Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 70, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 November 1918 — ALLIES ARE FED BY SELF DENIAL [ARTICLE]

ALLIES ARE FED BY SELF DENIAL

Generous Doing Without in America Supplied Food to Europe. Exports from this country since It entered the war have kept starvation from Allied Europe and have maintained the health and strength of those who have been bearing the brunt of our battles, so that they could hold out to victory. Now that hostilities have ceased we must assume the added burden of keeping starvation from increasing its toll upon the millions who have been liberated from the Prussian yoke. Famine would undo the work which has been accomplished in freeing the world for democracy. No Stable government can be established and maintained by a nation harassed by hunger. A starving people turns to rioting and anarchy. Food has given strength and courage to the nations fighting for democracy; it must now give the nations strength and tranquillity to re-establish themselves in freedom and democracy. Without our help It would have been absolutely Impossible for the Allies to maintain a living ration. Since our entry into the war we have been contributing largely to the support of one hundred and twenty million people whose normal food supplies have been cut off, whose' production has fallen almost to the vanishing point, whose fields have been devastated by Germany. The food exported from the United States in the past year has been sufficient to supply the complete ration of twenty-tw’o million people. It is hard to grasp the magnitude and significance of the assistance which has been lent the Allies by the patriotic, voluntary service of the American people. The food we sent abroad last year would have been sufficient to feed one-fifth of our population. And this was done in spite of the fact that we entered the year with short crops. Our surplus was practically nothing. An overwhelming proportion of the fpod that left this country last year was saved out of the normal home consumption of our own people. In spite of difficulties met in internal transportation and shortage of ocean tonnage our food exports last year amounted to a figure that a few years ago would have been unbelievable. Even the most optimistic element of our population faced with anxious consternation the prospect which opened before us with the beginning of the 1917 harvest year. The American people have not been compelled to save. They have been appealed to on the basis of humanity and of patriotism. They have responded voluntarily.

Besides such Incidental benefits as the improvement In figure and health that we’ve reaped from our meatless, wheatless days, think of the fun we’ve had out of them —the new crop of jokes, jibes, topical songs and cartoons to replace the mother-in-law joke and the boost to our reputation for ready humor I

Eighty millions of men cannot be taken out of production for four years without lasting losses of yield. It will be years before their fields recuperate, farms are restored and herds restocked. Save food.