The Washington times., 1917-10-27
MRS. HOOVER SETS
PACE IN AIDING
SAVING OF FOOD

Marguerite E. Harrison, in a signed
article in the Baltimore Sun, gives
the following interview with Mrs.
Herbert C. Hoover:
When ! found Mrs. Hoover at her
home today she was sitting in her
cozy library by big open wood fire
that showed observance of the In
junction on Hoover Home Cards
Save fuel. Use wood when you can"
what do I do in my own house
hold toward conservation" she said
In answer to a question. 81 do ex-
actIy what all other women do who
have signed the pledge. follow the
instructions as far as circumstances
will permit. We use no cream on
cur table, but 1 give cream to my
children because I think 1t Is neces-
sary for them. We use no butter or
lard for cooking. find that q corn
oil on the mar ct makes an excellent
substitute, as do a number OF other
vegetable oils. We have cornbread
every. morning and use no pork, and
practically no beef.
Sugar Watched, Too.
Sugar is carefully watched, too.
All summer I have had a large house
hold, for Mr.. Hoover had ten mem
bers Of his force visiting us. We did
not feel that we could have them
stay in a hotel through all the hot
weather, when they were volunteer
ing their services and working night
and day. 1t would have been very
difficult to prevent waste IL I had not
had the cooperation of my servants.
Every one wears q button and has
signed a pledge, and they take the
most wonderful interest in helping.
That was my Individual problem, ana
1t was solved through cooperation.
Our servants have heard SO much
about conservation" she continued,
laughing, "'that they have just natu-
rally absorbed 1t. Mr.. Hoover thinks
food while he IL dressing. Then every
morning he has a number of his help
ers in to breakfast, and they discuss
all sorts of Intimate affairs and knotty
problems. At night, when he comes
home. It 81 the same way.
81 want to emphasize the fact, how
ever, that there is q personal problem
in each Individual case. Often per-
sons must be Influenced by the avail
able supply. For example, q friend
OF mine who lives out in Arizona tells
me 1t Is almost impossible to get
cornmed out there. She Is justified
In using wheat, even II she has signed
the pledge.
at spent some time myself on q
ranch in California, where the people
used beef and pork every day. There
was nothing else to be had, therefore
did not feel that was violating my
pledge by eating them.
DinIeuIt To Get Substitutes.
"Then there is often the difficulty
In getting the proper substitute.
Vegetable oils, beans. and rice, and
such things are not as widely dis
tributed as they should be, but that
will be remedied in time. Also 1t IL
very difficult to accustom people to
using things they have never had
know that when Mr.. Hoover and /
were working in Belgium we found
that people would not eat rice, and
we had to put 1t In soup so they
wouldn't know what they were eat
ing.
"I believe. however," She went on.
that people in this country are stanch
enough and patriotic enough to stick to
conservation throughout the war. Tnere
is one phase Of the matter which Is
sometimes overlooked. 1t is the neces-
slty Of keeping the women and children
OF the allied nations well nourished. We
think of the supplies that are sent to
the soldiers; we realize that we must
save food for them II we want to send
them into the trenches in fighting trim,
but we are likely to forget the needs OF
the civilian population.
when women and children are suffer
at home It ruins the morale Of the army.
II the man in the trenches hears that
his wife or his mother is suffering from
some ailment caused by malnutrition.
that his old mother had died from priva-
tions, that his baby has lost five pounds.
do you think he is going to fight as
well? We must help feed the civilian
in France and Italy and
lend a hand to England II We want To
win the war, and win 1t quickE. Isn't 1t
worth while to save for this?"
Women She DespnIrs OF.
But there are some people who do
not think it is worth WHILE" 1 said.
what do you say to the woman who
tells you that it isn't our war;"
81 look at her in despair" she re-