The Jasper weekly courier., 1917-10-19

by 100000 tons per annum. How far
this demand will interfere with the
American supply of 100000 tons Is
difficult TO forecast. first. because some
increased supplies may be obtained by
the allies from the East Indies. and.
second. because the allies have re-
duced their consumption to some ex-
tent.
In any event. II all the enemies Of
Germany are TO be supplied. there
must be economy I'm consumption
everywhere. The normal American
consumption Is about 90 pounds per
person per annum and IL just double
the French consumption.
Vegetables.
We have this year most abundant
crop OF vegetables for our use as re-
suit OF patriotic endeavor almost
universal throughout the country. Our
potato harvest alone promises an In
crease from 2S5.0O0,000 bushels last
year to over 100000. 900 bushels this
year. The other vegetables are like-
wise enormously increased through
the planting and extension of millions
Of gardens. The sweet potato crop
promises to be from 10 to 20 per cent
above what II was last year. and the
commercial crop of sweet corn for
canning purposes Is estimated to be
from 20 to 80 per cent above that OF
last year. The commercial crop OF
tomatoes for canning purposes will
probably be somewhere between l0
and 90 per cent above what IL was last
year There Is an increase I'm the acre
age OF late onions OF about "a per cent
over the area harvested In 1916.
Fish and Sea Foods.
The waters Of our coasts and lakes
are enormously rich In food fish and
shell fish. Our streams, too, contribute
a great quantity of fish. Many varie-
ties are now not used for human food.
but are thrown away or used for ferti-
lizer. Habit has confined our use OF
fish TO few varieties, and inadequate
methods of commercial handling have
limited our use OF these largely to only
certain days In the week. With better
marketing facilities, with better under
standing OF how TO use the most varie-
ties. with proper preservation by
SIN ing and sailing and by establish
ins plants for frozen fish. we can In
crease greatly our supply and thus re-
lleve largely the pressure due To the
inadequate supply Of meat. We only
have 10 harvest our own fish supply.
IL feeds itself. Every fish eaten Is
that much gained in solving the pres
ent problem Of living. The products
of rhe land ait conserved by eating
those of the sen.
Our Duty.
have endeavored TO show In previ-
Gus articles that the world Is short or
food; that Europe Is confronted with
the grim specter Of starvation unless
from our abundance and our waste we
keep the wolf from the door. Not only
must we have proper use Of our food
supply I'm order that we may furnish
our allies with the sinews with which
they may fight our battles. but IL Is
nm act of humanity towards fellow
men, women and children.
BY the diversion OF millions OF men
from production To war, by the occu'
patton of land by armies, by The iso-
lation Of markets, by belligerent lines
| and by the destruction of shipping by
submarines. not only has the home pro
duction of our allies fallen by over
| 500. 900. 900 bushels Of grain, but they
are thrown upon us for much larger
proportion of their normal imports for
merly obtained from other markets.
They have reduced consumption n
every point, but men in the trenches
men in the shops, and the millions oi
women placed at physical labor re
quire more food than during peace
times. and the incidence of their saving
and any shortage which they may suf
fer, falls first upon women and chill
dren. If this privation becomes toe
great, their peoples cannot be main
tanned constant in the war, and we vii
be left alone TO fight the battle oi
democracy with Germany.
The problem of food conservation il
one of many compilations. We cannot
and we do not wish, with our free in
stitutions and our large resources o.
food, 10 initiate Europe in its policet
ratiOning, but we must voluntarily ant
intelligently assume the responsibilit.
before us as one in which everyone
has q direct and unacceptable interest
We must increase our export of food
TO the allies. and in the circumstance
of our shipping situation, these export
| must be of the most concentrate,
foods. These are wheat, -four beef
pork and dairy products. We have 9th
er foods In great abundance which W
can use instead of these commodities
and we can prevent wastes In a thou
sand directions. We must guard tn
drainage OF exports from the Unite'
States, that we retain a proper suppl
for our own country. and we mus
adopt such measures as will ameliOr
ate. so far as may be, the price condi
tons of our less fortunate. We Nigh
So drain the supplies from the cOuntr
TO Europe as by the high prices tina
would follow TO force our people I
shorten their consumption. This oper