Evening star., 1917-11-21
$4,000 D. c. HOMES
SIGN FOOD PLEDGE
First Days Result of Drive
Proves Highly Crafty
ing to Workers.
FEW WOMEN HESITATE

FEW WOW6N n6SI IHic
With more than 10000 Washington
homes enrolled in the army Of food
conservers that will do the Districts
bit toward winning the war by saw
ing food for the allies. local food ad-
ministration omcials were confident to-
day that the campaign viii be easily
| completed by Saturday; 10000 homes
will be canvassed by that date. it was
said today
Only small percentage of those In
| terviewed by canvassers yesterday refused
| to sign the cards." said Food Admins
| traitor Clarence r. Wilson this afternoon.
First Day Gratifying.
1.-THE results of the first days campaign
were highly gratifying. Reports coming
| to headquarters today indicate that the
! work is being vigorously pushed and that
| today's results will be even more favor
able than the initial reports" he added.
A flying squadron Of special canvass
ers win be organised this week to visit
the homes Of people in sections Of WASH
ington where least response to the CAM
paign is shown, Administrator Wilson an
| nounced. Washington women deeirous OF
taking part in this special work have been
All of the 1900 woman workers, sup
plemented by details Of Boy and Girl
Scouts and a contingent of Camp Fire
o'clock this morning at the various SUBJ
divisions. Additional pledge cards were
issued and the slight confusion attend
ing the organization work yesterday had
entirely disappeared today.
Warning Against Fakers.
Aroused by reports that individuals
have represented themselves as food
agents to District households and coll
lected foodstuffs in the name of the
government. the District food admins
| tration today again warned citisens to
beware OF impostors.
! Food Administrator Wilson issued
the following warning:
Reports have again reached this Of
| flee of solicitation Of canned and pre-
| served food by persons representing
themselves to be agents Of the food
administration. Such people are COM
| mon cheats. All persons are asked to
| report promptly any solicitations in
this character by calling my office,
| Main 9720. branch 95.''
Police Are on the Alert.
The police department today was on
| the alert Tor imposters, and will in
vestigate every report of misrepre-
sentation in connection with the food
pledge card campaign.
10 Per Cent Refuse to Sign.
It was estimated that approximately
fused to sign the pledge cards. 1t was
noted with relief by the woman can
vassers. however, that In majority of
these cases the financial situation of
a hnl hnf "a
sons were forced to the strictest econ
omy without pledgfng cooperation to
the food administration. The good re-
sulting from enforced economy. they
pointed out. would Offset opposition to
the administrations plan of mobilizing
housewives into food conservation
army.
The wealthy people of Washington
were extremely partial to the cam
paign. workers reported.
Visits to the homes Of government
employees furnished strange contrasts OF
living standards. In some homes.
where the purposes Of the food admin
istration were thoroughly understood.
there was the greatest possible Coop
Grafton. whereas in other households.
maintained by government workers, in
difference was shown, because the gov
| ernment has not made substantial wage
increases to keep pace with the high
cost of living in the District.
Although officials were confident that
enough volunteer workers are enlisted
in the campaign to canvass the District
thoroughly. 1t is probable a more eQui-
made. in order to relieve some workers
of greater territory than they should
canvass, it was said today.
500 Scouts Are Helping.
About 500 Boy and Girl Scouts are
working as assistants in the various
subdivision headquarters. A hundred
C,,o hot
yesterday.
In spite of discouraging reports from
some sections many communities respond
ed heartily to the CAMPAIGN. reports Of
| the Randle Heights School subdivision
| reported everywhere q spirit of CO.
operation.
Harry o. Fine. leader of the Franklin
School subdivision, reported that 400
pledges had been secured by his work.
ers. with only few refusals. Alex
ander Bell. leader of the district that
embraces the section around the Union
would not sign the cards in the alb
sence of their husbands.
Selden NJ. Ely. leader of the district
around North Capitol street and Florida
families had become members Of the
food administration by signing cards
In only a few instances were the can
vassers refused signatures, he said.
Some Foreigners Hesitate.
Capt William Luckett. who has
charge of the work in the vicinity of
7th street and Pennsylvania avenue
southeast, reported that the small op-
position to the campaign in his terri
tory came chiefly from those of foreign
birth, who did not understand the pur-
pose of the pledge.
These reports from a large number
Of the forty-one subdivisions, state
ments made after the close of the days
work yesterday. show generally the
spirit in which the campaign was re-
ceived throughout the city. To better
centralize the work the number of sub
divisions will be reduced from forty
one to thirty-four. Headquarters at
the H. T. Blow School have been
changed to the Wheatley School.
A number of Subdivisions failed TO
turn in reports. as Instructed by Mr..
Wilson, but they were for the most
part in outlying districts. and their re-
suits would not change the days total
materially. it was believed.
Free Play to Arouse Interest.
To help arouse interest in the CAM
paign the Twentieth Century Club viii
give a play Saturday afternoon at
o'clock in the auditorium of Woodward
& Lothrop's store. There will be no
admission fee. The title of the play is
"Nfrs Ivory Bean Refuses to Sirn II