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WWI
County Food Administration
McLean County, Illinois
(Transcribed by: Teri Moncelle Colglazier)

Only a few weeks after America's entry into the war, the Bloomington Association of Commerce was asked by Harry A. Wheeler, Fed eral Food Administrator for Illinois, to appoint an Administrator who should select a committee 'of four to co-operate with him in representing our Government in handling all questions that might arise on this subject. R. C. Baldwin, president of the Association of Commerce, went to Howard Humphreys along in September of 1917, stating that as he was looked upon as the Dean of the grocery business in this section, he felt that Mr. Humphreys should accept this appointment, which he immediately did, wiring Mr. Wheeler that he would give it the best attention possible and be very careful in the selection of the Conference Committee. It seemed most natural at first that the different food interests should be represented on the committee, and Mr. Humphreys was about to make such appointments when a later thought convinced him that the personnel of such Committee might better be of men not interested in the food game, for he felt certain that the committee could have equal co-operation and assistance from all the food men though not on a committee. Accordingly he made the following appointments of men who, though very busy in their affairs, accepted them and pledged their support and co-operation: President David Felmley, of Normal University. John .T. Morrissey, Attorney. D. O. Thompson, County Farm Advisor. Mrs. J. M. Patterson, President of the Woman's Union Label League. It was necessary to act quickly and get this organization thruout the state working as soon as possible, and the various food committees were given very little instruction as to what they should, or should not do, and Mr. Humphreys did not know for some time whether he was representing Bloomington, the county or a section about Bloomington. However, he commenced to work at once, and immediately informed headquarters in Chicago w-hat the committee were doing, and asked for their criticisms and suggestions. In reply he received their congratulations and was told to go right along in the same course. The grocerymen of the county were at first very much agitated and felt that their business was going to be curtailed and their margins of profit so limited that it would be impossible for them to pay the expenses of their business, and while there was the universal expression of the utmost loyalty from all the grocerymen, yet there were many who seriously felt that it would be impossible to operate their business, under conditions which they thought would be imposed, without loss. The fact that the retail grocers and meat dealers of Bloomington were organized in a local association made it very much easier for the Food Administrator to get their quicker and more active cooperation. When the grocerymen were asked to publish a price list of the staple food commodities, showing what the retail grocer bought and sold these staples for, there was quite a strenuous objection made by many deal ers. They asserted that their margins of profit were reasonable, and that the matter of profiteering in prices was merely a question of agitation and irresponsible rumor, and had little or no foundation in fact in this community, even if it had in others. When these men were finally convinced of the necessity of pub lishing their selling prices, a second objection arose as to publishing their costs, insisting that it was unnecessarily making public a part of their affairs that was usually a confidential feature of a man's business. However, when they saw that it was the publication of such costs and selling prices which assured the public of the small margins that these commodities were retailed at, and that such publication would beget confidence and dispel the trouble and agitation that came to the minds of many on account of the higher prices of foods, the thought that they were profiteering in war times, taking advantage of conditions in unreasonable profits from the consumer, would be dispelled. It was along in December, the first price lists were published, December of 1917, Bloomington being one of the first towns of the state in this locality to publish such prices, and a committee was formed by the retail dealers who met once or twice a week, and having collected data as to the costs of the staple commodities, a fair price list was thus made and published for a time daily in both the morning and evening newspapers of the city. It would have been illegal under the Sherman Anti-Trust Law for merchants to meet, discuss and arrange prices in this way save for the fact that the Federal Trade Commission had given a ruling to the United States, that such action might be taken provided a regularly authorized Food Administrator was present at such meeting when prices were discussed, and what were considered to be fair prices named. Mr. Humphreys was working