible to separate the several parts 
 of the grain: the germ, the bran and the endo- 
 sperm or starchy part. This allowed the latter 
 to be ground to a fine flour which because of its 
 whiteness appealed to the housewife as a purer 
 product. The germ and bran were largely dis- 
 carded as human food, and sold as fodder for 
 cattle, horses and hogs. This new flour has un- 
 doubtedly kept better than that made by the 
 old process: the new method employed in its 
 preparation, however, deprives it of valuable 
 constituents. Thus it contains less protein, fat 
 and ash, but what is even more important, 
 it is markedly deficient in certain so-called 
 accessory food substances. — the so-called vita- 
 mines which are contained in the intact kernel, 
 the outer layers ( aleuronlayer ) and probably 
 in the germ. In other words, wheat flour, corn 
 flour, hominy and grits, minus the bran and 
 germ, are lacking in vitamines, while whole 
 wheat flour and corn meal contain practically 
 all the vitamines of the whole grain." — Ameri- 
 can Medicine. November, 1916. 
 
21 
 
 value and healthfulness of white bread 
 and that made from whole wheat, rye, 
 etc., calls for thoro investigation, as, in 
 fact, does the subject of bread making gen- 
 erally. 2 If Funk's recent researches, which 
 seem to show that the vitamines or vital 
 substances of the wheat kernel are found 
 only in the husk or pericarp, are substanti- 
 ated, there can be no doubt as to the de- 
 sirability of using more of the wheat berry 
 for bread. In regard to the argument as to 
 waste, however, it should be remembered 
 that the portion remaining after the proc- 
 ess of "bolting," is not wasted at all, but in 
 the form of wheat bran is utilized com- 
 pletely for feeding cattle, etc. 
 
 Another statement that should be care- 
 fully investigated is that put forth by advo- 
 cates of prohibition, that the manufactur- 
 ing of beer entails the extensive waste of 
 food materials and should therefore be 
 stopped during the war period. 1 hold no 
 brief for beer, its makers or users, but I do 
 prize the truth, and if the opponents of beer 
 drinking have no better argument than the 
 above, I fear thev will get little support or 
 sympathy from thinking people. As a mat- 
 ter of fact, the only cereal used in beer 
 making is barley, and this not only consti- 
 tutes the main use of this cereal, but as a 
 result of this use, over a third of the bar- 
 ley employed is made available for the 
 special feeding of milch cows. According 
 to facts ascertained by the U. S. Govern- 
 
 : Hoover, whose statements are bound to com- 
 mand our deepest respect is quoted as saying 
 that in Belgium the effort to use more than 81 
 per cent, of the wheat grain in making bread 
 was followed immediately by an increase of a 
 thousand deaths. "After that," he said, "we 
 did not dare to mill more than si per cent, of 
 the grain." 
 
22 
 
 ment, the total of cereal consumption in- 
 volved in the use of beer is a fraction of 
 one per cent, of the grain production of this 
 country! To be sure, a certain amount of 
 sugar may be used in the manufacture of 
 beer, but as this, together with the barley 
 used, enters definitely into its composition. 
 it must be clearly evident that it has a 
 food value to this extent ; therefore, tho 
 it may be consumed as a beverage, what- 
 ever food elements it carries will be as- 
 similated by the organism, and not "wasted" 
 as claimed. 3 I firmly believe in temperance. 
 Never was it more essential than now. 
 when clear thinking is so necessary for the 
 welfare of the nation, but let us be fair and 
 honest in our attitude toward every problem, 
 and remember that there are many good 
 people who have the right to take a certain 
 proportion of their barley and sugar in solu- 
 tion if they wish to. As for whiskey and 
 spirituous liquors, there is no doubt in my 
 mind as to the desirability of prohibiting 
 their sale and use, at least during the war. 
 Even this, however, should be carefully in- 
 vestigated before final action is taken. 
 
 There are many other questions that 
 should engage the attention of this Depart- 
 ment of Research and Conservation. Thus. 
 
 '• Statement by Kennedy Jones, Director of 
 Food Economy in England, May 17, 1917: ''If 
 it be found advisable to stop beer altogether — 
 upon which point there is a considerable dif- 
 ference of opinion — it would be simple common 
 sense to allow the workers time to adapt them- 
 selves to the change gradually, by a gradual 
 reduction of the supply rather than by checking 
 or stopping the brewing of beer at once. Also 
 it is well to bear in mind that if the worker 
 is not deriving part of his energy, as has been 
 his habit, from beer, he^ may require more 
 bread, so that practically 'no actual saving of 
 bread could be effected." 
 
