FOOD IN THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 268, 8 August 1919, Page 7

FOOD IN THE WAR

GERMANY'S LACK OP FORESIGHT. An address was given at '.lie Royal College of Physicians recently by Professor B. H. Starling, who discussed ''The Feeding df the Nations." The Professor, who dealt with tho work of a committee of tho Royal Society on whose ndvico Lord Rhondda relied, "said that not foreseeing I England's entry into the war, the Germans made no examination mto tho food question. When tho battle of tho Jlamo showed that the way would not bo short, a committee was set up outside the Government to inquire into Gorman food ie sources. ' Tho British Government, he said, was late in taking up the question, ".t was only after tho submarino campaign began that public opinion compelled them to take an interest in the food s;:jip!,v. 'Luckily our scientific men had (;ono ahead,' a committee of the Royal Society being formed. It showed that the Germans had over-estimated their production and under-estimated their needs. -Tho latter would go on increasing. A secona report from this oommitteo emphasised, the importance of tho food deficit, especially the lack of fats, and urged increased stringency of the blockade. Later they dealt with tho national needs here, and urged the equable distribution of food supplies. It was a long timo ueforo tho latter steo was token. All living energy meant the employment of food calories. Before the war tho average calories consumed in this ■ country were only 3GOO per head, which seemed very low. The truth was that wo were not well nourished as a nation; 30 per cent., of our people suffered from under-nutrition. In 1916-17 tho averago calories wore 8357, and in 1917-18 they were 3377.' France before the war had an average in- calories of 3SOO; in I'JIG-17 it was 3300, and in 1917-18 2900, so Ihat wo could take legitimate pride in our organisation.. In Germany after 1917 onwards the. average fell to 1500 calories per head. That was tho factor which won the war. The Germans had just too much to die on and not enough to live on with energy.