THIRTY CENT BREAD 41 



for the conservation of fruits and vegetables. These 

 processes, filled with promise of economic revolution, 

 have not only been neglected, but to the shame of a 

 few privileged persons in high places they have 

 been discouraged. 



This oppression, applied by red tape, has not only 

 cost the farmers of the United States millions of 

 dollars but it has robbed the army, the navy and the 

 civilian population of thousands of tons of food- 

 stuffs, the possession of which at this hour would 

 provide that vast reserve of power the insistent need 

 of which we already keenly feel. 



Had the dehydrating processes of the United 

 States, which have improved a hundredfold upon 

 the processes which have contributed so much to 

 Germany's physical necessity, been permitted to 

 flourish as they should have been, our present state 

 of unpreparedness, as far as food is concerned, 

 would not now occasion such bitter anxiety. 



Before the outbreak of hostilities 425 drying es- 

 tablishments were operating in Germany. During 

 the last three years the German authorities have 

 placed additional establishments in every agricul- 

 tural zone of the country to take care of the slightest 

 temporary surplus of farm products, thus preserv- 

 ing for the days of shortage fruits and vegetables 

 which in the United States are allowed to go to 

 waste. 



There are only four of these establishments in the 

 United States and their products, although received 

 with tremendous enthusiasm by the army and navy, 

 have been, for some strange reason which a Con- 

 gressional inquiry may disclose, stricken from the 

 list of army and navy supplies. 



