Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1916-08-17

When a calamity such as the San
Francisco earthquake, the Dayton
flood or the sinking of the Titanic
occurs. the world stands aghast at the
frightful waste OF life and property
as measured in dollars and cents
and the whole world pays the penalty
But these happenings cannot be
averted. They are costly but infre-
quent-part Of the price Of our mod
ern civilization, and constitute but
small fraction Of the waste cost OF
the world.
We wouldn't burn forest know
ingly. but we would burn the lumber
that comes out OF II. Nations do not
waste their big things willingly. Only
great war can ever bring a nation
to the point OF destroying life ana
property recklessly, as part OF the
game But there Is a waste that Is
going on constantly that is more cost
IL even than war, as costly as war
may be; for war accomplishes some
thing-at least Il settles a quarrel.
The waste we refer to Is the waste OF
/ little things, for these in the aggre-
gate prove as costly although less
noticeable. than the waste Of larger
ones.
While little indulgences, such as
drinking. smoking, candy and soda
are not particularly waste. they are
not profitable expenditures. They gel
us nowhere and do no particular
good. But even passing these as per
missible, the most inexcusable waste
is in the line OF food. II is not wha'
comes in the front door. particularly
that counts, but what goes out OF thu
kitchen.
The total cost Of food IN this coun
try cannot be even Appropriated. bu
eminent authorities place a dollar
day as a fair average for the foo'
value OF the American people This
means a cost OF about $1,000, 0oO,OO'
each year. So eminent an authorit.
as Doctor Wiley estimates that a
least one-quarter OF this Is wasted
And this is entirely possible Notice
as you dine at restaurants how mucl
untouched food goes back to thu
kitchen-not to feed some poorer NOR
seems so perfectly natural for SOM
people 10 merely play with a dinner
sending choice cuts OF meats ant
fowls back to the garbage can. w
waste more than we eat. II the Doc
tor Is right. this means a food vast
Of 81 300, 900 900 a year and the pit,
. is Il does no one any good-not evei
the pigs. for they would thrive bet
ter on a less costly diet. One larg
b country hotel a few years ago los
most OF its herd Of 300 hogs fror
feeding swell swill." This food,
. conserved, would feed all the poo
; II would build ten battleships.
would buy all the land in some State
II would pay off the national debt
single year II would run the Coz
Z eminent for twelve months.
u The waste OF money cures itself Il
1, soon there is no more 10 waste. Thel
!, comes a time when the bank runs di
and the easy money flows no NOR
, But this frightful waste OF food CT
!, go on year in and year out, and y
We wonder why living costs so hig
l. II takes four years to raise a pc
II ter-house steak. and to send half OF
;. back to the kitchen Is an econoni
crime. II you waste a forest. soon 4
!. last tree will be cut. II you was
3. land it will soon be barren. II "
waste money. you will soon have I
n more TO waste, but you can keep {
wasting food until you eat no NOR
n and wonder why you are poor Be
{. ter take inventory Of what goes Of