Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-03-03
EVERY AFTERNOON,
THE SCARCITY OF FOOD.

The increasing nlgN pilSSo VI 49,
and the scarcity which is alarming
the United States at this time may
nrove a blessing in disguise. It has
LONG been realized that this IS a
wasteful nation, and The prevailing
pinch may cause Us to awaken to the
fact that we are often guilty CT
abusing the blessings Of heaven. Ions
before the present war and the hard
shjps which have followed IN It's
wake, the French people had been
taught the profitable lesson CT allow
ING nothing to go TO waste. Every
scrap Of meat, bread or vegetable not
consumed at one meal was gathered
and made to reappear in the shape
Of soups, stews, hash, etc.
After The collapse CT Napoleon
Bonaparte French soldier found
himself without an occupation. tsiter
having been discharged from the
army he was unable to secure en-
ployment. He had acquired 10 trade,
and he realized that he must devise
some way to earn his living. lie v!S-
tied different cookshops where he
noticed that small fragments o..
bread were generally consigned TO
garbage pals. He offered to pur-
chase these at q SMALL price, and
having procured sufficient supply
for his purpose he took them 10 his
lodging where he toasted the fHag-
ments, ground them and placing them
in neat paper packages aud went
from house TO house and sold his
products as food for birds. The en-
terprise was q success from the he
ginning, and in Z short time he had
made contracts with virtually al the
cafes in the French capital for tie
refuse fragments OF bread. He died
a wealthy man.
The Son Of God, after nliraculou5!y
feeding five thousand persons, COM
nanded his disciples 10 gather III
the fragments that remain, that moth
ing be lost.
Secretary of Agriculture Houston
IN lone statement reviewing the
food situation in the United Si.,,eS
urges American families TO practice
conservation and TO eliminate vase
in cooking to bring about partial and
immediate relief from the prevailing
high prices Of food supplies. Nj.
Houston adds there is nothing in the
food situati,2, TO Justify ''hysterca'
thinking OF action" BY the American
people and lawmakers. lie opposes
the idea Of food dictator, and Says
the plan to fix prices is inpractieah!e.
"For partial immediate rciicE,
says the Secretary ins his statement,
every Individual and community
should consider earnestly the matter
Of food conservation ana the iln2ita-
ton of waste. AS naticn We seem
to have diSdain Of economizlng. in
many homes there is strong feeling
that it is only decent to Pride
mere food than will be eaten and
thar It s dcmeaning to reckon closely.
"rhc experts OF the Department o.
Agriculture report to ne that the
dic.arr studies made by them poi0t
to az annual food waste Of about
S7GO.00o.G90. Of course. The waste ii
famiiics # very limited means is
slight, but in the families of mode
rate and ample means the waste is
considerable. Even if the estimate
were reduced by half the waste would
be enormoLs.
The food waste in the household,
the experts assert, results in large
measure from had preparation end
bad cooking, from improper care and
handling, and, j, well-to-do families,
from SERVING ~ undue number Of
courses and ~ over-abundant supply,
and failing TO save and utilize the
food no! consumed. AS al INSTANCE
Of improper handling, it is discov-