The Washington times., 1917-04-12
GARDENS ANSWER
TO FOOD PROBLEM
Charles L. Pack Brands as
Stacker" Every Man Who
Fails to Plant Idle Ground.

The planting of millions of food
gardens with vegetables Of. o. B. the
kitchen door" is the only answer to
the food problem confronting the
country at this time, according to
President Charles L. Pack, of the Ma
tional Emergency Food Garden Com
mission. NMr. Pack brands as a slack
er" every man who neglects to plant
a garden IL he has available land, and
in a statement says:
There must be no such cry for food
in this country, now. that it is at war,
as there is in stricken Europe. This
great country should not become a
country of bread tickets. no matter
how long the war lasts. 1t Will not II
we all do our bit. The' cost OF the
first year of war for the United States
will be about $2.0O0,000.000. That
amount must be met by taxation.
"I have just come from the great
State of Ohio, which, rich in resources
though it is. enters the war with less
food than at the outbreak of the civil
war, when the population was half
what IL is today. In other States
east of the Mississippi the situation Is
much the same.
aF. O. b. the Kitchen Door"
Therefore "a condition and npt a
theory" confronts us. The answer to
the problem is the planting Of millions
of food gardens. These will provide
millions of dollars worth Of food "F.
o. B. the kitchen door" They will
give millions of families cheap food.
and they will relieve the railroads Of
transportation problems which 1t is
everywhere admitted would be too
much for them.
"In the situation that now confronts
the country I believe idle ground Is
a crime and the owner of 1t Is
"slacker" IL he himself does not put
II to work or allow Some one else to
do so.
"war means a tremendous demand
upon the people. Sacrifices must De
made: the army and navy must OF
necessity be maintained at fuli
strength, and both arms Of the serv'
ice must be made stronger by addi-
tional men. Preparation for the con-
servation of all the necessities OF life
is the, first vital problem before the
people. without food and clothing
the milita1y units OF the nation VIII
be helpless.
Food Yield Insufficient.
'The clothing supply is abundant
but the food yield OF the country Is
insufficient to meet the demands For
twenty years the yield has been ABOUT
normal. but this year the experts OF
the Department of Agriculture tell US
that there is a pronounced shortage:
This shortcoming must be remedied
IL the fighting forces are to be teo, IL
the men and women and children are
10 be spared the sufferings of war
time curtailm Nat of food supplies:
The Department OF Agriculture mas
inst announced that a drop OF more
than 100, 900 900 pounds in the stocks
of frozen and cured meats In the Uni
ted States, compared with last year
store, is indicated. The reverse sup
ply OF all good necessities Is low.
The yield of grain and farm proc
nets fell short of the normal TINS
wear. and now with the war upon us
the Weld to come from present crops
win be needed-for the army and navy.
Where then do the civilian millions
come in?
individual Farming solution.
There is but one solution, and that
is individual farming. Convert every
back yard garden and vacant lot In
every city. village, and town in the
country into a arriving food produc-
ing garden, and the civilian popula-
tion will be self supporting. The ma
ton will not face the problem OF feed
ing an inactive army IL this is done.
The nations OF the world realize the
terrible Significance of the situation
today facing the people. 1t Is no
longer a matter of men and muni-
tIons, but of food-food for the arm
les, for the babies, for the old man
and woman, and for the rising gener-
alton of youths, who must be fed
equally as well as the men who
shoulder the rifles.
But what Is the United States going
TO do to meet the great demands not
only from its own millions but from
the greatest nations on earth? There
is a limit to all things. When that
limit has been reached as far as food
is concerned. then famine and desola-
tion will sweep the universe. But
this menace can be avoided in this
country by the idle millions taking
up the hoe and rake and doing their
"bit"