The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-10-06
HE fiAsKlN LETTER
HOW TIE WAR AFFECTS Us.
n " coITON SEED PRODUCTS
n FredericIJ J. HasEkin

BY Fredericl
lIixIv-coTToN SEED Products ii
1 The general truth of the statement
that the war affects food products
Ehelpfully and all other products ad-
Ityersely. finds q striking exemplifica-
h ton In the cotton plant Cotton hbre
II is Of no use at all until 1t is manu-
featured into yard or cloth r(leaving
aside what little may be used for gun
4 cottonl. Therefore, we find the cot
ton market grievous1y upset and All
our cotton states crying out Tor AID
But fibre is not the only product OF
4 the cotton plant. The seeds are rich
/ in oil. while they must undergo man
fufacturing processes. they do furnish
4 food. Hence, while cotton is demon
allied. the cotton seed product mar
lket is remarkably strong. The man
ufacturers are by no means dfscour-
aged over the outlook for the coming
year. They are not shouting tnelr
optimistic predictions from the house,
tops. because they have a natural de-
sire to keep down the price OF the
seed at the gins They do admit,
however. that in the beginning of the
third month. of the war, conditions
are much better than during the per-
iod immediately following the out
break. While no sudden changes
are looked for, the actual course of
events is expected to carry the mar
ket on-keepipg prices firm and pre-
venting falling of of demand.
Cotton seed oil, as a general rule, IS
the cheapest edible fat and one OF the
most concentrated and valuable food
products known to the commercial
world. 1t is not the cheapest rat IN
every season but during q period OF
years its average will strike the low
est level. There are times when pea
mt oil is cheaper than cotton seed oil
while in years of a short cotton crop
and a large corn crop, hog lard some
times is actually cheaper than cotton
seed oil. In recent years this has sell
dom been true, and it is not believed
that lard will soon If ever again, COM
pete with cotton seed oil as the
cheapest fat.
AS far as export 1s concerned. the
countries of Europe on account OF
their accustomed use of olive oil
much prefer an oil that can be eaten
at once, to a fat that is only edible
when used in cooking. Many OF US
who are suspicious of olive oil. be-
cause we fear it is but the product OF
cotton seed concealed behind lying
label, would be surprised to know
that even in Italy and Spain great
fer the cotton oil. When eaten on
bread 1t is more palatable. That is.
one reason why we get SO much pure
olive oil. They ship the expensive
product of the olive to America ana
buy our cheap cotton oil for them
selves.
To one who has visited a cotton
mill in operation, prejudice against
the product is no longer possible. The
20 t1 Ia not AltO-I
gether pleasing to the eye-in fact,
very few food-making processes are
but one thing is certain: nothing IN
the world smells better than cotton
seed crushing mill. The odor OF tue
fresh cotton oil can be detected foI
long distances, and it has one sure
and certain effect-it makes one raw
enously hungry. And tb' negroes
have learned that cotlon seed OIL IN
connection with corn bread is Just as
good as the ham gravy of their dad
dies.
Cotton oil is clean, sanitary, health.
full. and, IL properly made and cared
for. the most, palatable of all fats.
Americans are not oil users in the
sense that Europeans are--that IS.
while few of us Americans use salad
oils, absolutely everybody IN ltaly
and Spain, and even in southern Rus
STA. looks upon oil as regular part
of the daily diet.
At this particular time. when the
olive crop has failed in both Italy and
Spain. and when the French have for
babe the expectation of oil or any
food products from France, southern
Europe has greatly increased its ord1-
nary demands for cotton oil. Italy
and Spain will eat more American OIL
this year than usual, and It may pc
barely possible that they will bottle
some of it in their attractive bottles
and label them with their attractive
labels. and ship them back to US Tor
olive OIL The deception may injure
MS in pocket. but 1t will not hurt our
in teriofs.
Cotton oil, being of great food val
ne and also highly centrated, II is
an ideal ration for use by an army.
That the comm issariats of European
armies are actually buying oil In this
country for use by the soldiers, has
been evident for some weeks. one
steamship which sailed for France
Few DAYS ago. took thousand bar
reIs of cotton oil for the French
army, and this was only the first con-
sienment of large orders that have
been placed.
other large orders of cotton oil
have come from Scandinavian coun-
tries. These nations have not mere
tofore taken any olive oil. and It IS
shrewdly suspected that these snip
ments are really destined for Ger
many. Great Britain. also, is taking
substantial shipments OF the oil,
which, it is said, is to be used In the
preparation of concentrated rauonS
for their expeditionary armies.
In ordinary years. about 20 per
cent Of the cotton seed oil produced