The Penn's Grove record., 1917-05-18
State News

The State House Commission, of which
Governor Edge is the head, is considering
the erection of an addition to the State
Capitol at an estimated cost of 100000.
Several State departments are so badly
crowded that more room is an absolute
necessity. Three dwellings on West State
Street near the State House have just
been purchased by the Commission and
this will give temporary relief until a
new building is constructed. 1t was sug-
gested to erect a plain Office building in
the rear of the Capitol, but the plan now
under consideration is to build On the
easterly side of the State House, facing
the new park, a new wing to match the
front wing. This would not only give
the added room needed, but would present
an attractive acade to the part approach
to the State government building. As
soon as he new building is completed the
dwellings purchased on West State st.
will be torn down, carrying the new park
up to that street.
TIL Old World and the New are face
to face with a food problem so vast in
proportions and so threatening in aspect
as to cause the deepest concern, accord
ing to a statement just issued by the
State Department of Conservation and
Development. There is no time to be
lost" the Board declares. "Au our re-
sources of labor and soil fertility must
be modified forthwith town and country
alike must organize as never before to till
every tillable acre. 1t is imperative that
We think now of the coming harvest and
do our full share in producing, gathering
and guarding it. An appeal in the name
of patriotism and humanity is therefore
made to every farmer and every other cit
izen of the State"
Five methods have been agreed to by
the various State bodies cooperating in
the movement as follows: The use of
school boys to meet the shortage in labor;
calling to farm service every man who
can be spared from other work; register
ing for service as instructors, foremen,
ETC., elderly men with farming knowledge,
but now actively employed; appealing to
the owners of all farm tractors and other
machinery to make them available to 9TH
er farmers to speed up blowing and plant
ing recommending motor truck service to
hasten the delivery of fertilizer, seed and
implements and to relieve the farm teams
and their drivers for other work.
Being in doubt on the question, the new
State Highway Commission has asked
Attorney General Wescott whether it can
expend on the State Highway System
any moneys but those derived from the
State road tax of one mill on the dollar.
The Road Department has been given
100000 in the annual appropriation bill
for administrator and for construction
of roads under the old State aid law. This
becomes available on November /, next.
while no income from the State road tax
can be received before January, 1918. as
this tax will not be collected until next
November and December when all other
taxes become payable. As State Engineer
Goethals desires to push the road building
plans. the Attorney General was asked
for his ruling, and if it be favorable, the
$50O.0OO fund will be utilized until the
road tax is in hand.
Whether or not Gen. Goethals will be
able to continue his engineering work for
New Jersey depends upon the call to him
from President Wilson. Gen. Cocktails is
not a ship builder, and it is understood
that the request of the President that the
General aid the government in the con-
struction of the ships to hurry food and
munitions to the Allies, has reference to
the organization of the ship building cam
paign. This probably would not take a
very long time, so that Governor Edge
says he does not think the work of Gen.