The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-02-20
CONSERVE THE FOOD
WAS TIMELY THEME
OF MRS. B. P. CLARKE
Woman Addresses Large Audience At
High School Gym Monday
Evening-FOrm Pork
less Club.

The gymnasium of the high school
building was packed with people Mon
day evening to hear Mrs. P. Basil
in Belgium before and during the
war. She spoke under the auspices OF
the United States food administration
The Glee club of the high school
under the direction of Miss Ladwig
with John Keck at the piano, opened
and closed the meeting with two Sc
lections, Keep the Home Fires Burn
ing and Conserving" a parody to
the tune of "Old Black joe
Postmaster James w. Moore at the
conclusion of the meeting proposed a
"Porkless Club" for Watertown, the
pork for the duration of warAa rising
vote was taken and when heads were
counted not single person was sit
ting Watertown went lover the top
to the number of 400. Mrs. Clarke pub
licly thanked Mr.. Moore and requested
the audience to sing America" for as
she said, Her heart was too full for
further expression.
J. F. Prentiss introduced the speak
err with a few terse and we'll chosen
words
Knowing the horrors of war from
first hand information, Mrs. Clarke
treated her audience to a talk the
equal of which has never been heard
here. On every hand, nothing but
words of commentator were heard.
She briefly described the opening of
hostilities between the Central Pow
ers and the Allies on August 20, 1914
when German hordes poured into Bel
GUM, who, unprepared, resisted to the
utmost.
81 know the fallacy OF unprepared-
ness" said the speaker. When Belgium
volunteers departed for the front to
check the invaders 10000 was all that
could be sent for had there been
100000 men they could not have
been equipped for there was neither
food nor ammunition. But the faithful
Belgers held the Germans who intend
ed to reach Paris through Belgium
then Calias, the fort of France, then
Dover, and the British Isles were
theirs" said the speaker 81 tell you
this to show you what you owe the
Belgers, for they held the German
horde until the allies French and
English) could become prepared" she
said
She told Of how when in Brussels
she, with her boy saw the Germans
enter the town with "Old Glory" as
their protection, they saw the boy fife
and drum corps leading the troops
and then the kaiser's crack regiment
Death Head Hussars, led by the crown
prince himself. Each man looked as if
he came from a taliors They stood
for five hours and felt as if they had
only stood one. They saw the greatest
fighting machine, the most powerful in
the world For three days and three
nights they came 100000 strong. She
told of how food was requisitioned
until "as the days went by | saw little
faces grow thinner and thinner. l saw
delicate women stand in the bread line
for many hours in the rain to get their
bowl of soup. They were placed on
scales and if they had not lost much
in weight they went without their
soup" Mrs. Clarke has a soldier. SON.
She appealed to American mothers not
to be blinded by optimism, and not tC
believe that victory will be won with
out great effort.
Many of the Belgians starved before
Americans came to their aid Then
the speaker told of the indemnities
levied on the towns and individuals
by the Germans. "They say that de-
mocracy calls us to the war 1t is hui
manity," declared the speaker
Mrs. Clarke appealed to the individ-
ual to conserve food, especially meats
pork and fats for the boys lover
there.
Victory in this war depends on the
sacrifices made by the greater second
army that stays at home Success de-
ponds on Americas response to the
food administrators plea for greater
conservation of food.
In concluding her address, the
speaker said: 81 am pleading for my
boy, your boy and your neighbours
| boy. Germany has said ten years
longer the United States five years
longer but when the transports
come up the bay and the statue of Ii
berty can be deserted in the distance
hanging in the air, victorious, many
mothers can cry, Thank God, my sac
| rifice has not been in vain'''
j. F. Prentiss Speaks.
| ]. F. Prentiss, Jefferson county fOoG
administrator, talked on what he sale
| seemed to be the most important thing
before us now-nOt that the people OF
this country do not realize our pres
ent condition-food, He said: Cup I'm.
til week ago I had no conception Of
the food question, but now can clear.
| ly see it. There is but one other thing
| that can compare with the food ques
| tion-ships. There is sugar in java
but no ships to bring it; people il
Europe starving-nO ships to carr.
! things there" He quoted a Madison
speaker as having said that we wer,
in this war mechanically and actually