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 foods that 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 débâcle 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 pre-war average | 1916-17 fiscal year | 1917-18 fiscal year | |
| Total beef products, lbs. | 186,375,372 | 405,427,417 | 565,462,445 |
| Total pork products, lbs. | 996,230,627 | 1,498,302,713 | 1,691,437,435 |
| Total dairy products, lbs. | 26,037,790 | 351,958,336 | 590,798,274 |
| Total vegetable oils, lbs. | 332,430,537 | 206,708,490 | 151,029,893 |
| Total grains, bushels | 183,777,331 | 395,140,238 | [A]349,123,235 |
| Total sugar, pounds | 621,745,507 | 3,084,390,281 | 2,149,787,050 |
| July, 1917, to Sept. 30. 1917 | July, 1918, to Sept. 30. 1918 | ||
| Total beef products, lbs. | 93,962,477 | 171,986,147 | |
| Total pork products, lbs. | 196,256,750 | 540,946,324 | |
| Total dairy products, lbs. | 130,071,165 | 161,245,029 | |
| Total vegetable oils, lbs. | 27,719,553 | 26,026,701 | |
| Total grains, bushels | 66,383,084 | 121,668,823 | |
| Total sugar, pounds | 1,108,559,519 | 1,065,398,247 | |
[A] Wheat harvest 1917-18 was 200,217,333 bushels below the average of the three previous years.
Upon the same subject Mr. Hoover himself after the harvest of 1918 said: