The Great War: June 1, 1917

On the first day of June in 1917, these two headlines were among those that appeared on the front page of the Hudson Evening Register. It will be remembered that the Selective Service Act of 1917 had been passed on May 18, and the first national registration day was to happen on June 5.

Both hoarding food and wasting food was discouraged in 1917. This little poem, cautioning against the latter, appeared on page 4 of the Evening Register for June 1.

The Hoover mentioned in the poem is Herbert Hoover, who in 1917 was the head of the United States Food Administration. Tates were most likely potatoes. Samp is prepared from dehulled kernels of corn, like hominy but produced by a different process. Samp was often served with beans.
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