FOOD OF THE WAR

Cromwell Argus, Volume L, Issue 2645, 20 October 1919, Page 3

FOOD OF THE WAR

GF.R.MANY'S LACK OF FORESIGHT. An address was given at the Royal College of Physicians recently by Professor E. H. Starling, who discussed ‘ The Feeding of the Nations.' The professor, who dealt with the work of a committee of the Royal Society, on whose advice Lord Rhondda relied, said that, not foreseeing England's entry into the war. the (remans made no examination into the food question. When the battle of the Marne showed that the war would not be short, a committee was set up outside the Government to inquire into German food resources. The British Government, lie said, were late in taking up the question, it was only after the submarine campaign began that public opinion compelled them to take an interest in the food supply. Luckily our scientific men had gone ahead, a committee of the Royal Society being formed. It showed that the Germans had over-estimated their production and underestimated their needs. The latter would go on increasing. A second report from this committee emphasised the importance of the food deficit, especially the lack of fats, and urged increased stringency of the blockade. Later they dealt with the national needs here, and urged the equable distribution of food supplies, (t was a. long time before the latter step was taken.

Ail living energy meant the employment of tout! calories. Before the war the average calories consumed in this country were only 3,600 per head, which seemed very low. The truth was that we were not well nourished as a nation ; 30 per cent. of. our people suffered from undernutrition. In 1916-17 the average calories were 3.357. and in 1917-18 they were 3,377. France before the war had an average in calorics of 3,800; in 1916-17 it was 3,500, and in 1917-18 2.900. so that we could take legitimate, pride in oui organisation, in (lermany after 1917 onwards the average fell to i.500 calorics per head. That was the factor which won the war. The tiermans had just too much to die on, and not enough to live on with energy.