36 THE FOOD CRISIS AND AMERICANISM 



pigs foreshadows a shortage of hog supply. A 

 greatly increased demand by both our armies and our 

 Allies during the coming year is sure. 



The above, or anything I may say, is not intended 

 as a criticism of Mr. Hoover, the able Head of the 

 Food Administration, who has brought to that monu- 

 mental task superb business ability, and th.e highest 

 degree of patriotism; but instead, to challenge atten- 

 tion to the fact that both those in and out of Con- 

 gress, who should have aided and cooperated with 

 him, because of inefficiency, ignorance or indifference, 

 failed to give him such support as would insure the 

 highest degree of success in this all-important Depart- 

 ment of our war activities. 



As another example of this inefficient aid, I would 

 say that in January, 1918, a letter was addressed to 

 the Food Administration, saying that during the last 

 years of the Civil War, sorghum, raised by themselves, 

 constituted 90 per cent, of the sweets consumed by 

 the farmers even as far north as Southern Wisconsin ; 

 not only did it supply them, but any surplus always 

 found ready sale in the cities and towns; suggesting 

 that the Food Department, in a circular, urge the 

 farmers to resume this practice; with brief sugges- 

 tions as to its planting, culture, care, etc.; to the end 

 that the sugar situation, then critical, might be re- 

 lieved. In response to this letter, one was received 

 written by a subordinate in the office of the Food Ad- 

 ministrator, saying among other things, that " the 

 question of sorghum and molasses production had 

 been frequently presented to our attention " . . . but 

 that the Department " Have not felt justified in con- 



