Closed. Public Notice: For Violation of the Rules of the United States Food Administration

A blank notice form with a decorative border and a shield seal reads 'CLOSED / Public Notice' and states that a place of business is closed for a number of days for violating Food Administration rules. The blanks for the number of days and the dates in 1918 are unfilled. It is an enforcement placard rather than an appeal; its persuasive tell is the posted threat of closure displayed to the public.

Propaganda techniques used in this poster

Fear appeal

Date: 1918
Period: First World War
Made by: U.S. Food Administration, Enforcement Division
Region: North America
Country: United States
Medium: Poster
Issuer type: State
Regime: Wilson Administration
Leader: Woodrow Wilson
Audience: Domestic public
Purpose: Warn or inform
Themes: Home front, Economy and finance
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, Enforcement Division. National Archives and Records Administration, 4-P-125.

Text on the object

Original (English) · read from the image, not independently checked

CLOSED

Public Notice

For Violation of the Rules of the United States Food
Administration This Place of Business is

Closed for ______ Days

From ______, 1918 to ______, 1918

UNITED STATES FOOD ADMINISTRATION
Enforcement Division

Blank lines are printed rules for handwritten entries. The circular shield seal at the centre carries no legible text.