23 
 
 for example, there are an infinite number 
 of problems connected with foot! produc- 
 tion, such as selective planting, the selec- 
 tion of seeds, soil enrichment, the use of 
 plant bacteria, soil antisepsis, crop protec- 
 tion, and so on. 
 
 The problems of agricultural waste will 
 also come within the held of this depart- 
 ment. Aside from that incidental to faulty 
 planting — improper adaptation of the crop 
 to the soil — there is an enormous waste 
 even' year thru careless or ignorant harvest- 
 ing, improper packing, delayed transporta- 
 tion and unwise marketing of fruits and 
 vegetables. Vast quantities of these val- 
 uable food products are allowed to spoil and 
 rot for one reason or another. It is no un- 
 common sight in the Fall to see the ground 
 in • many an orchard covered with apples 
 or other fruits that the owner cannot — or 
 will not — get to the market. This Depart- 
 ment of Research and Conservation should 
 have a bureau whose sole duty should be 
 the education of the farmer in regard to 
 proper harvesting, packing, etc., keep him 
 supplied with market information; and give 
 him assistance in getting his produce 
 promptly and profitably to the consumer. 
 
 A system of dehydration of rapidly per- 
 ishable vegetables and fruits should be 
 worked out, as a very great saving has been 
 effected in this way in countries where such 
 methods are in use. At small cost pro- 
 ducers can have their own dehydrating 
 plants, and thereby reduce waste and loss 
 to a minimum. Larger and more elaborate 
 plants can be established in each community 
 by the local town or city government, or by 
 groups of farmers themselves on a co- 
 operative basis. The process of dehydra- 
 tion removes the water, but leaves every 
 
2 4 
 
 nourishing element, and the fruits or vege- 
 tables when thus dried keep indefinitely. 
 The reduction in bulk and weight is highly 
 advantageous, as it reduces the storage space 
 required, facilitates handling, and cuts down 
 transportation costs. The method will go 
 far to solve a good many of the problems 
 pertaining to food preservation and the 
 elimination of needless waste, thereby secur- 
 ing directly a substantial increase in the an- 
 nual food supply. 
 
 Many other questions having an impor- 
 tant bearing on the conservation of our 
 food supplies will come under the consid- 
 eration of this department, as its duties un- 
 fold. I have only "scratched the surface" 
 of its wonderful opportunities, not only to 
 aid and extend the specific purpose of the 
 Commission, but to serve and promote the 
 interests of all humanity. 
 
 Such, briefly, is the plan of organization 
 which plainly indicates the important and 
 far-reaching influence a National Food 
 Commission, with adequate power, will 
 have, not alone in markedly increasing the 
 food production of the country, but in de- 
 veloping our natural resources and placing 
 their direction on a sound and systematic 
 basis. 
 
 I have dwelt very briefly on the matter 
 • it price regulation, as it is impossible to do 
 more in a general consideration of food pro- 
 duction. It cannot fail to appear that any 
 action in this direction must be based funda- 
 mentally on a due regard for the farmers' 
 rights. The times and conditions are ex- 
 
25 
 
 ceptional, the country is remarkably pros- 
 perous, and the producer certainly has a 
 right to participate in the prosperity of the 
 nation. In any effort to regulate prices, 
 there must be no disturbing or setting aside, 
 more than is absolutely necessary, of the 
 natural economic conditions created by the 
 increase and urgency of the current de- 
 mand, and the ability of the people to pay. 
 At the same time, abnormal influences such 
 as any cornering of supplies, extraordinary 
 increase of transportation rates, combina- 
 tions or conspiracies "in restraint of trade" 
 to raise and maintain prices of common 
 commodities, and so on, should be dealt with 
 summarily under existing laws, and the in- 
 terests of the people safeguarded without 
 delay. The study I have given to the pro- 
 posal to fix prices has convinced me that 
 this should be in the direction of establish- 
 ing minimum rather than maximum rates. 
 Lack of space precludes my giving all the 
 reasons for this conclusion, but I feel that 
 it has been shown abroad that a minimum 
 price can be fixed with greater fairness, 
 more definite facts for guidance, and readier 
 acceptance and approval on the part of those 
 affected. 
 
 In regard to rationing the people I shall 
 also say very little, for I do not believe this 
 will be required in this country, unless some 
 
26 
 
 unexpected condition develops. The pre- 
 vention of any such outcome is to be aimed 
 at, and I can conceive of no prophylactic 
 measure that promises more certain protec- 
 tion against "bread tickets," "meatless 
 days," and the rationing of the American 
 people, than the early organization of a Na- 
 tional Food Commission, with "power to 
 act'.'' 
 
