WORKERS' EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17973, 28 June 1920, Page 8

WORKERS' EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION.

vln view of ttia lecture to bo delivered Tiisi week by Dr Tmby King on "The btarvation in Central Europe," interest attached to tha second part of the lecture on " Tho Feeding of Nations," given b? Mrs D. E. Johnson, B-So, on Wednesday evening before tha North-East Valley branch of the W.E.A. T2ie lecturer test doatt with tho "EfFccts of a Restricted Food Supply." This was soen, ehe said, in the exoesa mortality and evidence of generally lowered resistance, especially to tuberculosis, ■wfaiabi obtained in Germany in tho later years of tho war. These observations, when they affect a whole nation to such a decree of intensity, naturally attract the _ attention of all, but they should serve to impress on us tho evil economio offects on tho productivity and health of a nation which must result so long as we allow so largo a.percentage of our population,- as was the case before tho war, to livo in a eta to of permanent undcr-nutrition. Rounfcrco's data in his.book "Poverty" suggested that the mortality among the very poor in York was almost twice as high as amongst the best-paid sections of the "working class. A nation ablo to provide for ita members with suoh brilliant succos9 during tho Europo&ri y^ r > with a submarine blockade/ ought to be able, to prevent a xeoivrrenco in peace of the conditions which disgraced sections of our urban population. In times of national stress tnero may bo a shortage so that it- becomes important to know within what limits the ordinarily accepted foodstuffs can be vaned without detriment to health and efficiency. Food must be reduced to | its physiological value—i.e., the percentage of; the nutrients contained in it—viz., the protein, carbohydrate, fat, and salts. Tho .Royal Society Food (War) Committee adopted the following as the diet of an average man:—Protein, 100 grams (less than 4oz); fat. 100 grams; and carbohydrate, 500 grams (less than 18oz). It is important to know that far different nutrients .are interchangeable, and what is tho minimum to which any given nutrient can bo reduced without ill-effect or even inconvenience. Protein can be reduced far bolow tho amount in -the overage diet,_ oven to 30 or 40 grams per day, provided it is of proper constitution. But 80 grams is the minimum quantity which should be provided in a mixed dirt. _ "Tako care of the calories, and the protein will take caro of itself." Carbohydrates and fats serve almost exclusively as sources of energy. "The former can. bo converted into tho latter, and, indeed, do servo as the chief source of the fats formed in'.the fattening of animals. Vitammes.—Recent investigation has shown that in addition to the main classes of foodstuffs most fresh foods contain nunuto quantities of substapces whose chemical composition :s unknown, but which are essential to maintenance of health and growth. They axe destroyed by | prolonged heating, or drying, so no diet can be satisfactory unless it :contains certain amount of fresh fruits orL- green vegetables.. Also provision of milk and milk fat is essential for children. Henoe the controlling authority ; besides providing necessary calories, must:—(l) Maintain a minimum fat supply; (2) safe- I supplies of milk for children; (3) production and distribution of fresh vegetables, food. In tho provisioning of a natioh the problem differs as the country is self-contained or depends on importation. Animals are wasteful as energy converters— jtjtakcs from 121b to 641b of dry fodder (chiefly grass, roots, hay) to produce lib dry human food—but the necessity of providing fat is real physiological justification for, us© of animals for production of human food. (3.) In handling the position the German authorities made •serious mistakes; their capital error was to permit the maintenance of the large stock of horned cattle, -which in June, 1917, actually exceeded the number of ' 1913.' Large quantities of vegetable food and of food which might have been utilised i>v man were wasted in the mere maintenance of cattle and pigs without any production of meat or fat. The ill-fed cattle deteriorated in quality, their working powers diminished, the milk supply less and less ,and there was a fat famine throughout tho land. In this country the • risk of at similar position coming about had K>;b© faced. It was dealt with on other lines; more cereals were diverted from stock animals to man, and only one-third of what was' available for feeding animals other than working horses, was provided' Jiven here the deeply-rooted instinct of the IDa ' D to-in !his live stock created difficulties, and not the armistice been declared we might havo had yet greater cause ■ for complaint as to meat supplies. An important moans of securing obedience to scientifio principles was the fixing of cereal and meafc prices in such a way that for instance, pork production was made less remunerative than the selling of barley. Passing to the question of rationing-, tho key of the problem was the provision af sufficient calories by diversion of food from animals to man. and the assurance of equitablo distribution. If all foodstuffs ars rationed tho attempt to secure equitable distribution must fail, - because die average ro quircment will be too much for 'some individuals, too little for others; feeding at a common table, these differences adjust themselves; where individuals are rationed they do-not. This explains why all systems .of complete rationing have failed hopelessly.- It is imperative to leave free some important and complete food which is within the means ofi all classes of the population, so that each individual can buy of it t° bis _ desire; and satisfy that • f? 2 - . of his calorie needs not covered bv the. rationed articles It was the view of the. Royal Society Committee that bread im?sti at: all. costs remain unrationed—a view which ultimately prevailed. Tho Cabinet detefmiiied that if the various measures of >diver3ion from animals and increased nrodubt*on;: failed to provide enough bread then- onSrloads of cereals were to enjoy .pjjioijity - over all other shipping, whether of men or munitions of war. At the same time; bread was made sufficiently unattracwithout diminishing its wholesomepofa—to prevent ite wasteful consumption,: and efforts were made by propaganda and otherwise to reduce the consumption of rereds by providing other foods which mighf take their place, especially potatoes •An: order of preference was accordinglv set:-i>p a s regards tho importation of the fopdjmatenals necessary under the system of,; rationing. So that, with the exception of;.fi ..temporary shortage in fats during the early part of 1918. which incommoded tho population but was not attended bv anv noWble ill-cffeote on health and efficiencv, tho TTnited Kingdom was tho onlv nation m. Jwiropo which could maintain that no man,: woman, or child had to go hungry on- account of war conditions.