Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-11-03

mas proved very uSe1uA Luz snaS P~A
pose.
81
In connection with vessels requisi-
toned by the United States Shipping
Board and operating
Reuuisitioned under government
- control, full compile
vessels. ance with precautions
and safeguards designed to conserve
tonnage in the submarine zone may
easily be secured. Requisitioning,
however, imposes upon the govern
ment responsibilities and expenditures
which frequently should not be In
Cured, the officials of the board say
Having itself no power directly to
control the movements Of ships not
reouisitioned, the board has found 1t
necessary to enlist the cooperation
of the bureau of war risk insurance
and the War Trade Board for the en-
forcement of rules relating to ton.
mage conservation. The bureau OF
war risk insurance assesses nigner
premium for vessels not complying
with the regulations of the ship pro.
lection committee and of the naval
consulting board. and the War Trade
Board denies export licenses to GER
tain classes of vessels the presence Of
which in the submarine zone is ex-
trahazardous.
American sailing vessels, especially,
have been vigorously and without ex-
ception excluded from waters In which
the submarine peril has been acute:
Subject to the uncertainties of wind
and weather. liable to be becalmed in
infested waters. unsuited for convoy,
and generally incapable of armament,
these vessels. the officials point out,
offer easy targets for the enemy.
Many Of them. however. are valuable
cargo carriers for coastwise and South
American trades. replacing steamers
withdrawn for Transatlantic voyages.
The shipping board has notified own
ers and masters of vessels of regula-
lions for the protection of ships i'm
periled by mines or submarines.
The enforcement. with the assist
lations of this character. however, has
been admittedly Intellectual, and it was
considered essential that the board be
given full and complete authority to
enforce such regulations directly and
with With adequate penalties. High
tlce OF insuring at high values against
war risks. often tempted shipowners.
earlier in the war, to disregard the
dictates OF prudence which would in
huence them in normal times, and to
lose sight of their responsibility to
the United States in conserving one
OF our most essential war resources.
X X
An Iowa farming community has
achieved success in the establishment
and operation of a
Co-0perafive farmers butcher, shop
Meat Shops. and inexpensive meat
in the locality. Approximately eight
cen years ago, say officials of the De-
partment of Agriculture who are in
touch with this movement, the first
beef ring" was organized in this sec
ton, and during the subsequent five
years six other similar clubs were
formed. with a total membership of
more than 200 farmers The principal
objection to these beef rings" was
that each household had to consume
days during the week in order that
the available supply would be han
died efficiently. This tended to make
the beef diet monotonous and ulti-
mately led to the amalgamation of
the beef rings" into q farmers
The farmers meat market, under
the competent direction of an expert
enced butcher, supplies the members
with fresh beef, mutton and pork on
order, the surplus being sold to the
local trade at a rate from 5 to z
butchers charge for similar cuts and
grades of meat.
Each member owns one share of
STOCK In the project and. in turn, fur
nishes one head Of cattle or as many
sheep or hogs as are desired for
slaughter; It is prerequisite that all
animals be in prime market order
when they are delivered at the plant;
that they be subjected to both ante
mortem and postmortem examination
and that the cattle must not be more
than two years old at the time of
slaughter. The member is credited
with the dressed weight of the live
stock which he provides, minus a
shrinkage of IS per cent. He receives
a coupon book equivalent in value
to the amount of meat which he fur
nishes. his allotment being appor-
toned equally in steaks, roasts and
boiling pieces. Each member is privi-
legged to purchase as much or as little
meat as he wishes, and at any time
he can cash in" on his coupon book
at the prevailing prices.
This meat distributing organization
40 Sill SIAy So-OpcTdllV6 ana DISTINCTLY
under farmer control.
*
ki4
1t is the belief of many officials
OF the Navy Department that every
midshipman should
Naval Officers, serve an enlistment
of one year. In fact,
II the war had not interviewed, of
Navy Department officials to recon-
mend that no midshipman appointed
to the Naval Academy should, receive
his commission under five years, and
that. after passing the entrance ex-
animation, every appointee should go
to sea as a regularly enlisted man
and serve one year in the ranks be-
fore entering Annapolis.
1t has been suggested as a better
plan to afford future officers expert