Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-07

WASHINGTON, ID. c., May GLOW
can use my automobile In the service
Of my country?
That Is question which interests
almost every owner of Il machine in
America. Already Il census IL being
taken OF automobiles and their owners
so that when these arc needed the
government can obtain them with the
least possible delay. There are over
100000 autos in the country. accord
ing 20 Howard T.. Coffin. This Is GER
tainly tremendous transportation
force. And it's value is Increased by
the fact that Il very large part of these
cars are owned only for pleasure. and
so are not essential to our present in
dustrial organization. Furthermore.
the ownership of AN automobile il
usually an indication of intelligence
and of the possession Of certain
amount of property. We have then
certainly over 100000 cars. serving
no essential purpose except the amuse-
ment Of their owners; these owners are
men and women of better than average
ability who can afford to devote time
and money 10 the service of their coun-
try; and 1t may be safely assumed that
large percentage Of them would like
TO render that service.
Under these circumstances. some
immediate use for the nations pleasure
automobiles should be found. To list
thcm Tor the emergency of sudden
troop movements Is not enough There
~ much work to be done now. The
most pressing work Is the solution of
our food problem. ana 1t is largely "a
problem of transportation, as the ofn-
Gals OF the Department Of Agriculture
are we'll aware. Short though many OF
our crops will be this year, many
thousands OF tons Of food are likely to
rot on the ground for lack Of freight
tn RI
other immense wastagc Is due to the
fact That the farmer who produces
more or any vegetable or fiuit than
he can use at hume. but not enough
10 make a waSonload or carload gen
era'iS cannot protitably bring /, to
market. We therefore have =. great
waste or food for lack Of transporta-
ton. and great transportation power
gong TO waste. 30 far AZ arv indus
trialiy useful purpose is concerned
ihesc two wastes should be combined
20 form great saving
Plan Inns Been Evolved
Not Ion. ago 1t practical farmer and
an cdlt|r in certain town were dis
cussing the food problem and -.
rived at the above conclusion. Tncv
a,So evolved ~ plan which viii prob
AMY he put into operation: but has
not yet h"cn tried. II is offered here
merely as a suggestion and for what,
one make use OF 1t. the writer of hi.
article would like very much to hear
81 the experiment. and Will pabIish
the details. In This way worI<abIc
pan for using our motor resources to
save rood wastagc may gradually be
evolved
The plan discussed was 10 save as
much as possible OF the food which
would otherwise be wasted by forming
volunteer organization of autou,o-
oiiists to go about and gather i, up
lnaSmuch as both the food and tho
automobiles are undoubtedly avail
ablc IN most sections of the country
IN" plan should be workable bu, there
are various practical difficulties which
VIII be outlined here and WAYS OF
obiriatinG them suggested
The food supply gathered in this
way would consist chiefly OF the sur
Plus production of fruits and vcre-
tables upon farms and suburban places
This surplus production. which is gen
orally either wasted or fed to stock. Is
much greater than most persons real
lie. II is due to the simple and ineyi-
table circumstance that no farmer ,an
accurately predict how much OF .,
gwen truck or fruit crop his garden
or orchard Will yield in given year
For example, one farmer who was con
suited with regard TO this plan said
that several tons OF good food were