THE FOOD PROBLEM 267 



In the " relief of Belgium," as carried out by Mr. Hoover's 

 Commission, we introduced into occupied Belgium and France, 

 in the four years of the work, about five million tons of food 

 stuffs of a value, at wholesale prices and with much unpaid 

 service, of seven hundred million dollars. This food was se- 

 lected with much regard to economy of purchase, ease of 

 handling, keeping qualities, and, especially, concentration of 

 food value in relation to weight and mass. The problem of 

 transportation, during the period of the importations, was 

 made so serious by the tremendous demand on shipping and 

 the constant loss of vessels by submarines, that no waste stuff, 

 possibly avoidable, could be carried. 



The Belgian importations consisted chiefly of wheat and 

 flour, dried beans and peas, animal and vegetable fats, con- 

 densed milk and sugar. These staples, with their small con- 

 tent of water and high nutritive value, best met the needs of 

 the situation. Some meat, for protein needs, was available 

 in the country, as were also some green vegetables and fruit. 

 Out of these native and imported foodstuffs a ration, varying 

 in character somewhat with season, and in amount with the 

 varying situation as to money, actual food obtainable and con- 

 ditions of transportation, was determined, and on it a great 

 majority of the people lived. The wealthier ones could add 

 to it by purchase of the limited native production. The poorer 

 ones, those dependent on the American Relief Commission and 

 the native relief organization for actual charity, had practically 

 nothing else. At the end of the war practically one-half of 

 the imprisoned Belgian and French population jof nearly ten 

 million people was living wholly or partly on charity. At one 

 time actually one-half of the inhabitants of the great city of 

 Antwerp was in the daily soup and bread lines. 



Now this daily ration at no time was of character to produce 

 much over two thousand calories. Three thousand, and even 

 a fraction more, are considered by most physiologists to be the 

 desirable minimum for the average man at reasonable work. 

 Yet these Belgians and French maintained life, and most of 



