On October 5, 1947, President Harry Truman (1884-1972) made
the first-ever televised presidential address from the White
House, asking Americans to cut back on their use of grain
in order to help starving Europeans.
At the time of Truman’s food-conservation speech, Europe was
still recovering from World War II and suffering from famine.
Truman, the 33rd commander in chief, worried that if the U.S.
didn’t provide food aid, his administration’s Marshall Plan for
European economic recovery would fall apart.
He asked farmers and distillers to reduce grain use and requested
that the public voluntarily forgo meat on Tuesdays, eggs and
poultry on Thursdays and save a slice of bread each day.
The food program was short-lived, as ultimately the Marshall
Plan succeeded in helping to spur economic revitalization and
growth in Europe.
