The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-10-20
INTEREST CHILDREN
nv FOOD SAYING
James Hartness, Director of Federal Food
Conservation in Vermont, Makes
Appeal 10 Teachers.

APPEAR " itdLhciS.
Commission of Education NJ. b. Hille
gas has sent to the teachers of Vernon
a letter from James Hartness, director o
the federal food administration for Yer
mont, asking that the interest OF th'
school children be enlisted in the matte
of food conservation. Commissioner Hill
legas' letter and that of Mr.. Hartnes'
are as follows;
My Dear Friend:
The teachers and superintendent OF
| Vermont have rendered valuable services
in connection with the production OF
food. James Hartness, chairman on the
state board of education and director OF
the federal food administration for Yer
mont, has now honored us with an invi-
tation to assist in conserving our food
supply. In a recent letter Mr.. Hart
ness has so clearly stated the needs and
his conception of the part that we may
have that l take the liberty of quoting
his letter in full:
Dear Mr.. Hillegas:
Regarding the food conservation work
and the part of the burden that may
be taken by our school organization, |
think the best way to present this mat
ter to the schools is through the super
intendents and teachers with request
TO say enough about the actual war con-
ditions to impress the pupils with the
real seriousness of the situation.
/ think we will do well to omit the
most horrible details of the war. but
give prominence to those elements that
will inspire the pupils to patriotic en-
deavor TO cooperate with the men who
have gone and are going to the front.
We are in this war, not for the pur-
pose of killing some one, but for the
cause of liberty and to protect the weak.
One of the important ways by which
we can serve in the same line is by giving
thought to the food question. Through
the newspapers and various bulletins
sent out by the food administration
many phases of the food situation are
set forth. II is for us to select from
these bulletins the information that will
aid us in co operation. The bulletins
are published to fit the needs of the
whole country and all of the suggestions
10 not meet Vermont conditions; but
over the whole length and breadth of the
and there is no question that each one
IF us should ask himself every day in |
order TO make his life conform to the |
needs of those who are suffering and |
BRING about an early peace and return
o liberty. That question is: Am | do
ng my bit?
1t can be answered in the affirmative
t each is doing all be can to alleviate
he suffering and hasten the coming of
,eace.
We have fighting army, and back of
we must have not only industrial or
for the manufacture Of ma
hines and munitions used in waging war,
nut we must have the cooperation of
very man, woman and child in the coun
~ in the saving of needless waste of
God. This group becomes what has {
cen called the conservation army.
The scarcity of food has been brought |
bout by taking men from the work of '
reducing food and putting them in the
ghting line, and by other disturbances
hat have been incident to the wasteful I
rocesses of war. L
The men in the fighting line have been {
ivored in the quantity of food, and q
he poor people at home, especially in the {
lvaded countries, have had the most /
orrible part of the great war Starva e
on and disease come from improper
of the body, and have car t
ed off vast number of people. G
AT the present time there is real i
portage of foods in all the allied coun- t
les, excepting perhaps the United b
-ates and Japan. One of the great serv t
es that this country can render in CO. b
,erating with the allies is to ship the W
eatest quantity of food to them. il
1t is well for us to keep in mind just .
hat this means to humanity in the p
biting countries. Perhaps the most d. Il
ct way of understanding this situation h
to consider the phase if any one of h
II families were transported to the o.
her side and were restricted in the use Il
certain needful foods. In the family, CO
pecially where there are young chill nj
en-, we can know the mother would be
the verge of starvation all of the time al
order to see that the children had IL
tie more food. There would be that Y
roc self denial that can never be 81
own, and yet which takes as much al
ength and courage as that required for |
? more spectacular service. Such suf
ing will be lessened. We know that
many cases children, little children,
We suffered all these pangs of hunger, ca
It is not necessary; in fact, it is not st