s were crying out for peace at any price.

On the other hand, Germany's greatest reliance for a victorious decision
lay in the U-boat blockade of Great Britain, France and Italy. Though
some depredations came to these countries, the submarine blockade never
fully materialized and with its failure Germany's hopes faded and died.

The Entente Allies and the United States were fortunate in securing
Herbert C. Hoover to administer food distribution throughout their lands
and to stimulate food production by the farmers of the United States.
After his signal success in the administration of the Belgian Relief
Commission, Mr. Hoover became the unanimous choice of the Allies for the
victualing of the militant and civilian populations after America's
entrance into the World War. His work divided itself into three heads:

First, stimulation of food production.

Second, elimination of food wastage in the homes and public eating
places of the country.

Third, education of food dealers and the public in the use of such foods
as were substitutes for wheat, rye, pork, beef and sugar.

After long and acrimonious debates in Congress, Mr. Hoover, as Federal
Food Administrator, was clothed with extraordinary powers enabling him
to fulfil the purposes for which he was appointed. The ability with
which he and his associates performed their work was demonstrated in the
complete debacle of Bulgaria, Turkey, Austria-Hungary and Germany. These
countries were starved out quite as truly as they were fought out. The
concrete evidence of the Food Administration's success is shown in the
subjoined table which indicates the increase over normal in exporting of
foodstuffs by the United States since it became the food reservoir for
the world on account of the war.

TOTAL EXPORTS
3-year 1916-17 1917-18 July, 1917 to July,1918 to
pre-war fiscal fiscal
average. year. year. Sept. 30,1917. Sept. 30,1918
Total beef products, lbs..
186,375,372 405,427,417 565,462,445 93,962,477 171,986,147
Total pork products, lbs..
996,930,627 1,498,302,713 1,691,437,435 196,256.750 540,946,324
Total dairy products, lbs..
26,037,790 351,958,336 590,798,274 130,071,165 161,245,029
Total vegetable oils, lbs..
332,430,537 206,708,490 151,029,893 27,719,553 26,026,701
Total grains, bushels...
183,777,331 395,140,238 *349,123,235