Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-29

On the other hand. those establish
ments which from the outset were en-
gagged on war work obviously were
likely to increase largely. AS re-
suit. it is said. many businesses which
subsequently became Of vital i'm
portance were drained. for some time.
of the best part of their employees to
fill up the works of the direct army
contractors.
These conditions as 1t may be easily
surmised, complicated the whole mat
ter of the most eficient distribution of
labor among, the various branches of
industry, and seemed to make 1t i'm
perative to recruit the labor already
engaged upon it. This Is one of the
things that the United States offfcialf
are trying to avoid in calling the ~
dustrial workers to arms. At this
stage. SO It is said by experts Of the
Department of Labor. in the absence
of compulsion in England. a system Of
war-rnunition volunteerism was at
tempted This project was definitely
instituted as the alternative OF some
form of compulsion. and 1t was plainly
indicated that II 1t broke down COM
pulsion would have to be resorted to.
Such a system. it is pointed out. was
extremely difficult. IL not impossible, to
put into effective operation. because OF
the original shifting of men. In addi-
ton the private employer often found
1t difficult to understand why he should
expose his business to possible bank
ruptcy, and 1t appears that in many
cases. and not altogether from unpa-
triotic motives he put considerable DIFF
ficulties in the way Of the volunteers.
When contracts began to be spread
more widely over England, and even
in the earlier days before they had been
spread widely. 1t became a necessity,
our experts say. for all employers on
war work to have at their disposal the
most skillful staff available. Believing
that they would be able to recoup
themselves from national funds. they
offered wages which tended completely
to upset the labor market and which
also probably interfered with the eff
cheney of output by making the men
uncertain as to whether they would
thereby rendering labor mobile at e
time when 1t was desired that 1t should
be kept stable. This Is one OF the con-
ditions that are now confronting manu-
facturers in this country and must De
met in some way or other.
The domestic consumption of salt last
year was 45.72o,sso barrels Of $50
pounds each, an increase
Amer;cen of more than 100000 bar
- rels over the consumption
oaAt. of 1915, according to fg-
ures which have just been completed
by experts Of the geological survey.
The domestic production, on the other
hand, last year was 45,449.329 barrels,
the imports were 871,992 barrels and
the exports 6O0,461 barrels. This was
an increase, it is said, of 10 per cent in
the quantity of salt produced In the
United States. The total value Of the
salt was $13,645,947.
Figures compiled by the experts show,
as usual, that Michigan was the larg-
est producer and New York was close
second. The production in barrels by
the leading states was: Michigan, H.
6.706.193.
Perhaps the most marked feature in
the salt industry last year. as found by
the experts in compiling their work.
of brine sold as such or used by chem
ical works. the increase being 81 per
cent and the total production over 49,
900. 900 barrels. The production Of rock
salt increased II per cent.
Now that the high cost of living is
getting higher. officials of the Depart
ment Of Agriculture are
Cereal handing out to the people Of
r., the country advice which
cooo. they claim, IL followed. will
help lead to the lessening of this price.
The most practical means of reducing
table expenses, these officials are telling
the good housewives Of the country.
without decreasing the wholesomeness
and adequacy of the diet. lies in the in
creased use of cereal foods. especially
boiled grains. mushes and breads made
of cornmeal and cereals other than
wheat.
Cereals. they say. contain most Of the
important food elements which the
body needs and yet are comparatively
inexpensive. They are primarily
to yield energy. They furnish also
considerable quantities of protein. one
of the most important and usually one
Of the most expensive food elements
needed to build the body and keep 1t
in repair In addition. these experts
point out that cereals furnish mineral
matter. fats, fiber and. especially IL
part of the bran is left In. little-known
substances which regulate body activi-
ties.
Therefore. cereals may be used as the
relatively inexpensive basis for meals.
1t then becomes necessary to eat with
them only comparatively small quantities
Of higher-priced foods to make up a
proper balance among the needed ele-
ments.
When animal foods or other ntroge-
nous foods. fruits and vegetables also
are used In the diet. 1t is suggested
that the various grains may be inter-
changed freely as availability. cost or
preference dictates. The starch of all
the cereals is practically the same. ac-
cording to these men who have made a
study of them. Protein, fat and min
eral matter vary somewhat in the
different kinds. they say, but so
slightly that the difference need not be
considered by the housewife in the
ordinary mixed diet. In such diet,
therefore, corn or oatmeal. for example,
may be satisfactorily substituted for
out detracting from the wholesomeness
Of the meals.
The most common form in which
cereal food is consumed Is bread The
food value of bread, however, 1t is
pointed out, comes from the cereal of
which it Is made, and it makes little
difference whether we get our cereal
ration In baked or boiled form. II
cereals are to be made more impor-
tant feature of the diet, mushes and
boiled grains. as well as baked doughs,
Following extensive experiments
along this line department officials say
that practically any of the cereals may
be used in making some type of bread
Wheat has been most used because, say
these experts. Its gluten makes possible
the raising Of the dough with yeast.
Flours and meals of the other grains,
however, may be made into baking
powder breads and many of them can
-four in making yeast breads.
One way TO lessen the cost of break
fast foods is to buy whole grains from
a feed store and grind them coarselv in