Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-02-11
Editors Letter Box
An Open Letter to the Food Admin
istrator

Editor kennebec Journal.
( noticed under The Goat in Thurs
days paper that the retail grocers thlnA
the food regulations make life pretty
hard for them. and doubt it not a bit, bnt
I would like to state a few facts when
tend to show that the rural population
come in for their share OF the hard things
and that these same liars are inclined
/ IL, discriminate against the farmer.
We live three miles from a village ana
seven miles from the city, ana as thiS
formers main business is raising potatoes
and shipping cream, which latter pfouuet
is delivered at the station by a carrier
mis- visits to town are mostly when IN
reed Of grain. and he plans TO BRING nome
a good supply so as to save the extra
time consumed in such trips.
Farmers wife cans vegetables. fruit,
nincemeat, ham scraps for frying pot%-
toes and meat from a hog, and quarter
O. beef sometimes bought in the winter
,au along the line OF furnish Your own
table. as per Hoover. 7 BELIEVED. so that
what few groceries they use arc mainly
uon-perishable ana cereal products.
bought usually At the y. x r. store in the
Y
issues a sugar card which entities the
owner TO one pound Of the much beloved
sweetness a week--if YOU can get there
! when they happen to have it. Since
! Christmas or before Farmer has har-
pened to get there just twice before L
was gone and got his pound, while all
the other srocers, both there and at the
! city. always are out with grins) or
haven't enough to more than supply their
customers Luckily GU for said Farmer 5
family a bad tooth has required almost
weekly trip, to the city for some time,
! where one Wholesaler has taken pity on
hlm to the amount OF a two-pound pack
age each time. but not without demur-
ring because he shouldn't let him have
it as it is needed right here i'll the city"
Now comes the order that we shall buy
-four in small amounts and on the $3.50
plan. If it works out like the sugar
problem these same farmers must cut
down their acreage this spring. a day
! with self and team must be spoiled
twice a week. more or less. according to
the size of the family. and even at tina :
they may not be able to get the desired
article because it must be saved for the
regular customers who have everything
brought to their kitchen table, and run
up a bill on which the grocer must take
his chance OF being able to collect. one
more point: This same farmer always
plans to lay in a supply Of -four and grain
when he sells his potatoes, both because
money is scarce at other times and to
avoid the spring mud. 1t is vastly easier
to buy in small quantities when You have
A regular payday every week than when
it comes once year. especially if there
are other bills which need the entire
amount of that one payday.
! 1t seems as if some different regulations
might be made to accommodate the farm
ers. for how can they raise n crop i:
they have not sufficient flour on when
to feed their families. to say nothing Of
hired help. and if they must keep them
selves and team busy a good slice of the
time to get the precious stuff?
/ The slogan is Food will win the war;
don't waste it,, but let this he added:
Farmers cannot produce the food unless
given q fair chance.
FARMERS WIFE.