The Voluntary Rationing Movement

From the Yorkshire Post, 13^th November 1917

THE VOLUNTARY RATIONING MOVEMENT. 

SIR A. YAPP'S REVISED SCALE. 

The new scale of dietary in connection with the scheme of voluntary rationing, outlined by Sir Arthur Yapp, Director of Food Economy, at Manchester, was issued yesterday by the Ministry of Food. The revised voluntary ration is as follows:—

BREAD.

MEN.	On very heavy industrial work or agricultural work	8lb. 0oz.
	On ordinary industrial or other manual work	7lb. 0oz
	Unoccupied or on sedentary work.	4lb. 8oz.
WOMEN.	On heavy industrial work or on agricultural work	5lb. 0oz
	On ordinary industrial or in domestic service	4lb. 0oz
	Unoccupied or on sedentary work	3lb. 8oz.

OTHER FOODS.

The allowance of other foods is the same for all, viz. :—
 Cereals, other than bread ... 12oz.
 Meat ...   2lb.
 Butter, margarine, lard, oils, and fats ... 10oz.
 Sugar ...  8oz.

 It is urged that on no account should the weekly allowances in the above scale be exceeded, but it is advised that children should receive a reasonable amount of food. Their individual needs differ so greatly that no definite ration is laid down for them. The principal difference between Sir A. Yapp's revised scale and the one with which Lord Devonport in February last asked the nation "upon its honour" to comply consists in the fact that the present table has been graded to suit the individual needs of different classes.

Lord Devonport's suggested scale of weekly consumption per head was as follows: —
Meat   ...   2½ lb.
Bread  ...   4lb. (or 3lb. of flour)
Sugar  ...   ¾lb. (afterwards reduced to ½lb.)

The following explanatory observations are issued by the Food Department with the new scale.—

The "Bread" rations include all flour. whether used for bread or for cooking. Flour may be taken instead of bread at the rate of 2lb. of flour for every pound of bread.

The "Other Cereal" rations include oatmeal, rice, tapioca, sago, barley meal, cornflour, maize meal, dried peas, beans, and lentils. and all cereal products except bread and flour. The weight given is the weight of the dry article, as bought. If the full bread ration is not used, the amount saved can be taken in other cereals at the rate of ¾lb. of cereals for every pound of bread saved.

The "Meat" rations include the average amount of bone, which may be taken as one-quarter of the weight of the actual meat. Any parts of meat (such as rump steak, bacon, or suet) which are bought without bone must count for one-quarter more than their actual weight. On the other hand, any bone in excess of a quarter of the actual meat bought may be deducted. Poultry and rabbits may be counted at half their actual weight. The meat rations include suet.

Exchange of Bread and Meat.—Any person may take half a pound of meat over and above his meat ration in exchange for half a pound of bread to be deducted from his bread ration. Similarly, any person may take half a pound extra of bread in exchange for meat.

In addition to the economy necessary in regard to the foods mentioned above, it is essential that the consumption of milk and cheese shall be restricted as far as possible. These foods should be reserved for persons for whom they are indispensable. A more extensive use should be made of fresh vegetables and fruit and, in particular, of potatoes, which are not rationed. This season's excellent potato crop supplies the means of observing the prescribed rations without privation, and it must not be wasted.

[Note: for anyone who is only familiar with metric weights,  'lb.' is the abbreviation for 'pound' - 1lb. is 16 ounces (about 0.45 kg.)]