The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1917-10-27

! Washington, ID. c.. Oct. %.
Dear Edith
Here I've been proudly writing you
of the leaks | have found in my
housekeeping and how | have stopp-
ed them, when, suddenly. l discover
! that I've given no thought at all to
! the greatest source of waste there is.
/ Mary, of course.
/ Mary is a good girl and as faithful
a domestic as ever housekeeper had.
! | think she's above the average in
! the matter of economy, too, but she
has never been taught to give
strict account of left-overs, nor made
/ to practice any such food laws in
my kitchen as We must practice now
! if our soldiers and our Allies are to
! be properly fed.
Ii was brought home to me yester-
day. l was telling neighbor rather
proudly of my search for the leaks
and my plan to stop them.
Yes" she said, Ito a certain eX-
/ tent YOU can regulate food matters
! in your home. You can do the buy
! ing; plan the menus; give the whole
! scheme of things your general su-
pervision. but it is the woman who
| actually does the cooking for your
! family who is the real food conser-
yer in every home
It was like a bolt from the blue.
You can't accomplish half your
hopes unless Mary is in sympathy
with your plan" she added, practl-
cally.
When she went away l was Sull
for an hour. thinking it over.
was sure that she was right the
moment she spoke, but not so sure
how l could meet the situation. You
know, Mary has been with us since
Randolph was a baby. She's not
used to criticism. I've been an easy
mistress, closing my eyes to the lit
tie wastes in my gratitude for the
girls good qualities. l realized at
once that the plan l hit upon for
gaining Mary's cooperation in the
Food Administration program must
be of a constructive nature.
The solution came like an inSplra-
ton when that big brown brother OF
hers was drafted We talked of his
probable life in the trenches, which
was my cue to plant the food mes
sage. | told her just why food is go
ing to be the real victor in this war;
explained to her simply and clearly
the food situation in Europe; told
her all about the L. S. Food Admin
istration and its purpose, and, to
strike home, l painted vivid pic
ture of her brother, Tom, and his
comrades, going hungry to battle if
every woman in America who han
dies food does not do her share in
stopping waste and practicing the
food substitutions necessary if we
are to keep them fed.
You should have seen her! Her
eyes were as big as saucers, and when
l went over the Home Card" with
her and explained the Food Pledge,
she was all eagerness to learn, ask
ing at once if she might sign it.
Deed, Mis- Frances, if any of dem
soldiers goes hungry it amt goin'
ter be through no waste in DIS
house." she declared in that whole
hearted way of the truly southern
! negro.
| l think / hit the keynote of sue
cess in making the matter a person
al one with her, and 1 believe every
woman in America who employs an
! other woman to do her cooking can
! awaken just as great an interest in
her maid if she takes the trouble to
make the real situation clear; work
| ing with her as one human being
works with another. to avert any
| suffering from hunger by our boys
! in the trenches.
1t doesn't matter what their color.
! They are fighting our cause, making
! the world safe for democracy. They
are our boys" and we must feed
them! And We cannot feed them
with anything but food.
! I'm sure that I've gained a big
victory in winning Mary's allegiance
to Food Conservation, and | mean
to help her to a complete and intel
ligent understanding of Just how to
accomplish it.
Affectionately your sister,
FRANCES.