River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-03-08
Can 1t Be Done?
By A. G. Kuenning

cOSC OF transportation WIN us Gull
comitant expenses, then let us re-
duce the necessity of transportation
to minimum. If it is due to mid
dlemen then eliminate as far as pos
sible the work Of the middlemen. If
it is due so lack of supply-it is
perfectly reasonable-increase the
supply. If it is due to high wages
then let Us do as much Of the work
ourselves as we. conveniently can.
In the first place the world never
starved because Of a lack of food
supply in the aggregate. There IS
always enough food material which
goes to waste to keep the other fell
low from starving if only we could
get it to him. Lastyear in the state
Of Washington pears were fed to
pigs. When the pears could be dis
posed Of they brought one and one
half cents per pound. WHAT are you
paying for pears at this time, Mr..
Consumer? There are thousands Of
similar cases where perishable food
products are involved. The cost of
distribution is great, and the risk in
volved is greater. Here isS theory
that might be tried out; it at least
looks reasonable and workable.
Most of the perishable food pro-
ducts with the exception Of citrus
can be raised in practically every
state in the union. Now suppose
that we raise these products under
the supervision Of local instructor
in agriculture in each high school of
every town a nd village in h e
country. There is great deal Of
land lying around loose in and near
every town which might serve bet
ter purpose than it is now doing
Then there is plenty Of labor too
which goes to waste. Every town
has it's share Of young boys who are
anxious to earn money if only they
had the opportunity. They could
raise approved varieties of garden
truck and fruit crops, such as would
be marketable or capable of being
stored or preserved in some swa3s
that they might be disposed Of when
the market is not overstocked. But
here is where we meet our greatest
obstacles.
In order to keep perishable food
products it is necessary to have cod
storage plants or canning factories.
We find these largely in the big cit
les. But why not rent few Of our
unused buildings, the use of which
is going to waste too, and use them
for cold storage purposes or install
in them a few home canning outfits.
The work of preserving or canning
the fruit or vegetables which are
grown can be done by both boys and
girls under the supervision Of the
domestic science teacher of the local
high school. The product can be
stored and left or sold to the mer-
chants or taken home. Every boy
and girl gets the money the product
sells for, less the expenses. The PEG.
pie Of the community will be the in
terested buyers.
Of course this implies that the in
structors are to be hired by school
districts or h e entire twelve
months 1t may further be neces-
sary that a superintendent h V e
charge of the plants. Then some
scheme of financing will have to be
evolved. But the benefits to be de-
rived from this justify a little effort
on the part of the people Of the com
munity.
If this theory can be made practi.
cal it will have a noticeable effect on
prices. First, we have saved at least
two transportations, to and from
the canning factory orstorage plant
Second, we have made use of unused
labor. Third, we have made use of
unused buildings. Fourth, we have
eliminated from the game the mid
dlemen. Fifth, the community gets
the gross receipts both coming and
going. And last but not least, who
can say how much this will do for
our boys and girls? Who would not
boostsuch proposition if it is work
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