You Saved Food for Them, Now Save to Make Their Victory Complete: Eat Less, Waste Nothing

A pencil drawing shows uniformed soldiers eating together at a long mess table, above a headline thanking the viewer for past saving and asking for more. The text warns that famine in Europe is followed by anarchy and that feeding the starving will make Bolshevism vanish, and ties continued saving to bringing American troops home sooner. The tell is the pairing of a political fear with the image of the soldiers' meal, so that a plain request to eat less carries the stakes of both.

Propaganda techniques used in this poster

Fear appealTransfer

Date

1919

Period

First World War

Made by

U.S. Food Administration, Illinois Educational Division (Chicago)

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-119.

[artist's signature, lower left of drawing: McCOMBS]

You Saved Food for Them
Now Save to Make Their Victory Complete

Famine has spread throughout Europe—Anarchy is following.
Feed the starving millions and Bolshevism will vanish.
Are you doing your part?
Eating only what you need—not all that you can.

America must continue to save food.
Live simply—follow the doctrine of the clean plate.
The sooner normal conditions are established in Europe the sooner our boys can come home. Will you help bring them back quickly?

Eat less
waste nothing

UNITED STATES FOOD ADMINISTRATION
Illinois Educational Division
CHICAGO