Hoovies, Uncle Sam's Little Food Favors, 1918

"Cut-Outs for your table--They are to remind you that food will win the war"

Hoovies are not to be confused with Hoovervilles, but they marked the career of the same man: Herbert Hoover, the 31st president of the United States. His career is a reminder of the mercurial nature of political fortunes.

When this cutout ran in the Seattle Sunday Times on May 5, 1918, Hoover was head of the U.S. Food Administration, appointed by President Woodrow Wilson. These "Hoovies" kept an eye on public consumption of wheat, sugar and meat, which were restricted as part of the World War I effort. 

The Hoovies "know that while Americans one and all mean to save food, they sometimes get thoughtless and consume wheat and other things our soldiers need at a rate that endangers the fate of the nation."

Hoover's leadership in the Food Administration post extended beyond the war. He organized food shipments to millions starving in postwar Europe, including people in famine-stricken Russia. 

Hoover's legacy changed after he became president. His name is forever linked with his government's failure to respond adequately to the Great Depression. "Hoovervilles" was the sardonic name given to encampments across the country that were erected by jobless and homeless people. President Hoover felt that "caring for them must be primarily a local and voluntary responsibility."

Here are pictures of a Hooverville in Central Park, New York City.