Content note: Emaciated women and children before a ruined cathedral with a crowd of starving figures behind, as issued. This object is shown as it was published. Why
Don't Waste Food While Others Starve!
A gaunt mother holds an infant and a thin child before a ruined cathedral, while a crowd of dark figures behind her raise their arms. The caption beneath reads 'Don't waste food while others starve!' above the Food Administration name. The tell is the starving-family image set against a household act (not wasting food), which makes a small personal choice stand in for a distant famine.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1917
- Period
- First World War
- Made by
- U.S. Food Administration
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Wilson Administration
- Leader
- Woodrow Wilson
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Themes
- Home front, War and the military
- Event
- World War I
- Regime
- Wilson administration
- Leader
- Woodrow Wilson
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives (NARA), RG 4 (U.S. Food Administration), World War I Posters (NAID 512439), retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- NARA Unrestricted; hosted by owner decision
U.S. Food Administration. National Archives and Records Administration, 4-P-145.
Text on the object
don't waste food while others starve! UNITED STATES FOOD ADMINISTRATION Nº 31 L.C.Clinker + M.J.Dwyer [credit, image lower left; partly legible] HEYWOOD STRASSER & VOIGT LITHO. CO. N.Y.
Credit and imprint lines are very small; the first artist's name is partly legible (read as 'L.C.Clinker') and the second reads 'M.J.Dwyer'. Sheet number read as 31.