along without knowing the field that he was expected to cover, and yet it was a fact that there were quite a number of other Food Administrators appointed in other towns in McLean county at the same time that he was appointed. Presuming that they would all work together, Mr. Humphreys invited such appointees to a meeting in Bloomington so that they might co-operate in their activities. Soon after this he was asked to be County Food Ad ministrator, and as such it was necessary to be sworn in officially. A few weeks later, Mr. Humphreys was asked to become a member of the State District Board, taking charge of the district of seven or eight counties, which district was changed as changes were made in the District Board, so that finally his district included thirteen counties: McLean, Cass, DeWitt, Ford, Fulton, Knox, Livingston, Mason, Menard, Peoria, Stark, Tazewell and Woodford. Each of these counties was represented by a County Food Administrator, and under them, each of the towns in the counties, was represented by a local food administrator. Mr. J. J. Thomassen was appointed county food administrator for McLean county and Charles O'Malley, local Food Administrator for Bloomington. A county food administration was completed in February, 1918, under the direction of Mr. Thomassen, by the appointment of the following township food administrators, each of whom was supposed to deal with the food problems of his own immediate neighborhood, in co-operation with the county administrator: Allin W. H. Springer, Stanford; Anchor Jacob Martens. Anchor; Arrowsmith George E. Lester, Arrowsmith; Bellflower C. F. Gooch, Bellflower; Bloomington Charles O'Malley; Blue Mound A. T. Walton, Cooksville; Cheney's Grove William Rowe, Saybrook; Chenoa A. D. Jordan, Chenoa; Crop sey H. L. Barnes, Cropsey; Dale A. L. Nicol, Covell; Danvers L. C. Voss, Danvers; Downs G. H. Meiner, Downs; Dawson A. L. Builta, Ellsworth; Dry Grove L. C. Voss, Danvers; Empire A. Jay Keenan, Leroy; Funk's Grove C. M. Bowen, Bloomington; Gridley C. F. Hoobler, Gridley; Hudson R. A. Ensign, Hudson; Lawndale H. L. Barnes. Colfax; Lexington A. H. Scrogin, Lexington; Martin H. L. Barnes, Colfax; Money Creek A. H. Scrogin, Lexington; Mt. Hope Frank W. Aldrich, McLean; Normal W. J. Arbogast, Normal; Old Town F. W. Boston, Holder; Randolph J. P. Shelton, Hey worth; To wanda Oren Clark, Towanda; West C. F. Gooch, Bellflower; White Oak L. H. Brown, Carlock; Yates A. D. Jordan, Chenoa. At this same time, the organization in Bloomington consisted of Charles O'Malley, city food administrator; J. J. Thomassen, county administrator; Victor Robinson, Oscar Mandel, Henry Munch, Campbell Holton, W. H. Cummings, Mrs. J. M. Patterson, Charles Utesch, and A. H. Hoopes. After a few weeks of very active service, Mr. Thomassen was obliged to resign the position, and Mr. Hal M. Stone accepted the appointment of County Food Administrator. Mr. O'Malley gave him very valuable assistance in handling one of the most important features at that time, the question of sugar distribution, and regulations of the quantity to be sold. In this respect, Mr. O'Malley was acting as County Food Administrator and was sworn in as such. These arrangements continued until December, 1918, when practically all restrictions were withdrawn and the activities of the Food Administration ceased. One of the most important features of this work were the efforts of the administration to limit and secure a fair distribution of sugar. Bloomington was one of the first towns in the west to limit the supply of sugar sold to the consumer; and when it was seen that a possible sugar famine was approaching, without consultation or advice, it seemed best to ask all retailers immediately to limit all sales to five pounds of sugar. These instructions were very promptly complied with, and at times later the sales were limited to two pounds. Our county was very fortunate in suffering less from the sugar famine than many others, and while there was some difficulty in the fall of 1918 in controlling the amount of sugar to be used for canning and preserving purposes, yet there was but little, if any, hardship experienced in a lack of supply of this great food necessity. Careful investigations were made by the Food Administrators of the real needs of those purchasers of sugar for canning and preserving, it being the intention of the Government that sugar should be provided for such use, and tickets or orders were issued to dealers by the Food Administrators, on which they could sell sugar for such purposes. This feature of the work ran up to such importance that it was necessary to have an uptown office building with several attendants to issue these canning sugar tickets. Guy Strickle gave the Food Administrator, Mr. O 'Malley, very valuable assistance in this work locally in Bloomington. In the summer' of 1918 it became necessary for every groceryman to keep a sugar card for each customer. On this was entered the name of and address of the customer and the time and amount of each sugar