Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-10-11
MERCHANTS ORGANIZE
Committee Appointed to Carry
on Local Conservation Work.
Under Guidance of Il. ID. Abcrncthy
state Merchant Representative Of
Food Administration. Rcsolu-
lions Are Adopted.

A good number of merchants gathered
IN the rooms OF the Merchants associa-
ton in the Stannard Memorial hall at ten
o'clock Tuesday morning, listened to m
explanation CT the plans for n food cam
paign by +. d. Abernethy, state merchant
representative of tho United States food
administration, adopted resolutions in re-
gard to the carrying on Of this campaign
in the city, and organized for the purpose
Of carrying out those resolutions.
James Z. Taylor was chosen as chair
man of tho meeting. He was authorized
TO appoint a committee to conduct the
Food education campaign in Burlington.
and the following committee has been an
nounced: Thomas B. Wright. Edward
Hanbridge, l.. p. Wood, Henry H. IIagar.
Henry B. Shaw and w. B. Howe. This
committee will proceed at once 10 the
business OF putting Burlington in the fore
front of tho work for food conservation
in the State. the campaign to begin next
Monday and last three weeks. Their work
will enbody the carrying out Of the fol-
lowing resolutions, which were introduced
at the meeting by T. B. Wright, and car
ried without dissent:
THE RESOLUTIONS.
Whereas, the United States food ad-
ministration is now endeavorhy TO
awaken the public TO a full realization OF
the imperative need of conserving the sup
ply Of non-perishable foods. which must
he sent abroad to feed our army and tue
thousands Of sufferers among our allies.
Therefore, be it resolved, that we the
merchants Of the city Of Burlington record
our endorsement of the efforts of the food
administration. and pledge our support
and active cooperation In this work. And
be It further
Resolved that each merchant III this
city be requested to use a portion OF his
newspaper advertising space for the state
ment of such facts, and his show window
space for such exhibits, as will serve to
inform the consuming public regarding
the enormous task the United States has
assumed, and the duty of every citizen
In the presence of the crisis we are now
facing; and that this publicity work begin
Monday, october 18th, and continue three
weeks.
Plans for promoting the food conserva-
ton campaign in the city were freely
discussed and all pledged their support
to the work by the use Of newspaper space
in advertising the work and by the use
Of show window displays to bring before
the public the idea of conserving certain
food products Concentration upon certain
slogans to be used extensively through
out the papers by all the merchants for
a certain period of time was one method
suggested for pushing the work. 1t was
also suggested that menus including the
things that the people may safely eat
without imperiling the food supply abroad
might be printed in the papers each day,
thus giving the housewives of the city
some definite foundation to work upon
in preparing meals in the best way and
still conserve the needed articles of food.
APPEAL TO MERCHANTS.
F. d. Abernethy, through whose instru-
mentality the meeting was called, ex.
planned the idea Of the organization te
the merchants in the following communi
cation. which he intends to make the basi,
Of his appeal to the merchants through
out the State:
Gentlemen:
I'VE merchants. am sometimes inclined
to think, are prone to believe that ou
own affairs and our own sphere of activ
ity are so absorbing that little time or en-
ergy can be given to outside or public af
fairs. am speaking now from my own ex
perience, but 1 am sure there is no body
in affairs of State or nation.
1.-THE success of our ventures in fact
rests with and is dependent upon the saf'
and sane conduct of public affairs.
And 1 feel that now. when we are ex
periencing the most trying times the worlt
has ever known. possibly no class of mel
are better equipped to come forward ant
exercise more helpful influence than tn,
merchants.
THE fact Is, the United States of Amer
lea is at war with the most powerful ant
desperate of military nations on earth
Our democratic form Of government. ant
our very existence is at stake. Not onl,
this, it appears that the successful termi
alton of this war depends very largel.
upon this country and how the people re
spond to the needs of the hour.
Assuming this to be true, it seem
to me that we merchants cannot do les
and have no desire to do less than L
give freely as possible of our time, an,
our best thought to the needs of our gov
eminent which Is now burdened witt
such tremendous problems and RESPONSE
bilities.
1.-THE food administration asks the mer
chants of the whole country to mobiliz
their forces-utilize their organization
and in every way to assist in brngin
to the notice of the people generally tn
utmost importance Of the conservation
of non-perishable foods.
1--WE are told that insofar as this coun
try Is concerned there are available
sufficient number of men, guns and am
munition. but we know from authenti
reports and our own observation that tn
food question Is a very serious one.
almost all the nations of Europe hav
become practically n-producers Of foot
stuns-millions upon millions of the mos
able-bodied men have been withdraw
from agricultural pursuits To serve in tn
army-these vast armies are more tina
absorbing their supplies. and consequent
there are starving millions who are turf
ing largely to this country for food.
with approximately two millions
men in our own military service it ca
readily be seen that actual famine is n,
by any means "A remote possibility. TT
part that the merchants are expected
take In conserving non-perishable food
such ga may be shipped abroad is Il
free use of their advertising space al
show windows at least, for brief perit
lit seems to me very little indeed whit
compared with the exigencies of the ST.
alton"
/.
Trousers Stolen.
ST. Adams, Oct S.--W. M. st. John
claiming to hail from New York Stat
was arrested to-day and lodged in Il
l..av .,1.,