Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 103, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 March 1918 — OFFICIAL FOOD NEWS [ARTICLE]

OFFICIAL FOOD NEWS

By Dr. Harry E. Barnard

Federal

Food Administrator for Indiana.

The present purpose of the Federal Food Administration is now directed to re-establishing a normal flow of wheat to the mills, as evidenced by the following telegram from Herbert Hoover: “In order that we may comply with the urgent demands of the allies for wheat and at the same time take care of our own domestic supplies we urgently need, this year, an earlier and more complete marketing of the wheat in l farmers’ hands than usual. The allies are taking from us 50 per cent, of other cereals than wheat to mix in their bread. Inasmuch as the people in allied countries and the soldiers must be fed with bread baked in bakeries, it is impossible for them to prepare bread made wholly out of other cereals and we must furnish them with sufficient wheat to maintain ’their bakery loaf. 1 therefore appeal to all of the farmers in the State of Indiana that they shall bring all of their wheat except their necessary reserves for seed to market before May 1. This is a war call and a service for Uncle Sam who is fighting for his life. If your local miller is taxable to buy all the wheat that is offered, market it

in the customary trade channels through which it will reach the Food Administration Grain Corporation. “HERBERT HOOVER.” Hot Cross buns for Easter consumption must be without icing and made by the Victory recipe which calls for a minimum of 20 per cent substitutes for wheat flour. The waste of eggs either by unusual consumption or by rendering them inedible by coloring matter is considered unpatriotic, and is taboo this year. Rakers must conform to the Victory recipe or quit business after March 20. By that time if the required 20 per cent, of suljititutes is not available bakers will be forced to quit. In the meantime they are urged to combine the substitutes, which will serve to remove many ol the difficulties that haV'e been experienced where only one substitute has been used. Modified regulations relative- to. the sale of wheat flour prohibits an extension of credit for the purchase of substitutes except at the time and in equal quantity of the purchase being made. Paste used for hanging wall paper must be no better than a very low grade of wheat flour, which is unfit for bread making. This statement comes in anticipation of the house cleaning season. Paper hangers who have always used white wheat flour for paste making must find some other material as wheat flour fit for bread-making is entirely too precious for such use at this time.

Farmers who have been feeding wheat to live stock on the theory that it is a more economic practice than feeding corn, are laboring under a misapprehension of the chief statistician. The United States Food Administration at Washington has tabulated cereal prices as follows: Average price Percentage received Increase by farm- Price of er dur- received present ing 3 pre- by farm- over war years er now pre-war Cereal. (perbu.) (perbu.) price. Wheat ... $0,869 $2,006 131 Com 665 1.388 109 Oats 404 .787 106 Barley ... .642 1.319 105 From these figures It is clear that the price of no other grain Jias advanced so much respecting net return to the farmer as compared with pre-war conditions, as has that of wheat. Transportation difficulties have operated to create higher prices to the consumer because it has not been possible for the railroads to get grain to primary markets as fast as the demand for export and domestic use could and would have absorbed