e, in order to work
out a plan whereby the business could be kept going. After a long
conference, rules agreed upon were approved that became the basis on
which business was conducted until the withdrawal of all regulations
regarding coffee in January, 1919. Much trade criticism followed the
publication of some of these rules.

George W. Lawrence, president of the New York Coffee and Sugar Exchange,
was called to Washington on February 28, 1918, to take charge of a newly
created coffee division under Theodore F. Whitmarsh, chief of the
distribution division of the food administration. In this position he
rendered a signal service to the trade and to his country. Although
subjected to a cross-fire of criticism from many green and roasted
coffee interests, he never wavered in the performance of his full duty;
and his good judgment, tact, and loyalty to American ideals, won for him
a high place in the regard of all those who had the best interests of
the country at heart. He was ably assisted in his work by Walter F.
Blake, of Williams, Russell & Company, New York; and by F.T. Nutt, Jr.,
treasurer of the New York Coffee and Sugar Exchange.

A coffee advisory board was appointed in June 1918, to serve as a
go-between for the trade and the food administration. Those who served
on this committee were: Henry Schaefer, of S. Gruner & Co., New York,
chairman; Carl H. Stoffregen, of Steinwender, Stoffregen & Co., New
York, secretary; and William Bayne, Jr., of William Bayne & Co., New
York; S.H. Dorr, of Arnold, Dorr & Co., New York; A. Schierenberg, of
Corn, Schwarz & Co., New York; Leon Israel, of Leon Israel & Bro., New
York; Joseph Purcell, of Hard & Rand, New York; B.F. Peabody, of T.
Barbour Brown & Co., New York; J.D. Pickslay, of Williams, Russell &
Co., New York; Charles L. Meehan, of P.C. Meehan & Co., New York; B.C.
Casanas, of Merchants Coffee Co., New Orleans; John R. Moir, of Chase &
Sanborn, Boston; and B. Meyer, of Stewart, Carnal & Co., New Orleans.

Others in the trade who served the food administration during the period
of the World War were George E. Lichty, president of the Black Hawk
Coffee & Spice Co., Waterloo, Iowa; and Theodore F. Whitmarsh,
vice-president and treasurer of Francis H. Leggett & Co., New York.

The visible supply of coffee for the United States on January 1, 1918,
was 2,887,308 bags. The world's visible supply was given as 10,012,000
bags; but to be added to this were more than 3,000,00