THE EARTH FOR MANKIND 543 



easily raised. (2) It enables us to keep the bulk of large crops 

 for a longer period. The condensation or drying of milk, for 

 example, makes the use of milk possible in places where cows 

 cannot be kept ; and it makes the surplus of the summer's milk 

 available in the winter. Cheaper products have been applied to 

 increasing our food resources, as in the development of cotton- 

 seed oil for food purposes. By the use of modern methods we 

 can convert cheaper oils into fine fats that take the place of 

 more expensive butter for certain purposes. This fat has not the 

 flavor or the vitamin A of good butter, but it supplies the fuel 

 value, can be used for shortening, and has the further advantage 

 that it does not turn rancid. 



When the United States entered upon the World War, we all 

 became aware of the importance of ( i) more definite knowledge 

 of national food resources, and (2) more systematic control 

 of production, distribution, and utilization of food supplies. 

 Arrangements were made to record every prospective bushel of 

 grain or potatoes, every head of cattle, every catch of fish. 

 Bulletins and proclamations were issued broadcast instructing 

 all people how to get the most out of the food materials that 

 they had, how to save every usable scrap of organic matter, 

 how to make every square yard of cultivated ground yield more, 

 how to preserve the food that could not be used up immediately. 

 Canning and drying demonstrations, as well as cooking and 

 gardening demonstrations, were made in all parts of the coun- 

 try, and for the first time in history a whole nation was brought 

 together to face the food problem as a single family. The prob- 

 lem of food distribution also came to the fore. 



As a result of the experience gained during the war, we now 

 realize that it is not sufficient to provide warehouses and trans- 

 portation for the year's production. It is necessary also to see 

 that every child and every adult obtains an adequate supply 

 of suitable nourishment. It is more important to the nation 

 that every living unit be kept in good living condition than that 

 a few individuals be given a chance to make profits out of 

 speculation in things that the rest of us need. 



