Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-10
THE WOMAN WHO
LISTENED TO RUMORS
BY MA SUNDAY

THERE were dIsmay and consterna

TNHERE were dlsmay and consterna-
u tion on the face Of Mrs. Jones az she
sought my advice.
"Oh. this awful war! she moaned,
wringing her hands. at doesn't seem
possible that they would do such things" d"
What do you mean?" asked, rather
sharply. | fear for she seemed almost
in danger of Mysteries.
why. the Government, the folks at
Washington" she answered. rather
vaguely. Mrs. Brown has Just told me
what they are going TO do"
| pushed her into n chair. Now, II
YOU will please start at the beginning
and tell me what all this is about. maybe
we can throw some common sense into
the matter" I said. hoping by my very
crispness to focus her agitated mind on
concrete facts
For two months this summer shaved
in the kitchen, Mrs sunday. doing my
best to follow the Governments advice
to preserve fruit and vegeta ables. In or
der to help conserve the food supply for
the winter. you know. often ] declined
social invitations so as to take every
advantage of the bargains in fruit that
| was able to pick up. In our cellar
now are over 200 quarts of canned goods
which I put UP with my own hands. I
thought | was doing my bit and follow
ing the suggestions of the Government
and helping to protect us all If the war
conditions grew worse.
Now ] am told that Washington Is
sending out an order TO confiscate half
of all preserved goods found in any
house. 1t doesn't seem fair! We had
to sacrifice this summer IN order to
buy the fruit and vegetables for pre-
serving We even went without our
usual vacation. And now all that Is
going to be thrown away and we will be
worse off than before. II doesn't seem
fair"
thought rapidly for two or three min
utes. | had heard such stories as this
OF Mrs. Joncs's before and II was evi-
dent TO me they were the result OF n
very clever and very general plot to an
tagonize the public against the authori-
ties and to counteract the wonderful
campaign for American food conserva-
ton.
"Who gave YOU this information >" I
demanded at last. Mrs. Jones looked
up quickly,
"Whv, Mrs. Brown don't know
who told her. but it's all over town :"
That's just it," retorted "You
take a rumor for facts. If you used your
common sense more you would know
how utterly absurd such a report Is at
this time. 1t is barely possible that II
we fail as "A nation to do our duty now
the time may come when we will be
invaded by the foc-nnd then no one
can tell what will be confscated. But
nothing of that kind Is even being corr
templated now. Your own judgment
should tell you how ridiculous even the
thought is. 1t is all Just a part Of a
diabolical plan to shake our confidence
in our Government and to nullfy the re-
sponse to the appeal to American homes
for support in this crisis"
Il don't understand" faltered Mrs.
Jones. and tried to explain farther.
Cant you see"" responded more
patiently. 1T is to the interests of our
enemy to keep us from being prepased
when the big crisis OF the war comes
and the officials of Washington. hy con-
serving, in every way possible, the food
supply are doing their hit to put the
ration In shape to weather any crisis
| Now, the enemy undoubtedly, through
| its secret agerts he~e. Is spreading
hroa dcast rumors just like that you have
hcard-tellng the women that all OF
their labor was thrown away. Can't YOU
see the purpose? The next time an ap'
peal is made to conserve the food the
women will not answer. They will &c
about their usual duties and turn a deaf
ear to the Government--and when tho
Il
| to meet It. am told that during the
summer the women OF this country have
put UP more than 500 O00. 600 quarts OF
preserves and vegetables--over three
| times as much as during any previous
| year In our history. They have re-
| sponded nobly to the Governments an
peal. Don't you suppose 1t is to the
| interests Of our enemy to check this re
sponse? Don't you suppose they will dc
| l.. l. 81 In,
and suspicion and antagonism In thi!
country"
| A slow light OF comprehension begar
to dawn in Mrs. Jones's face.
Have you heard rumors that there
| is poison in the sealing wax used OF
| your jars?" asked.
"Why--no!'
We'll, that is another report beint
| circulated in many communities i'm th'
effort to make families afraid to use th'
food they have stored up for future use
All of these reports are part of a genera
propaganda of treachery and hdde-
/ foes. The women of America mus
learn to see the crudity and absurdt,
OF such rumors and to turn away fron
them No. my dear. your preserves ar
safe. and undoubtedly you and you
mily will be allc wed TO use them whom
ever and wherever you please. You hav
learned lesson, however. ] hope--w
are fighting foe that will hesitate a
nothing to undermine our national unit
and cooperation. The women of Americ
must be kept firpl in the vision of thei
duty. This war will he won as muc
i'm the kitchen as in the trenches. Re
member that! Remember that you an
every other woman presiding over
home are On the firing line
am quite sure II was a different Mr..
Jones who took her departure.
Copyright. 1917. by The Bell Syndicate, Inc