purchased. These cards were handled through a clearing house, and checked up so that no family should be allowed to exceed its sugar quota. The groceryman was required to furnish a certificate to his jobber as to his sugar requirements before he could purchase, and these cards were the basis. Manufacturers of ice cream and candy were cut down in their allowance of sugar, first to 80 per cent and then to 50 per cent of the normal. Sugar bowls were taken off the tables of restaurants and hotels, and sugar was given to the customer only on request. This regulation continued in force for several months during the summer and fall of 1918. Another important feature of the work was the distribution of flour. It seemed quite certain in the spring of 1918, that our supply of wheat flour would certainly be exhausted by the first of June, and that we would have a two months' interim, where some food substitute would have to take the place of wheat flour. On January 28, 1918, when the serious condition of wheat flour was fully ascertained, the United States Food Administrator issued a ruling that all sales of wheat flour should be made with an equal quantity of cereal substitutes, specifically naming just what substitutes could be used as such, and making it necessary for all retailers and wholesalers, to see that each purchase of wheat flour was accompanied at the same time with a sale of a like quantity, pound for pound, on the fifty-fifty basis, of cereal substitutes. As the greater shortage of wheat flour became known, it was more generally understood that the people purchased unnecessarily, and it was to export larger quantities of this commodity to France, where its need was a necessity to winning the war, that a number of the McLean County housewives pledged themselves not to buy any wheat flour until the new crop would be available along in August of 1918. This pledge continued and it was finally released when it was known that we would have enough flour to tide us over and there was no longer a necessity for it. The pledge was released in McLean County just one week before it was generally released by Mr. Hoover to the hotel and restaurant men of the United States, who had in like manner voluntarily taken the same pledge. The official rules promulgated by the food administration on the subject of flour and meat, in February, 1918, were as follows: "To reduce the consumption of wheat flour the consumers are called upon, in purchasing such flour to buy at the same time an equal weight of the following cereals: Corn meal, corn starch, corn flour, hominy, corn grits, barley flour, rice, rice flour, oat meal, rolled oats, buckwheat flour, potato flour, sweet potato flour, soya bean flour, faterita flours and meals. Note Rye flour is no longer used as a substitute. The housewife may use these products separately or mix them as she thinks best. Retailers are to sell wheat flour only with equal weights of these cereals. This ruling effective Monday, January 28, 1918. Monday and Wednesday of each week are to be observed as wheat-less days, and the evening meal of every day after 5 p. m. as a meat-less meal. This applies both in the home, and in the public eating places, and during such days and meals, no crackers, pastries, macaroni, break fast foods or other cereals containing wheat should be used. It is further desired, in order that meat and pork products be conserved, that one meatless day, Tuesday in every week, and one meat less meal the morning meal before 10 a. m. in every day be observed, and in addition, two porkless days, Tuesdays and Saturdays in every week be strictly kept. By meatless is meant without hog, cattle or sheep products. On other days use mutton and lamb in preference to beef or pork. By porkless is meant without pork, bacon, ham, lard or pork products, fresh or preserved. Use fish, poultry and eggs. Beginning February 3, bakers must use at least five per cent wheat flour substitutes in all breads and rolls. This amount must be increased as rapidly as possible until February 24, when they should be using at least twenty percent of these substitutes in all bread and rolls. In the spring of 1918, a ruling was issued that every family having more than 49 pounds of flour in the house at one time should return the surplus to their dealer, to be resold. On May 8, Hal M. Stone, county food administrator, and Charles O 'Malley, city administrator, issued a statement that the time for such returns was up. The statement added: Three thousand 49-pound bags of flour have been located and returned from persons in this county residing outside of Bloomington and Normal. These have been collected and returned to the merchants and placed upon the market to be resold under the new regulations, fifty-fifty with substitutes and no more than 48 pounds to be at one family 's home at a time. In January, 1918, the Ad Club of Bloomington, composed of a number of live young business men, launched a campaign of education on food conservation. They bought space in the newspapers to