Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-16

some f3llroa0S there mas been much
Improvement In general conditions, and
Violations now are comparatively few
az compared with the past. Improve
ments have been especially noticeable
In the northwest, and no yard of con-
sequence in that section now lacks q
reasonable amount of shelter for the
stock and paving for at least a part OF
the yard.
On some roads pens have been pro-
vided with concrete floors and suf1i-
ctent feeding space for all the animals
to eat at one time, with ample water
ing troughs and sewer connections.
Some pens in the northwest are covered
on the side exposed to the winter winds
and will furnish sufficient protection
to the animals. Roads where improve
ments have been made have been able
to reduce materially their claims for in
jury to live stock, and by. better train
schedules have cut down the train
crew cost.
While there has been much improve
ment, the bureau officials believe that
IL the carriers will cooperate with
the government more generally even
better results will be obtained and
fewer prosecutions will be required.
Milk is an imperative necessity In the
diet of babies and young children. ac-
cerding to experts of the
MIL s.- children's bureau. Milk is
the one food that all
children. young children must have
IL they are to be strong and healthy
Whole milk is rich in the elements
without which the child's growth
ceases and his health is impaired; in
deed there is no other food which can sup
ply as we'll the needs Of the growing child-
Due to the fact that decreases are re-
ported from many cities in the amount
of milk consumed by families with
young children. officials OF the pureat
are again making a study OF milk. II
is believed that the decrease IS aue 70
the high prices now almost universally
prevailing for milk.
The experts are of the opinion tnat
there is no substitute for milk In the
diet of babies and young children Yet
the increase in Its price is SO starting
that. as the bureaus surveys show,
many mothers are economizing on Hilk-
Young children cannot get the nour-
fshment they require from the would
be milk substitutes given them. Pat
emit foods which do not themselves con-
tain milk and are not intended to be
mixed with milk are SO lacking IN .he
essentials of healthy development thas
milk must be expected to be ailfng, the
experts say. Plainly very great harm
is done young children by giving them
tea and coffee to take the place OF milk
which is really a complete food; 1t is
giving them mere stimulants to replace
their best food, 4
Since the price of milk went up to IA
cents quart tea and coffee have been
substituted for milk by more than half OF
the. 2.2oo families-all with children
Of the effect of the increased price of
milk Just made in New York city. One
and twenty families have stop
ped taking milk entirely, and in twenty
Ave OF these there are babies under one
year old.
II X
The Emergency Fleet Corporation Of
the United States Shipping Board Is
now engaged In
the greatest con-
evaporation. struction task ever
attempted by a single institution. 1t
has developed for this purpose within
a period of six months an organiza-
ton of more than 1000 employees, in
GLIDING a large force of technical ex-
perts. many Of whom have left remu-
nerative occupations to assist in this
vital enterprise.
The corporation has sixteen offices in
various parts of the country. 1t is SUI
pervising the building of LIS vessels
in lie sfipyards distributed throughout
the United States. 1t is disbursing for
the construction of those ships sone-
thing like a billion dollars year. 1t
Is controlling substantially all the ship
building Of the country. other than of
naval vessels, and its program calls for
the completion in 1918 of eight times
the tonnage delivered in 1915.
When the United States entered the
war American shipbuilders were prin-
cipally engaged in the construction OF
ships for foreign account, principally
British and Norwegian The yards were
substantially at capacity. The
problem of the corporation. therefore,
was not merely to build ships, but also
to build new yards in which more ships
might be constructed.
To this end contracts were nlaced for
a large number of wooden ships, most
Of them to be built in new yards, ii he
ing found that such ships could be
built within certain limits, without in
terfefing with the steel ship program.
The corporation has experienced some
difficulty in arranging for supplies of
proper lumber, but it is believed that
this difficulty has been largely over
come and that the wooden ships may
be expected to be completed with fair
degree of promptness.
AS to steel ships. the corporation has
made every effort to standardize de-
signs for steel construction. In order
to speed up construction and to assure
unity of control over shipyards. the
requisitioned all steel ships
under construction of over $500 tons
aead-weight capacity. AS a result. of
his order the United States became
+ sssasos. OF " these '0'a shirt eonhage
have been completed. and it is esti-
mated that the remainder will be de-
ivered within the next eighteen
months
Officials of. the corporation state that
he problem of compensa ting the ship
builders has been solved to the salts |
faction of substantially all of them, |
but the problem Of compensating the |
. . owners has not yet been def
pending for the settlement OF nearly |
Ill of these claims in manner salts |
factory to the former owners and at |
he same time inexpensive to the
United States.
The corporation is making rapid |
progress In placing direct contracts for |
ship construction. There are pro- |
'pective contracts pending for the con- |
,truction Of 1879 additional ships of a |
.otal lightweight tonnage of l.100, 900 |
of funds is a relatively |
small part of the work of building
ships. and facts telling of ships under |
and estimated expendi- |
ures give but an inadequate picture !
If the corporations task. In the last |
analysis 1t is man power that builds /
ships. and the mobilization of a large
trained and willing force of /
workers for the shipyards of the coun- |
r. has been among the most important |
lustrial service department has been !
organized to aid in the solution of this