New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-22
More Wool Needed
Sheep Raising Would Help Food
Situation, Too
To the Editor Of The Tribune

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Much excellent work is being done
by your publication toward conserving and
increasing the food production of the United
States, as measures Of relief from the high
cost of living and for the assistance of our
allies in Europe. But why have not the
New York papers lifted their voices in be
half of relief from the shortage of wool,
which is sending the cost of clothing far
out of the reach of the average man and
woman and making it hard for them to buy
proper food?
A suit of clothing that formerly retailed
at $40 to S25 now costs S35 and $40, and at
that the material is much inferior Consid-
ering the fact that this hardship on the
poor has been recognized by the govern
ment and the authorities of Chicago and of
New York, Pennsylvania and other states, in
the form of "more sheep and more WOOL
campaign, the lack of recognition given to
the matter by the New York press is in
comprehensive.
In New York, George W. Perkins, at the
head of the Municipal Food Commission, has
brought East 10000 sheep that were intended
for slaughter, but this is only one step in
the direction of conservation and stimua-
ton of wool and clothing. The general
public has been educated to the saving and
increasing of the supply of food. Isn't 1t
Just as important that the press bring home
the need for conservation and augmentation
of the supply of clothing?
A national convention to divert sheep
l.. eli house 10 the
being held in Chicago to-day and to-mor-
row. The chief purpose of this convention
will be to free this country from its for
eign dependence for wool for our clothing
and to increase our supplies to bring down
the sky-hgh cost of wearing apparel
One of those to address this great gather
ing from every part of the country will be
Food Administrator Hoover, who is behind
the movement morally and financially.
America needs more than 6O0,OOO,O0O pounds
of wool annually for domestic consumption.
More than half of this supply must be bought
abroad despite the fact that millions of acres
of American soil are well adapted to sheep
and wool raising. There are 100000 fewer
sheep in the United States now than in 1900;
in the face of immense growth in wool re-
quirements and mounting price during that
time We should have l5O0OO,OOO sheep, in
stead of less than 5OOOOOOO. Texas had
100000 sheep in 1888, but now reports only
2,5OO, 900. Ohio had nearly 100000 sheep in
1860 and was the first sheep state in the
Union, but now it has only 100000.
Almost every state shows decisive decline
in wool production largely because of the
belief of farmers that high priced land does
not yield profit. This is disproved by facts
and figures which show sheep and wool rails
ing one of the most profitable undertakings
to-day The South alone could raise 30,OOO,-
600 sheep Texas if il were fenced could
supply all the United States with wool. The
worn out farm lands of New England would
support easily scores of millions of sheep and
with great increase in the fertility of the
soil. Waste lands of upper Wisconsin,
Michigan and Minnesota and other Northern
states would feed tens of millions Of sheep.
With WOOL prices at unprecedented heights,
farmers should turn to sheep as never before.
hope the New York papers will also now
lend a hand TO make the United States wool
independent To-day We cannot, of our own
wool resources, sufficiently clothe our armies
and our people. II. p. SCHARF.
New York, Sept. II, 1917.