War Conservation Program
A text-only sheet headed 'War Conservation Program' sets out a 'task ahead' for merchants and tradespeople, a list of ten rules (efficiency, conservation, avoiding speculation, fair profits and others), and a list of Food Administration controlled commodities. It closes with a pledge, signed by each dealer, to sell at fair prices and display the card as a member of the Food Administration. The tell of bandwagon is the membership pledge and the displayed card: participation is shown publicly so that other customers and traders see who has joined.
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, 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. National Archives and Records Administration, 4-P-110.
Text on the object
UNITED STATES FOOD ADMINISTRATION WAR CONSERVATION PROGRAM THE TASK AHEAD GERMANY'S greatest ally is the false belief in the United States that the war will be short. Face the grim facts. Prepare in your own home, in your business, and in your community. Business efficiency This is a war not of armies and navies, but of nations. We must have better merchants, better laborers, better citizens. Business must go on and shall prosper—but waste, extravagance, must end. Conserve Food—time—energy—materials—equipment. Do your best to aid in the production of more food. Prevent waste As a war measure, make frequent and PERSONAL study of your business, and find what savings can be effected. Stocks Reduce duplicate stocks within reasonable limits. Fair profits only Do not make or accept any unreasonable rate, charge, or price. Avoid speculation Buy only for PRESENT needs and to meet the known requirements of your normal trade. Do not sell to or buy from speculators. Discourage purchases beyond usual needs by consumers, retailers, or others. Service Render no extra or nonessential service to customers. Curtail credits within reasonable limits. Encourage cash transactions. Eliminate all unnecessary delivery service. Save labor and time for the war. Persistently discourage the practice of returning goods. Sell in original packages. Transportation Save cars, ships, and other transportation equipment. Insist upon close, secure, and careful packing. Load to capacity. Order capacity carloads regardless of the minimum tariff requirements. Load and unload promptly. Buy food products produced at near-by points wherever possible. Salesmen Enlist the patriotic cooperation of your salesmen, and have them, in their daily visits to the trade, urge conservation. Home economics Through your own advertising, your salesmen, and your personal influence in your own community, aid in the food conservation campaign. EAT WISELY AND WITHOUT WASTE. U. S. FOOD ADMINISTRATION CONTROLLED COMMODITIES Wheat, wheat flour, rye, rye flour Bread Barley, barley flour Oats, oatmeal, rolled oats Corn, corn grits, cornmeal, hominy, corn flour, starch from corn, corn oil, corn syrup, glucose Rice, rice flour Dried beans Pea seed, dried peas Cottonseed, cottonseed oil, cottonseed cake, cottonseed meal Peanut oil, peanut meal Soya bean oil, soya bean meal, palm oil, copra oil Oleomargarine, lard, lard substitutes, oleo oil, cooking fats Milk, butter, cheese Condensed, evaporated and powdered milk Fresh, canned and cured beef, pork and mutton Poultry, eggs Fresh and frozen fish Fresh fruits and vegetables Canned: Peas, dried beans, tomatoes, corn, salmon, sardines Dried: Prunes, apples, peaches, raisins Sugar, syrups, molasses. AS A MEMBER of the United States Food Administration, we pledge to the Government, and to our fellow-countrymen, that we will, to the best of our ability, adhere to the war conservation program and loyally cooperate with the Food Administration. We pledge ourselves to give our customers the benefit of FAIR AND MODERATE PRICES, selling at no more than a REASONABLE PROFIT ABOVE COST TO US. Signed Member of the United States Food Administration, and Licensed Thereunder
Line breaks follow the sheet's section blocks, not its column layout; the left column (Business efficiency to Avoid speculation) is given first, then the right column (Service to Home economics), then the three commodity columns in order. The 'Signed' line is blank on the sheet.
