Will You Help the Women of France? Save Wheat
Three French women in headscarves haul a wooden plough over stony ground by chains, drawn against a dark field with the Food Administration seal. The headline asks the viewer a direct question and the caption says they are struggling against starvation while their husbands and sons fight in the trenches. The tell of transfer is the borrowed image of allied women's labour, attached to an action, saving wheat, that the viewer performs at their own table.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1917
- Period
- First World War
- Made by
- U.S. Food Administration; Edward Penfield (artist)
- 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, Gender and suffrage, 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-135.
Text on the object
Will you help the Women of France? SAVE WHEAT They are struggling against starvation and trying to feed not only themselves and children: but their husbands and sons who are fighting in the trenches. UNITED STATES FOOD ADMINISTRATION EDWARD PENFIELD
The imprint line and the artist's signature are small; 'EDWARD PENFIELD' is the signature at lower left.
