The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-07-14

government was offered many devices and numerous inventions, all of them purporting to be of value to France and England in carrying on the war.
 The humber of these offerings increased so rapidly that the French government deemed 1t worth while to appoint a com mission whose duty it was to n:4ks ex- animation of every device or invention brought to its notice The commission found it's hands full in short time. Nearly 100000 offerings of this kind have been made and in that entire number the commission found only one which was deemed of practical value. That was a serum obtained by a new method, designed for inocuaton so as to make the soldiers immune from typhoid. Of course, there were many improvements In the manufacture of great guns and rapid firing guns. Some of these repre- sent greater efficiency than any acquired by the Germans in the manufacture of cannon of all descriptions and rapid firing guns.
 THE MEN NEED FAT
 In an informal converse ton in which Alr. Hoover is reported to have taken the leading part a few days ago he stated, as reported. that above all other neces- sary articles of food for the soldiers is an imperative need of fats. MT. Hoover apparently is not persuaded that at pres ent the armies of the allies in France actually are in need of food He knows that in Russia there is an abundance of food. the cnly embarrassment being that caused by lack of transportation fla cltties But in France there is almost desperate need of fats. It is the lack of fats, in his opinion, which has caused the spread of tuberculosis and a some what alarming epidemic of certain other Is.r11 ment needed for building up blood strength. MT. Hoover decided to make certain tests with intent to discover how much in the way of fat foods the United States has been and is now wasting. Therefore, an investigation and analysis of a great many garbage cans In Chi ago were made. The result showed that there was actual wastage of fat in this refuse deposited in the garbage cans which, if properly treated, would furnish fat food enough each day for a large number of men. Therefore, a campaign for securing abundant supplies of fat will be among the chief undertakings to which MT. Hoover will give his atten- tion.
 THE GOVERNMENT IS BUSY
 Word reaches this city that the govern ment in accord with it's very great and comprehensive plan of adequate prepa- ration for the war has taken over not only the Eddystone munition plant in Pennsylvania, hitherto in the control of British capital, but it has also taken over, or is about to take over, that part of the great plant of the Winchester Arms company at New Haven, which represents an investment of English money secured at the time when it was necessary greatly to increase the plant in order to obtain the capacity for execut- ing large orders for munition. So also the government has taken over, or is about to take over, another large plant in central New York.
 AN UNSURPASSED RECORD
 One reason why the south is able to contribute in such large proportionate measure to the food and industrial ne cessties of the time is to be found in the remarkable development in the operating departments of some of the leading rail- road systems of the south. A few years ago these railroads were not in the best of condition. It was with some diff culty that those who managed them se cured money necessary for improve ments. Fairfax Harrison, president of the Southern railroad company, for in- stance, asserted that every dollar spent in the improvement of his railroad Eys- tenn would be found to be an economical expenditure of the best kind. His asser- ton, made two or three years ago, has within few days been demonstrated to be accurate. For it is possible to re- port that the railroad system of which he is president carried between July 1, 191o, and July 1, 1917, considerably more than 1s,000000 passengers, in addi- ton to great amount of freight. The passengers were transported without any accident involving loss of life. This is as good a record as that made by two or three of the great trunk lines which have been proud to announce that they have carried with in year many millions of passengers