Omaha daily bee., 1917-05-07
Mobilize Your Machine
Washington, May 4.-How can use my auto
BIZ Frederic j. HdSktn

Washington May Allow can use my auto
| mobile in the service OF my country?
| That is question which interests almost
| every owner OF machine in America. Already
| census is being taken OF automobiles and their
| owners, so that when these are needed the gov
eminent can obtain them with the least possible
delay. There are over 100000 autos in the courl
try, according to Howard Z, Coffin. This is GER
tanly tremendous transportation force. And its
value is increased by the fact that a very large
part OF these cars are owned Tor pleasure, and SO
are not essential TO our present industrial organ
ization. Furthermore ownership OF an automo-
bile is usually an indication of intelligence and
possession of a certain amount of property. We
have then certainly over 100000 cars, serving
no essential purpose except the amusement OF
their owners; these owners are men and women
of better than average ability who can afford to
devote time and money to the service of their
country; and it may be safely assumed that
large percentage of them would like TO render
that service.
Not long ago practical farmer and an editor
in certain town were discussing the food prob
lem and evolved plan which will probably be
put into operation, but has not yet been tried. 1t
is offered here merely as suggestion for what
ever it may be worth. The plan discussed was to
save as much as possible OF the food which
would otherwise be wasted on the farms, form
ing volunteer organization Of Automobiles to
food and automobiles are undoubtedly available
in most sections of the country, the plan should
be workable, but there are various practical diff
iculties which will be outlined here, and ways Of
obvating them suggested. I. t i
The food supply gathered in this way would
consist chiefly Of the surplus production, of
fruits and vegetables upon farms and suburban
places. This surplus production, which is gener-
ally either wasted or fed to Stock is much greater
than most persons realize. 1t is due to the simple
and inevitable circumstances that no farmer can
accurately predict how much of given truck or
fruit crop his garden or orchard will yield in
given year. For example, the farmer who was
consulted with regard to this plan, said that sew
eral tons of good food were wasted upon his
place every year, because be produced more
than he could use in fruits and vegetables, but
seldom had enough at one time to make it prof
liable to haul the stuff to market Thus in good
year for tomatoes, six vines will supply his FAM
lily with all the tomatoes he can ussf but IN bad
yearifor tomatoes sixty vines would hardly yield
enough. He plants about forty vines and if the
cropJis heavy large proportion OF it is allowed
to rot on the ground. In the same way last
year all of the watermelon vines he planted did
not give him two really good melons, but this
year he may feed watermelons to his hogs. Every
small mixed orchard in the country represents
tons of waste If it is good year for peaches,
then peaches are wasted, while apples may be
sedlee, anu the neM year~tne order may be
reversed
i Most of the farmers would be glad to give
away what would be otherwise wasted, provided
someone else harvested fhe crops, or to harvest
them himself and sell them for nominal figure
One plan suggested was that cards should be sent
to all farmers and suburban gardeners asking
them to list what they had that would otherwise
be wasted and which they would be willing to-,
donate for charitable purposes. Automobiles
could then gather these supplies and turn them
over to hospitals and other institutions. Any
Rotary or automobile club would serve, as
nucleus for the motor organization.
This plan might work in some neighborhoods,
but would have certain difficulties The thing
could undoubtedly be carried out on larger
scale if the farmers were paid price sufficient
to give them reasonable profit on the time
spent in cultivating and gathering the crops. 1t
would operate to reduce prices in the open mar
ket but would protect the market gardener and
grocer from the unfair competition of free dis
trbution of foods.
Admittedly this plan requires much e1abora-
ton, and would have to be varied to meet various
local conditions. But anyone who can work it
out in practicable manner will have rendered
a real patriotic service and successful methods
will be published SO, that others may profit by
them