The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-03-10
Idaho, W. D. Ross, and Miss Julia


NJ. Stone.
Henry Edward Malloy will present
Friday night, the first grand opera
ever produced IN Western Kansas,
Verli's masterpiece II Trovatore, -
with practically professional caste
including Mr. and Mrs. Cranston for
merly of the Savage Grand Opera
company and Archibald G. Todd The
scenery for this performance will be
the same as used IN grand opera pro-
auctions in Kansas City, by special
agreement with Mr.. Cranston. Sat
urdax night, Miss Elsie Macintosh,
viii present the comedy, can Amer
lean Citizen" by Ryley.
In addition to the regular sessions,
four other conferences are scheduled
to be held during these days, the Lii
brary Association of Western Kan
sas, the School Board conference,
the Ministerial conference of the
clergy of the Golden Belt district,
and the Golden Belt Editorial con-
ference.
The boys and girls themselves
viii have one big day devoted to their
contests IN Reading, Oratory, Short
Story, Spelling, Nature Study, Art,
Manual Training, Music both vocal
and orchestra, Agriculture, History,
and Domestic Science and Art. Pu-
pills from twelve counties will be in
Hays to contest.
The officers of the Association are
H. Coover, Ellsworth, President; Lou
is Christensen, Hays, Vice Presi-
dent; Maude McMindes, Hays, Secre-
tary; Joseph A. kellogg, Ogallah,
Treasurer. The Executive Commit
tee comprises, H. Coover, J. H. Mes
ley, S. L. Soper, and W. W. Sullivan
Rooms may be reserved in Hays, for
those days by addressing r L. Par
ker, Hays.
The Food Problem
There are already indications of a
rush to the soil, with the view of pre-
venting of such a scarcity as that
which it is claimed in some quarters,
has so greatly increased the cost of
living during the present winter. The
cultivation of increased acreage in
the rural districts, and of vacant lots
in-urban districts, is widely advocated.
If we, are to have cheaper living, it is
warmly contended by some students,
of the situation, we must, of course,
have a greater supply of foodstuffs.
Therefore everybody should raise
things to eat. That is the way to
cope with difficulty, and they insist
that it is the only way. As a mat
ter of fact, says the Christian Science
Monitor, it is the way not to solve
the problem.
Continuing the paper says: There
is and there has been no scarcity of
foodstuffs in the United States. In
many parts of the country last spring
and summer, products Of the garden
were so abundant and cheap that it
did not pay to gather and ship them
to the market. If everybody is going
who follow farming and gardening as
a regular occupation will reap less
profit from their labor next season
than last. They will perhaps be dis
couraged as thousands have been in
the past and seek other occupations.
Over production is not remedy for
high prices, because over production
leads to waste, and waste is a blight
upon industry.
What is needed is normal produc-
ton and better distribution. Exist
ing markets should be made acces-
sible to those who look to the soil for
livelihood. Prices should not be de
pressed in one season, that they may
be ballooned in another. The culti-
vator of the soil should not be left
Spectator and manipulation. The rail
road should be obliged to furnish
cars and to carry products to places
where they are most needed, expedi-
tiously and at reasonable rates.
An unimpeded flow in the trans
portation of .foodstuffs, close connec-
ton between the producer and the
consumer, inhibition of speculation
in or manipulation of farm and gar
den products, and cold storage plants
controlled by the public, offer a solu-
ton for the problem of the high cost
of living: and emotional rush of one
season amateurs in to gardening will
only result in further complication
of the situation. There is in the
country now food enough to go
demanding intelligent thought and
direction is its adequate and equit-
able distribution.
The Monitor would apply to the rail
roads the very principal which it de-
precates in connection with produc-
ton. 1t would have the railroads
keep on hand thousands of cars foI
use IN the rush season, which would
remain idle through a great portion
of the year. There are now probab-
ly enough cars to carry on the bust
ness OF the country, II the shippers
would distribute their requirements
throughout the twelve months.
Last summer Kansas growers ship
ped out hundreds of cars of potatoes
at price below a dollar a bushel
This winter Kansas consumers have
been forced to pay as high as 81 pei
busheL Are the railroads at fault?
The following taken from the
Pratt Daily Tribune of March End
may be of interest to our raiders
as it refers to a former Hays resi-
dent:
''The preliminary reading of DR.
B. ]. Patterson, DR.. J. A. Gregoire
and Mrs. Gregoire, bids fair to ex-
tend over into tomorrow. At least in.