The Washington herald., 1913-11-10

disaster.
1 and then making better use of the coal
when gotten out Its reports on the
producer-gas engine have given so much
AID to the conservation idea that gas
engines have increased in horsepower
rom mere tribe up to some unfts Of
QUO horsepower. The important point
about the producer-gas engine Is that
II VIII take waste coal or poor coal, and
IN some cases merely brown Ignite, and
from 1t produce more power than was
htherto produced from the best coal
burning under the best engine. Put in
summary, the producer gas idea Is
making one ton Of coal do fully as much
as two tons Of coal used TO do. In the
direction of life saving, the Bureau Of
Mines has been a power for good. The
saving OF life is actual conservation at
the source Of all wealth, for only bv
human beings are the elements of wealth
brought out of the earth II has done
more than save lives; IL has prevented
accidents by studying each and every
method OF making mining more safe
When Il Is realized that one accident in
one mine may destroy its value az a
returning investment. it will be seen that
the Bureau of Mines IS an active con-
servator.
Conservation OF Life.
Swinging away from minerals to Hte,
the other extreme of conservation. We
find that there is more stir at this mo-
ment than ever before in the history OF
America, in the practical guidance OF
children towards the task which they will
assume when they approach maturity. In
every direction the demand Is fnsistent
that our educational system shall pro
duce practical results In this column two
weeks ago we touched on the importance
OF vocational education. This is part of
the. conservation effort; for the waste Of
human beings. OF their lives, of their
active capacity, in an effort to ind a
task. is more than a waste for those in-
dividuals. II Is a waste of national efi-
cheney. The conservation spirit is stirring
our statesmen whether they be IN posi-
tons as teachers or whether they be in
public office To puzzle over the tremen-
dous problem of saving a child from
Wondering years OF uncertainty-ths
same conservation spirit has brought into
existence the Children's Bureau II Is not
set towards the task usually called educa-
tional, but it Is directed towards a task
that means as much for the nation as
does education of the usual sort; since
the purpose of the Children's Bureau IL
10 bring about a real saving of child life.
10 reduce death percentages, to surround
the infant with intelligent care; to carry
IL over the often fatal nrsr year; ana to
bring 1t up towards the safer years with
a. stamina arising from proper care and
also proper birth. This agarn is conserva-
ton applied and not conservation talked
about.
Manufacturing Economics.
Looking out now over the manufac-
turing tendencies of the day, We md
conservation at work More woodwork
ing mills are careful over waste products
than was true ten years ago More
scraps OF material are now turned to use
than before. The waste product Of one
mill may be just right for the uses of
another. Eager minds are constantly
seeking for ways to use. every particle
OF tree effectively and thus obViate the
frtghtful waste which must now be
charged against our needless, ignorant
years. One great mill goes so far as to
have no logs cut in the woods, but to
have the entire tree, except the tops.
brought to the mill. so that not even A
crooked trunk needs to be wasted This
same mill utilizes fragments as small as
pill boxes, and also cuts square beams
forty feet long. Then its sawdust is sub
jected to chemicals and the resinous
qualities extracted. and finally the frag-
ments- OF sawdust are treated as a basis
FOR paper.
In the making Of coke the changes in
ten years have been tremendous. The
beehive oven is doomed the moment that
he uses for the by-products OF coke can
be found. The by-product coke oven has
been multiplied by the hundreds. Out
of the smoke of coke which used to go
10 waste in thousands Of beehive ovens
now comes fertilizing material, binding
for roads, lighting material.
preservatife material for wOod-a dozen
.hings.
The scrap metal market has become a
real power in the metal world. In the
asst year II amounted to S7,OOO,0o0.
To cover all that has been done or that
$ talked OF being done in the conserva-
ion field is too great a task for limited
pace. These men who come here next
week to measure progress have been
real statesmen. They have served our
lation better by far than many who have
aughed at them The idea that possesses
hem is an idea that has spread and IL
ret to spread. Conservation has been
With them a gospel. 1t has been glad
idings to be preached as to the things
We yet can do for those who are to fol-
ow us. Washington will welcome them