Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-20
THE DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE.
II.-AWakening the
Nation.
By Frederic J. Haskin.
By Frederic J. Haskin.

are more than 100. OO0. 900 people. This
Is a figure too large for the human
mind to grasp. but the human mind
can grasp Its significance. 1t means
that the smallest movement which gets
started among the American people
takes on Importance like a SNOWFALL
rolling down hill. Habits Of thought
and speech and action sweep the coun-
try from end to end. because we are
one people with the finest means OF
communication in the world. II it is
the national fashion to be a little
wasteful. it means that the total ma
ltional waste reaches an absolutely stag
gering figure. Now. on the other hand.
II it were only the national fashion to
be a little saving
One of the things that the Depart
ment of Agriculture is working vigor-
~ to bring about Is just that estab-
lishment of the little habit of economy.
Economy in the little things is all that
Is asked so far; for the little economies
viii be multiplied by hundred mil
hon, and without being the less happy
or the less comfortable we can save
enough to feed Belgium. Our national
waste Dill in food crowds the Dllllon
dollar mark. We lose every year $780,
100000 worth of eggs alone that might
be saved.
The department is attacking the food
problem from every angle. All its work
for years in helping the farmer has
been SO much work toward greater pro-
duction today. but now the experts ana
scientists are appealing to every Amer
lean. in city and country alike. point
ing out to him how he can produce food
and save food. The farmer is being
urged to increase his acreage; there is
no fear of low prices. The city Fan
10 n yuo ct n
ever, waste is a sin.
Shoulder Spade.
And the suburbanite, the commuter.
the early-rising. trolley-riding person
| who is city and country. too"-he and
his near relative and small-town dwell
er. are called upon to come forward
and plant a garden. to shoulder a
spade and get in line. and bring forth
| food in this critical moment. ME
| empty-lot and backyard campaign is
nationwide and going strong. The
| time is not far off when the man with
! piece of ground and nothing growing
| on it will be regarded askance as a
| lukewarm American.
| The food needs of America are likely
| to be urgent within a few months, not
| so much because we will not be able
| to produce all and more than We need
| for home use, but because one of our
| parts IN the war ana one OF
| the greatest services we can do for
our cause will be to supply our Euro
| pean allies with every possible pound
| of food Moreover. particular sections
of the United States itself are likely
| to feel shortage. because there will
be an unprecedented demand for freight
| cars to carry munitions and war sup
plies from interior points to the coast :,
The motto of every American city and
county should be. to produce as nearly
| as possible enough food for it's own
use BY so doing. it will not only as
! sure sufficiency at home. but it will re-
| lease the surplus from the great farm
/ ing regions for shipment abroad. and
| release. too. the cars that are neces-
| sary to carry other things. These two
| phases of the matter are clearly stated
| in recent utterances of prominent men.
! Lord Northcliffe. the leading British
| Journalist, stated that for the moment
| the greatest service America could rem
der the cause lay in lavish supply
| of munitions. money and food. The