preach conservation. They erected on the sides of the court house four huge signs containing some striking precepts on the same subject, and secured permission of the moving picture houses for slides with sensible hints on this subject. This campaign was continued to the end of the war. From February to May, 1918, the poultry houses were forbidden by order of the food administration, to buy or kill for food any laying hen. This was in order to conserve the hen supply, and increase the output of eggs as a substitute for meats, so that more meat supplies could be released for shipment by the United States to Europe. This rule was universally observed by poultry dealers and raisers throughout McLean county. Early in the fall of 1918, and a short time before the Armistice was signed, Mr. Hoover felt that it was necessary to devote the more especial attention of the Food Administration thruout the country to a general publication of prices throughout all the cities of the United States; and each state was asked to see to it that organizations which would bring about these results, were effected in each county of the state. Mr. Humphreys was then asked by Mr. Wheeler to take charge of this new division in the state of Illinois, which was known as the Price Division. This necessitated his spending practically all his time at the Chicago Headquarters Office, except the week ends that he spent at home; whereas before he had only spent a day or two at the Chicago headquarters, attending the weekly meetings of the District Board each week. With the signing of the Armistice and the general knowledge of the fact that the war was over, an attempt to control this work by the voluntary work of the people was impracticable, as the necessity seemed to have passed. It is difficult to understand the great volume of work handled by the various food administrators, and the great amount of time and effort given to the work voluntarily, without any compensation whatever. For over a year Mr. Humphreys had put in twelve to fifteen hours a day and when he accepted the position of taking charge of the Price Division for the state of Illinois, it was agreed that he should have a little vacation to be with his family and grandchildren in Florida. On December 8th he left Chicago to go to Florida, and it was not long after this until all restrictions were withdrawn, and the county and local Food Administrators of the state were released from their work, and the United States Food Administration, as to McLean County, became a thing of the past. E. M. Evans of Bloomington was asked by the national food administration during the closing months of the war to take charge of food control in a large district of Indiana, and he put in several months at this work. When the armistice was signed and strict control was relaxed, Mr. Evans returned from his duties in that line. The record of McLean county's part in the war would be sadly incomplete if due attention was not paid to the food conservation. The position of food administrator was ably filled by Charles O 'Malley who had charge of the department in Bloomington and who was also assistant county food administrator. These positions were marked by great responsibility and required the maximum of tact and diplomacy. Mr. O 'Malley possessed both to a marked degree and this was largely responsible for the great success which marked the operation of his department. The men who carried on the food conservation department, gave their time, their energy and their best thought without stint, neglecting their own business and without hope of reward or even recognition of their personal sacrifices and efforts. They were as truly, and as usefully, in the service of their state and their country as were those who wore the nation's uniforms. The ramifications of the food conservation program were many. They included farm labor, Boys Working Reserve, Mobilization of Adult Labor, food shows, seed corn, war gardens, regulation of prices and quantity sold, co-operation of schools, corn huskers campaign, etc. There were many angles to the campaign and many of these were trying and made the post of administrator an onerous one. Throughout all the period that the department was in operation, Mr. O 'Malley gave his time and energy freely and was able to pacify the class which objected to food control and adjust complications which continually developed. The famine in sugar was the most annoying feature of the war from a food standpoint but this was handled successfully and the meagre supply distributed in small lots through the card system which originated in England. No one was more thankful to see the end of the war and the consequent release from the duties of food administrator, than Mr. O 'Malley. It was a difficult position to fill but he acquitted himself to the entire satisfaction of the government and the public. [McLean County, Illinois, in the World War, 1917-1918; by Edward E. Pierson & Jacob Louis Hasbrouck c 1921]

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