What Does a World War II Ration Book Tell Us?

Americans once united around a common threat

I have in my hand a small time machine. It’s the World War II War Ration Book No. 3 that belonged to Sam’s grandmother, Lucy Matilda King Anders of Hendersonville, NC.

The front of the book, printed by the USA Office of Price Administration

“Rationing is a vital part of your country’s war effort. Any attempt to violate the rules is an effort to deny someone his share … and help the enemy.”

There are still a few pages of unused stamps inside the book. I said to Sam, “Imagine, the war must have ended right here where the last were torn off.” He said, “My family provided a lot of their own food from the garden and the farm animals. So they would only have needed things like coffee and sugar.”

2 kinds of stamps in Lucy’s ration book

I asked to see this little book because Sam wrote a letter to the editor last week to the Transylvania Times that I want to share with you. It’s about how Americans have been capable in the past of cooperating for the public good.

Here is Sam’s letter:

Among the artifacts from my childhood is my grandmother's ration book from the ‘40’s.  (I have lived long enough now to justify calling them “artifacts”). 

During the 1930’s, the world watched as German Fascists took over Europe. Here in the United States, political parties were struggling over Roosevelt’s New Deal programs (Social Security, Unemployment Benefits, 40-hour work week, ending child labor). Conservatives, ignoring the broad popularity of the new programs, vigorously opposed them. 

Then came December 7, 1941, “a day that will live in infamy”. Suddenly Americans were united. We came together as a nation volunteering in massive numbers. 

Back to my grandmother’s ration book. Meat, sugar and gasoline were rationed nationwide.  Americans were asked to sacrifice, and they accepted. We came together in making personal concessions for the common good. 

In the end, America was victorious, Fascism was defeated. But the cost was  far more than giving up sugar and meat. Over 400,000 American lives were lost.

Currently we face another massive threat. One that has killed more Americans than died in World War II and all the wars since. Deaths from COVID are almost double those of World War II. 

We know what to do to end the carnage - get vaccinated, get a booster, wear a mask. Small sacrifices when compared to those made during the ‘40’s. 

Sam Edney, Brevard

Lucy Matilda King Anders

The Times editor titled Sam’s letter “Small Sacrifices”. Today, if I could stop all the noise for just a moment, I would say to everyone, “Listen, our grandparents are telling us that the price of cooperation is not too much to pay for the health of our people, our democracy and our planet.”