Omaha daily bee., 1918-01-21
EAT MORE SPUDS, IS
ORDER OF EXPERTS
Consumption of Bread May Be
Lessened by Use of Pota.
toes; National Call
Sent Out.

Potatoes!
More potatoes than we have ever
had before! Four hundred and forty
two million, five hundred and thirty
six thousand bushels of potatoes. ac-
cording to the latest figures Of the
bureau of crop estimates of the
United States Department of Agricul-
ture.
But the trouble is we are not eating
these potatoes. They are being held in
storage, on farms, and in warehouses
and have been marketed very slowly.
Unless marketing picks up and con-
sumption increases at once we will be
unable to consume the large supply
before new crop comes in-we will
throw away great amount OF food
at time when food is vital to vic
tory
J What can you do?
Potatoes for Breads.
Eat more potatoes and less bread,
thereby decreasing domestic consump-
ton of wheat and conserving it for
military needs. And, if you are holding
potatoes, you can commence to
market then gradually, upon such a
basis that all your stock will be con-
sumed before the new crop comes in
next June.
In order to be effective, this pro-
gram must be initiated without delay
and must receive general cooperation
throughout the country. The supply
of potatoes we now have on hand is
so large--1S5,sS3,000 bushels more
than last year-and there is such
shortage of cars and so many trans
portation difficulties that it will be i'm
possible to move the potatoes from
storage and production points to con-
suming centers unless it it done grad
ually all during the winter and unless
potatoes are marketed and consumed
as near to the point of production or
storage as possible. ~
If marketing isn't handled on this
basis, and if consumption isn't in
creased it wilt mean sheer waste Of
much of this food supply-food that
if eaten here at home means more
wheat for the fighters in France. We
cannot wait until next summer or next
winter to eat those potatoes. A new
potato crop will start coming in about
the middle of June. If the present SUP
ply is not cleaned out before that time
it may result in glutted market and
transportation congestion, became all
the holders may attempt to unload at
once. The safe way is to clean out
the bin during the winter and spring.
Plant Another Crop.
If we fail to consume the present
supply during the winter the producer
will not be disposed to plant another
big potato crop. This might result in
limited potato supply next winter. at
time when our food problem will be
much more serious than it is now.
A few years ago the potato people
had an experience by which they
should now profit. The 1914 crop was
very large, but it was held during the
winter and moved slowly into con-
sumption, just as'is the case with the
present crop. In the spring of 1915
everyone who was still holding po-
tatoes tried to unload at once and be
clear before the new crop came in.
This swamped the market, hammered
down prices and caused the absolute
loss of large quantities of potatoes
that spoiled as result of transporta-
ton delays or OF reaching already
overstocked markets. In addition to
this spoilage large quantities were
used for other purposes than human
food-thousands of barrels were sold
] to starch factories at Is and so cents
per barrel.
Sell Storage Potatoes.
The present crop is 32,6i5,O00
bushels more than the 1914 crop, and
car shortage and transportation lin
itations are and will be more pro-
nounced this winter than they were
two years ago. Accordingly there is
an increased likelihood Of a repeti-
tion of the former unfortunate expe-
rience il we do not begin now to sell
storage potatoes and continue 70 sell
them steadily during the winte,
The potato loss two years a. vas
bad thing-but it didn't in.peril
American independence. 1t was an
economic loss to the nation and a
financial loss to indiv:dIals--but it
didn't threaten the perpetuity Of free
dom. If we do not profit by the ex-
perience, If we permit it to be re-
peated in 1918, it will be more than
an economic loss to the nation and
more than financial loss to individuals.
1t will be a weakening of our war re-
sources, a reduction of our possible
war-winning strength, And our war
job is big enough without handicap
ping ourselves. We can't afford to
dissipate any potential force that can
possibly be directed against the kaiser,
or to divert to other channels or to
permit to become atrophied any
strength that can be used in the fight
for freedom.
Use your potato weaponl
Eat more potatoes and less bread.
Sell gradually the potatoes you're
| holding, thereby protecting your own
pocketbook and preventing food
waste next year.