The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1917-04-12
U.S.. SENATE ASKS
ECONOMY OF FOOD
Resolution Requesting That The
Government Arrange for
Back Yard Gardens.
TO PREVENT GRAIN SCARCITY
Houston to Go at once to West to
Meet Experts-Long War Expect
sd-ProbIem Discussed by
the Cabinet.

Washington.-The first move to-
ward providing food for the people
OF the United States during the war
with Germany was made in the Sen
ate. Senator Reed OF Missouri OBJ
tanned the adoption OF a resolution
requesting the Secretary OF Agricul'
ture and the Secretary OF the In
terror to send to the Senate esti'
mates of the cost of having the back
yards OF the cities and unused lots
OF towns and villages converted into
gardens to produce foodstuffs. The
resolution was accepted without op.
position, although Senator Lane OF
Oregon laughed at the proposition 10
keep down war expenses by using
back yards.
81 have not the slightest doubt
said Mr.. Reed, that II the Secretary
OF Agriculture will devise a plan that
will result in all the Governors OF the
States taking hold Of this proposition
and II the movement is carried on by
the Mayors OF the cities, there can be
raised In the aggregate In the United
States upon vacant lots Of towns and
unused country lands Immediately ad.
jacent to towns enough food supplies
to very materially affect not only the
price OF food, but the convenience and
happiness of the people.
OF First Importance.
81 think It is a very material thing
for us to consider when we know that
in Germany, after the Government
has done all II car do, the food sup
plies are nevertheless 90 short that
the people are actually starving; when
we know that in England, by recent
order, the food supply has been linn.
tied, and when we appreciate that this
war we are entering upon will call
from industries and productive pur.
suits many thousands of men, we may
as we'll begin to understand how grim
Is this task that we have undertaken.
1--WE may as well begin to under.
stand that hands hitherto unaccus.
toned to toll will be obliged to as
sumo the task Of labor; that the deli
cate fingers OF many a woman that
have scarcely ever been employed In
any productive capacity will be called
upon to begin creating things Of use,
and children who have hitherto spent
all Of their hours In play may be
called upon to do some work in the
gardens to help raise something for
families.
Taxes VIII Be Enormous.
1--WE have reached the time when
we might as we'll understand that the
burden of taxation will be enormous,
oppressive, and in many instances
almost crushing; when the support OF
many a family must be taken away
and sent to the training camp and
from the training camp to the war
trench, and that those who remain at
home must sustain the home and
also help sustain the absent ones.
mo wise man will rely on the hope
that the power Of the German Gov
eminent will be broken before the
United States actually gets into the
struggle. We must guard our homes
for a fight that will not last a few
months, but that may last years."
Senator McCumber, Republican,
said: II want to abolish the phantom
Of starvation that some think is
hanging over the United States.
II think we can raise at least two
and a half times the food we need In
this country"
Cabinet Discusses Food.
Food production and distribution
for the war period were discussed at
the Cabinet meeting, and afterward
Secretary Houston announced that he
would leave Immediately for st. Louis
to talk with agricultural experts from
| the great cereal-growing States Of the
Middle West on the problem. AS soo
as possible he will hold a similar con.
ference in the East.