The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1917-12-15
A BIT OF SUGAR.


John NJ. Parker, food administrator
for Louisiana, used an illustration in
some of his recent speeches which
points moral that the United States
Food Administration is eager to I'M
press and emphasize.
The narrative is quotation from
letter written by a Louisiana hero
who has already won his ace as an
aviator in France. Anybody who has
led anything about the wsr ap-
Oh ,ciates the rigor as well as tt q n
ge- and daring of the AWAIT n r
vice.A Those who SILVER at the tout r
of frost can scarcely imagine the chill
of the upper air, but no matter how
cold it is the flyer must not only keep
going but fighting at the same time,
for it is always his life or that OF his
foe. with no escape for one OF the
two. After such a ride and race with
death the physical craving for stlmu-
liant is acute. The most welcome re-
freshment to the aviator is bit OF
sugar, and it is this morsel when IS
so arce and so difficult to obtain IN
France. This aviator begged for a
taste of it. ;,
Sugar is one of the foods which the
people have been asked to conserve so
that more can be sent abroad to re-
lieve the famine there among both
soldiers and civilians. 1t was told
very lately how Washington, the ma
tional capital, was without sugar Tor
DAYS because of the car shortage.
Three carloads from Louisiana took
a month to get there, despite special
attention. Add on the difficulties and
DELAYS of shipping, and it can be seen
how hard it is to land sugar from thls
country in France. Yet the sugar
must all come from this country, the
war having stopped manufacture
abroad.
The American people are loyal to
their country and devoted to their
soldiers and to the allies fighting for
them. They would not knowingly
consent to sending their boys thou
sands of miles to face and tight
ruthless enemy, and then stab their
defenders in the back by taking the
food away from them. Candy, bis
cults, beefsteak, butter, and similar
foods would not taste as good with
that thought in mind. ut that
thought must be kept in mind, and IS
basic in the plea of the Food Ad-
ministration to eat and waste less
and save more Of wheat, meat, sugar
and fats, using substitutes which can
not be shipped, and shipping the foods
which the soldiers and the starving
must have. -
Education is the need Of the hour.
The press is doing its share. The
Food Administration suggests that
the schools swing into line. Teach
ing the children the reasons for con-
servation will spread the knowledge
to the homes. The churches, organ
lied womanhood, and other agencies
are performing systematic service.
The following-up. of the pledge card
campaign is vital and will be an eff
fective work. The Food Administra-
ton is preparing supplementary kitch-.
en- cards and other literature to drive
the conservation doctrine deeper
home. Every home must be enlisted.
Every hotel and restaurant must OBJ
serve meatless and wheatless days.
Everybody IIuSG NC CilSoui 16oo StiiN
induced to save, the few foods which
can easiest be Shipped and which. can
be kept longest without spelling.
That is the least anybody can do to.
stand by our soldiers and partners,
and help win the war before millions
more of pneciouse lives are sacrificed.
The sacrifice which the American peo-'
pie are asked to- make in the way of
food saving is infnitesimal in COM
parison.
A bit of sugar is very small reward
for an aviator returning from a battle
in the distant skies, in which every
nerve was strained to the breaking
point. It was that bit of sugar which
his own peoples denied him, though
they thought they were proving their
patriotism in many ways. 1t is that
bit of sugar which the Food Ad-
ministration is trying to. teach the
people to give gladly, especially as it
will not deprive them in any way.