Evening star., 1918-02-12
PHYSICIAN UPHOLDS /.
HOG FARM PLANS
Declares Scheme of Commis-
sioner Gardner to Dispose of
Garbage Deserves Success. ]
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
1 read with much interest and con-
siderable establishment the letter of DIR.
Lewis Battle in The Star of February
3. wherein he ridicules the establish
ment of a municipal hog farm as advo-
Gated by Commissioner Gardiner as a
means of expeditiously. satisfactorily
and profitably disposing of the ever-ac-
cumulating garbage of the multitude OF
households of the District of Columbia
Far from wishing to make a hog OF a
pig, which is the real and meritorious
object in contemplation, / must remind
the doctor that this subject must be
viewed from the standpoint of cold.
hard established facts and not specious
and ingenious argument. 1 hold the
startling statement which l am about
to make a palpable truth; il comes
from one very near to me, member OF
the Maryland senate and a pupil Of the
present White House incumbent.
1t is, namely, this: The day OF cheap
food in the United States has passed
and is apparently destined never to re-
turn" Such being the case and war
being at this time on our hands. the
winning of which we are told again
and again is as much dependent upon
our food production upon the mill
tary. ! contend that the patriotic and
thrifty scheme of Commissioner Gar
diner commands profound admiration
and at the same time unusual consid-
GRAFTON and not trifiing ridicule.
New York Using Plan.
Undoubtedly Dr. Battle does not know
that $4,000 individuals in the vicinity
of New Y,,r k are engaged in doing this
very thing which Mr.. Gardiner advo-
Gates. and that one of the biggest hog
breeders in the world makes use of this
powerful argument in urging farmers
living near metropolis to raise pigs.
DIR. Battle. of course, is ignorant OF
the fact that right here at home farm
ers dwelling near st. Elizabeth fight for
the possession of the garbage coming
from that enormous institution with its
more than 5000 beds. He evidently is
not aware that the refuse of the re-
formatory at Jessups, Nd is used in
fattening hogs and he does not know
that this very thing is either actually
being done or is being contemplated at
every military cantonment in the
United States.
What DR.. Battle says about tacks.
glass and broken china and other
things being found in the garbage can
may be true, in part, Just as it is equal
ly true that tableware, especially
knives with cutting edges and forks
with sharp prongs, occasionally finds a
lodging place in garbage can. But as
a whole what he says in this respect is
not applicable, since it is the exception
and not the rule, and even il it were
the rule the provident, thinking and
Gated to do the right thing and not
the wrong thing upon learning the
worthy object TO be attained.
Hopes for Success.
Personally. I hope Commissioner GardI-
ner may succeed in establishing the hog
farm and hope that the indgents of the
he G.s,
his most laudable husbandry. As for NV
self. | think if there is any fault to be
found with Mr.. Gardiner it is in that he
does not go far enough. l would have
sheep Craze, as we had previously. upon
the grassy stretches of every one OF our
parks. and particularly now in these try
ing times. if for no other reason than an
inspiring. national precept for food pro-
duction and conservation. Indeed, would
go still further would have cows and
| would encourage that broad minded
man. Mr.. Hollister of the Zoo, to place
in the hands of those who could care for
them the young deer which are ever
making their appearance at this popular
resort and thereby help the biological sur
vey of the Department of Agriculture to
popularize its efforts to increase food
production in this line.
And while 1 am on this subject and
following this train of thought, awakened
by Commissioner Gardeners scheme, I
would suggest the planting of fruit trees
as is done in Europe. along at least some
of the innumerable driveways-trees such
as the apple, the pear and the cherry,
which. when in blossom and in fruit de-
light the eye. And this fruit / would give
to the little outstretched hands of the
orphans and the inmates of our hospitals
and asylums. feeling assured in advance
that during its ripening it would rot be
disturbed by a single soul knowing its
ultimate destination.
DR.. J. H. MET@ERoTr.