Newark post., 1916-02-16
HOUSEWIVES INACCURATE
PLAN FOR PREPAREDNESS


More than 100000 babies dled |
last year in the United States be-
fore they were l year old. In the
last four years more than 1900,
900 children died before they
were 10 years old. There is some
thing fundamentally wrong, and
it is being traced today right
down to our food.
1--WE don't eat right. Late sup
pers, rich food, too many candies
and chocolates, highballs and
macaronies, wines and fancy
foods are dragging at the vitals
of the nation. The food is not
properly cooked. Health statistics
and mortuary figures are the best
proof. We can talk glibly of be-
ing the best fed nation on the
earth, but there is a difference be-
tween feeding and nourishment.
1t is the aim of the league to
enlist millions of housewives in
the new movement, which is to be
based on the slogan that national
health is the first essential in ma
tional preparedness" Mrs. Heath
averred that the women of the
country "are the greatest stand
ing army" They stay at home
while the men go forth to fight,
she said, but unless the men as
children had been properly fed
and Systematically dieted their
health would break down under
the strain of life in the trenches
and our defese armies wasted.
Because of the trend in Con-
gress away from Secretary Garri-
sons continental army plan and
toward a volunteer reserve army
made up of the business and pro-
fessional men, Mrs. Heath pointed
out that such a movement as this
was all the more essential. Regu-
lar army men are fed by the
plain diet of the Commissary De-
partment, she said, whereas vol
unteers suddenly spring to arms,
even though all drilled at home,
come from the dining rooms and
the food of the homes.
The plan will take in every wo-
mems organization in the United
States. In Pennsylvania, for in
stance, she said, the Housewives
League would seek to have the
Pennsylvania Women's Division
for National Preparedness take
the lead. She noted that diet
classes were already organized in
Philadelphia under the direction
of the Woman's Medical College,
and that the groundwork for a ma
tional growth was thus set up.
A publicity campaign in all
newspapers and periodicals pub
lished for women will be conduct
ed. Mrs. Heath said all this was
discussed at the meeting in New
York city and tentative plans of
action formulated. Within the
next few weeks a special commit
tee to handle the organization
will be named.
The food survey is to be con-
Quoted separately in each State.
The cooperation of the Depart
ment of Agriculture at Washing
ton and the State organizations,
such as the Department of Labor
and Industry in this State, are to
be enlisted. This food survey
will be along the same lines as the
= industrial survey recently estab-
, lished under the sponsorship of
, President Wilson to get an au-
thentic estimate of all the coun-
try's industrial resources.
. The net result of this plan, said
Mrs. Heath, would be to afford
o the Government authorities a
! roundup of all food resources
, within the United States which
in a time of war, would be OF
6 great value not alone in feeding
q troops, but in showing the means
:, for conservation of food re-
>. sources while men formerly en-
6 gagged in agriculture were under
arms.
- Had Germany not done thi
=, sort of thing long ago, wher,
q would she be today?" said Mrs
~ Heath. eve mean to show b,
:, this movement that the women O
,f the country are wide awake; tha
i they have a part to fulfil, and tina
10 they are up on their toes and a
- it."