 It is hardly necessary to point out that 
 the organization of a National Food Com- 
 mission is an emergency procedure entirely, 
 designed to meet abnormal conditions 
 created by the European war and the forced 
 participation of this country in it. It 
 should not supersede, nor interfere with the 
 activities of the present departments of the 
 < rovernment : on the contrary, its efforts 
 should aim at as perfect cooperation and 
 collaboration with these as may be possible, 
 in order that it may achieve the specific 
 purpose for which it is to be organized, with 
 the highot degree of efficiency and success. 
 By utilizing the wealth of information of 
 the Departments of Agriculture and of 
 Commerce and Labor, a very great saving 
 oi time and effort may be accomplished. 
 Obviously, great tact and intelligence will 
 be needed in carrying out the purpose, and 
 in performing the special duties of a Na- 
 tional Food Commission. But with the ex- 
 ercise of care and crood sense, it is reason- 
 
27 
 
 able to anticipate unlimited benefits, with 
 the avoidance of friction or serious compli- 
 cations. 
 
 The scheme as outlined is necessarily im- 
 perfect and lacking in many respects. But 
 I have earnestly tried (first) to point out 
 the urgent need of such a commission to 
 meet the present crisis, and (second) to 
 show that even tho the stringent control 
 and direction of our national food resources 
 may have certain slight disadvantages, these 
 will be more than offset by the development 
 of new opportunities and the establishment 
 of the whole matter on a well systematized 
 and stable footing ; in other words, while 
 the interests of a few individuals may suf- 
 fer to the extent that they will be prevented 
 from taking advantage of the present day 
 situation to make enormous profits, the 
 people at large — including producers, con- 
 sumers, and the public — will receive great 
 and lasting benefit — and no further argu- 
 ment would seem to be needed. 
 
 The great object that has prompted this 
 consideration of the subject is not, there- 
 fore, to demonstrate the gain to the people, 
 except in so far as this is incidental, but 
 to drive home as clearly and forcefully as 
 possible that the predominating need of the 
 hour is the mobilization of our national 
 food resources under governmental organ- 
 ization and control. 
 
2S 
 
 It is neither my desire nor my intention 
 to pose as an alarmist. A country that has 
 done so much to carry into the "far places 
 of the world" the message of democracy, 
 that has been the haven of so many seeking 
 personal freedom and opportunity, and that 
 has proven so conclusively the blessed pos- 
 sibilities of a republican system of govern- 
 ment, surely ought to be safe against the 
 encroachment of autocracy and tyranny. 
 But conditions have arisen, forces of cupid- 
 ity, malice and hate have appeared, and a 
 spirit of barbarism and ruthless cruelty has 
 been exposed to a degree that civilized 
 people never dreamed of as existent in the 
 world today. These baneful forces are not 
 only now focussed on America, but there 
 is an abundance of evidence to prove that 
 they have long been seeking an opportunity 
 to do it all the harm they could. 
 
 Never, therefore, was our country, and all 
 that makes it dear, so terribly menaced as it 
 is today. Failure on the part of the nation 
 to use its utmost strength — not to crush the 
 German people nor to add to their suffering 
 and distress more than the exigencies of 
 war entail, but to defend our institutions, 
 our homes, and our altars — means, sooner 
 or later, the "rape" of our country. We 
 have witnessed the criminal assault of Bel- 
 gium, Serbia. Poland. Roumania and 
 France. Our hearts have bled and our 
 
29 
 
 tears have flowed, as we have tried, as far 
 as conditions have permitted, to assnage the 
 suffering and lighten the burden of those 
 who have been the innocent victims of an 
 insane Inst for power and conquest. It is 
 for us to say whether we will blindly pro- 
 crastinate until it is too late to avert catas- 
 trophe, or will rise to the situation and place 
 our national existence and welfare on a se- 
 cure foundation, by giving to the forces of 
 civilization the aid and reinforcement our 
 present, fortunate position makes possible. 
 
 If our Government, alive to its respon- 
 sibilities, and in the fullness of its wisdom, 
 places our food supplies and resources un- 
 der the administrative control of a National 
 Food Commission, as seems certain, it is to 
 be hoped that every true American citizen 
 will contribute his share to the successful 
 evolution of the plan by familiarizing him- 
 self with its purpose and neglecting no op- 
 portunity of upholding a movement that 
 first and last will mean so much to all hu- 
 manity. 
 
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA 
 
 3 T 3 H 8 E 1 F L 5 00 STATION OF C fS COUNTRY NY