During WWI, the term “Hooverizing” referred to which established practice?

Herbert Clark Hoover (1874 - 1964) was an American engineer, businessman, and politician who served as the 31st president of the United States from 1929 to 1933. Prior to serving as President, Hoover led the Commission for Relief in Belgium, served as Director of the U.S. Food Administration and then was appointed the 3rd U.S. Secretary of Commerce.

After the outbreak of WWI, he became the head of the Commission for Relief in Belgium, an international relief organization that provided food to German occupied Belgium.

He also sought to stabilize domestic prices and prevent food shortages in the U.S. Determined to avoid rationing, Hoover established set days for people to avoid eating specified foods and save them for soldiers’ rations: meatless Mondays, wheat less Wednesdays, and “when in doubt, eat potatoes.” Those policies were dubbed “Hooverizing” by government publicists, in spite of Hoover’s continued orders that publicity should not mention him by name.

When the war ended Hoover led the American Relief Administration, which provide food to the inhabitants of Central and Eastern Europe.

After the 1920 election, newly-elected Republican President Warren G. Harding appointed Hoover Secretary of Commerce. Hoover went on to win the Republican nomination in the 1928 presidential election and then in 1929 the stock market crashed. Hoover was extremely unpopular when he left office after the 1932 election, failing to recognize the severity of the depression.