Evening star., 1916-03-09
Needed Owing to Famine in
Raw Materials for Man.
ufacture of Paper.
COMMERCE Department
WILL AID IN DISPOSAL
Secretary Redfeld Issues an Appeal
to People Of Country to Help
Eliminate Present Conditions.

save your old papers and rags. You
will help in stopping famine in raw
materials for the manufacture Of pa
per. When you are through with your
newspaper. or have a few scraps left
from that Easter dress, Just lay them
aside, and get in communication with
the Department of Commerce. The de-
partment will tell you where the old
materials are needed, and will put you
in touch with the manufacturers who
need the old products.
Secretary Redfield of the Department
of Commerce today issued an appeal
to the American people to save their
old papers and rags. He did it because
paper manufacturers pointed out to
him that $4,000 tons of different kinds
of paper and paper board were manu-
factured every day, the greater part of
stroyed after use.
Nothing New in Appeal.
There is nothing new in an appeal of
this kind. Germany and other coun-
tries in the zone of belligerency are
urging their people to save their pa
pers and rags. Away back in 1901 a
firm in Worcester Mass, issued an ap-
peal to the people to save their rags
in the following language:
"Americans! Encourage your own
manufactures. and they will improve.
Ladies, save your rags. AS the sub
scribers have 1t in contemplation to
ing spring: and the business being very
beneficial to the community at large,
they datter themselves that they shall
meet with due encouragement And
that every woman who has the good of
her country and the interest of her
own family at heart will patronize
them by saving their rags and sending
them to their manufactory or to the
nearest storekeeper-for which the
subscribers will give a generous price"
The appeal then was signed by Henry
Wiswall, Zenas Crane and John VIII
lard.
Secretary Redfeld said that the same
appeal could just as well be issued
now.
Shortage in Material.
THE attention of the Department of
commerce., says the departments Off
cial appeal, ''is called by the president
OF large paper manufacturing COM
pany to the fact that there is a serious
S-'0-
ufacture of paper, including rags and
old papers. He urges that the de-
partment should make 1t known that
the collecting and saving of rags and
old papers would greatly better exist
ing conditions for American manufac-
turers.
Something like $1,000 tons of differ
ent kinds of paper and paperboard are
manufactured every day in the United
states, and a alrge proportion Of this
after 1t has served it's purpose could
be used over again in some class Of
paper a large part of it, however. is
either burned or otherwise wasted.
This, of course, has to be replaced by
new materials.
In the early history Of the paper in
dustry publicity was given to the i'm
portance of saving rags. 1t is of scarce
~ less Importance now. The DEPART
ment of Commerce is glad to bring this
matter to the attention Of the public in
the hope that practical results may
now from 1t. A little attention to the
saving of rags and old papers will
mean genuine relief to our paper in
dustry and diminished drain upon our
sources of supply for new materials
The department of Commerce will he
glad to put inquirers in touch with the
manufacturers who are interested"