history of meals for millions, soy, and freedom from ... - SoyInfo Center

18. Los Angeles Times.1943. Clifford Clinton to leave army.
Aug. 11. p. A.
• Summary: In Feb. 1942 Clifford Clinton enlisted as a
private in the U.S. Army. He soon became a sergeant and
now he is a First Lieutenant. Clinton is presently attached to
the Quartermaster Corps and in charge of food conservation
at Ft. Benning, Georgia. Yesterday he was in Chicago,
Illinois, attending a mess officers’ conference.
Mrs. Clinton disclosed here yesterday that her husband,
the former Los Angeles cafe proprietor, intends to resign
from the Army on Sept. 5. He is basing his decision on his
desire to put his experience in food distribution to use.
19. Clinton, Clifford E. 1944. Re: Essential characteristics
for proposed new food. Letter to Ernest R. Chamberlain,
Los Angeles, California, Jan. 1. 1 p. [Eng]
• Summary: “1. Be basically available in the U.S. in
abundant quantity.
“2. It must not deprive Americans of foods needed here.
“3. It must be high in protein of good quality and
satisfy all basic nutritional requirements.
“4. Nutritional food elements include particularly
minerals and vitamins.
“5. Must not violate any religious or dietary precepts of
any people.
“6. Must have good taste, look appetizing and be
inexpensive.
“7. Must be a base food with which local foods can
blend without loss of taste.
“8. Must by itself be equivalent of a ‘regular meal’ with
only addition of a small amount of fat and water.
“9. Must keep indefinitely without refrigeration under
all climatic conditions.
“10. Must be easily prepared for mass feeding or as a
single meal.
“11. Must be readily cooked over a small amount of
heat in any vessel or be suitable for eating without further
preparation.
“12. Must not require more than 15 minutes in
cooking.”
Note: This is the earliest document seen (Jan. 2011)
related to what would become Multi-Purpose Food,
developed by Dr. Henry Borsook at Caltech. Address:
Washington, DC.
20. Certificate of death for Edmond Jackson Clinton. 1944.
Los Angeles, California. 1 p.
• Summary: Name: Edmond Jackson Clinton. Social
Security No.: 573033702. Sex: Male. Birth date: 15 June
1872. Birth place: Missouri. Death date: 19 Nov. 1944.
Death place: Los Angeles. Mother’s maiden name: Terrell.
Father’s surname: Clinton.
MEALS FOR MILLIONS, SOY, AND FREEDOM FROM HUNGER 20
© Copyright Soyinfo Center 2011
Source: California death index 1940-1997. Note:
Edmond was the father of Clifford E. Clinton. He was
probably living near or with his son in Los Angeles when he
died. Edmond’s parents were David Harrison Clinton and
Ann Eliza Terrell. Address: Los Angeles, California.
21. Life.1944. Life visits Clifton’s cafeteria: Customers at
the Pacific Seas in Los Angeles get tropical surroundings
and music with low-cost meals. Nov. 28. p. 102-05.
• Summary: Gertrude Lawrence (holding a cigarette and in
women’s military dress) is on the cover of this issue of Life,
famous for its photojournalism. In Los Angeles, the dining
room of Clifton’s Pacific Seas restaurant is replete with
man-made rain-storms and waterfalls, thatched huts and
huge neon-lighted flowers, aquariums and aviaries–all with
meal that costs 30¢ or less. Organs play and birds sing. If
the guest (customer) is unable to afford the regular price, he
can pay what he can afford, or he can pay nothing. Yet
today, only about 7 of the 8,000 daily guests at this cafeteria
pay less than the regular price–that’s less than 1 in a
thousand!
Yet a great many of the guests avail themselves of other
Clifton’s services, which include free advice on diet and
nutrition problems, free birthday cakes on customers’
birthdays, and free directories of apartments and jobs. Each
evening four lucky diners are awarded free leis of gardenias
by a master of ceremonies (shown in photo 1) with a
microphone.
The man who has created this unique spectacle with
affordable food is Clifford E. Clinton, age 44, who conducts
his cafeteria business with deep respect for both the golden
rule and for the principles of good business. On slim
margins and high volumes he makes a good profit. Yet his
ideal is the desire to be of service. Clearly the people of Los
Angeles have appreciated his creativity, his food, and his
ideals, for in the past 13 years he has served more than 50
million guests. Public records show that last year he paid
$120,000 in income tax.
Clifford Clinton has also been an effective crusader for
government reform in Los Angeles. After the war, “Mr.
Clinton plans a string of restaurants across the country”
which will feed 15 million people a day and further help to
spread the Golden Rule.
Photos show: (1) An aerial view of the main dining
room at Clifton’s cafeteria (Pacific Seas). Gigantic flowers
with neon lights appear to bloom overhead. (2) A front view
of Clifton’s Pacific Seas cafeteria. In large letters, across the
entire front above the doorway, is written: Pay what you
wish. Clifton’s. Visitors welcome. On the roof, above the
front door, “a rippling waterfall glows with blue, yellow,
pink and green lights after dark. Neon flowers also burst
into bloom.” (3) Many people seated on benches along the
mosaic walk. The unique ceiling is decorated with neon
flowers and growing plants. (4) People eating at individual