Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-10-11
ACCEPTS THE APPOINTMENT
F. D. Abernethy L. State Mer.
chant Representative.
VIII Cooperate with National and
State Food Administrator in Move.
m emf to Eliminate Waste
among All Glasses.

r. -. ADeTnotny, one OF the prominent
merchants Of this city, has received the
appointment as State merchant represent
tative from the United States food admin.
istration at Washington. d. c.. and yes
terday. after careful elaboration and in
vestigation into the duties of this ONCE.
accepted the appointment. Mr.. Abernethy
will have charge Of the organising of the
merchants Of Vermont In a movement to
eliminate waste among all Glasses
throughout the State. In this capacity. he
will act as the head Of a committee under
the general supervision Of James Hart
ness Of Springfield. food administrator Of
the State. and will cooperate with Mr..
Hardness in every way possible to carry
out the work Of this nature in Vermont.
Arrangement Of details for the mobili-
cation of the retails merchants Of Yer.
mont into a sort Of company to assist the
people Of the State in dom away with all
waste so far as possible IL in the hands
of Mr.. Abernethy. who asks the assistance
and cooperation Of all Vermont, and es-
pecially Of those in Burlington. to make
this move a success.
OBJECT OF CAMPAIGN.
The idea Of this campaign Of the mer-
chants. with the State merchant repre-
sentative in charge, as Mr.. Abernethy
understands 1t. and as the plan has been
explained by Herbert Hoover, Is for or.
ganization on the part Of the merchants
in order that. through their wide acquaint-
ance and constant contact with the people
at large, they may be able to use their in
fuence with the people everywhere to-
wards eliminating wastefulness Of every
kind in the home. It is not understood
that there is any idea of such strict econ
omy that people should not buy what they
need. Such step would only bring BUSH
ness in general to a standstill and soon
ruin the financial prosperity Of the entire
nation, and this would be one Of the worst
things that could happen to the United
States at this time.
| Commercial prosperity Is necessary
to-day as never before, in order that
the great Liberty loan may be a sue
cess. and that the people may be able
to subscribe to the many demands that
are being made upon them for money
by the Red Cross. the library war fund.
and many other worthy objects that
are just now, making their appeal.
For this reason and many others. bus
mess stagnation would be a catas-
trophe at this time, and. therefore, 1t
should not be urged upon the people
that they stop buying the things that
they need.
SAVE FOR OUR ALLIES.
It Is the idea, however. that the
American people as a whole waste
enough food and other necessities OF
life to keep the allies from want. Bull
letins which are being sent out broad
cast announce that II each family would
eat three instead Of four ounces OF
sugar a day, there would be sugar
enough left to supply the allies. and
that. If each family would save q pound
Of -four a week, the allies could bt
supplied with bread from this amount
The same is true Of many other kind:
of food, and It is the nope Of the foot
administration. in organising the mer'
chants, to thus reach the mass Of the
people through constant contact AND
reduce the amount Of food that goe'
into the garbage pail in each famil,
Of the country, thus saving SO much fol
our allies across the sea.
These are some of the ideas that Mr.
Abernethy has been given to worl
upon, and in accepting this RESPONSE
bility as head OF the merchant organ
izations in Vermont. he made the fol
lowing statement to a Free Press rep
resentative Friday evening.
! II am accepting this office reluctant
ly, feeling that / am not able to Civ
to the work the time that 1t deserves
, accept 1t from a sense of duty, de
string to do my share at this critica
time. I am aware that this nation 4
at war with the most powerful mill
tary nation on earth. and until a vic
tory is In sight regard 1t as a serious
situation.
I FOOD MOST EFFICIENT WEAPON.
I'VE are informed that there Is
bountiful supply OF men. ammunition
!. and nearly all things except food. an,
with a million or more of our soldier
In France to be fed. and the million
of starving people throughout the Al
lied countries to be supplied largel.
from this country. It appears that sui
hcient food Is perhaps the most eff
3 cient weapon that we can now employ
"When 1t comes to the work Of tn
. food administration, I do not understan
that 1t is desired or suggested that bust
ness should be atopped or seriously dis
\ turbed. except insofar q the conservatio
t Of certain articles Of food Is concerned
$ 1t is understood that white flour. beei
t mutton. pork. and some other articles ar
most desired for shipment abroad. There
3 fore. 1t becomes our duty to try. insofa
Q as possible. to supply our needs wit
: other articles Of food.
LAS soon as practicable. hope to NEE
O number Of our merchants for the pun
pose Of devising plan that will effective
ly serve in bringing to the notice Of q
large number Of people ~ possible tn
t actual facts In regard to the food situation
and what is desired by the food ADMINISTERS
Y tion 1t will also be necessary to get 1
8 touch with merchants throughout tn
n State. and hope that shall receive til
q cooperation and assistance Of all on
n merchants in the city,