Evening star., 1918-03-24
POULTRY CLUB PLAN
FOR BOYS AND GIRLS
Government to Aid Movement
for Increased Production in
Country and City,.

appeared 10 tne people 10 ooupiS thS
amount of their poultry products. This
means that we will produce three and
quarter billions of pounds more of
eggs and poultry meat this year than
we did last. We can do it. Teamwork
among the boys and girls of the land
will help to turn this trick of inter-
national importance. Let them organ
ize a nationwide drive at the meat
problem in community poultry clubs.
They will be worth an army of half
million soldiers.
Many Quit Business.
1t is estimated that one-half or more
of all the people who were engaged in
raising poultry, either as a main issue
or a side line. dropped out last year on
account of the high prices of poultry
feed. Many of them could not be
blamed. Their financial welfare was at
stake. They were depending on the
poultry business for a living. But
among these thousands who sold their
stock were large numbers who kept
much by continuing. whatever the con-
ditions might be. The keeping of poul-
try was to them a side line, a recrea-
ton, as well as source of income.
profits and pleasure to be derived. The
thought of the worlds need had not
yet come home to them. e.
The club movement for the boys and
girls should call powerfully to all these
people; and to every one who has back
yard space sufficient to raise even a
dozen chicks to maturity. Countless
numbers of poultry houses all over the
country are at this moment empty, idle,
unusued. They can be easily made one
bn iOh for th4 I4fA
of our country in this crucial time
when every ounce of our strength is so
much required.
Don't Plan "Profits."
We must get profits" out of our
minds. We may not make large finan-
cial gains on our little investment
What of it? This is war work We
are doing it for the defense of our most
sacred institutions. Meat we must have
Here is the way to get it. Let's have
no slackers on this battle line. Duty
must be dominant here-not dollars.
There are no promoters like the bows
and girls. Get the youngsters organ
lied and moving in fine form and spirit
and If the community does not awake
to the importance of the project you
may rightly infer that there rs a dead
1y lack of interest in the things that
are vital to the worlds highest social
and spiritual needs
The club will bring to the community
and to the county healthful spirit of
competition. This is the life of every
boy and girl. They glory in a game
that measures the strength of their
wits and their staying powers. This
is what makes young men such good
soldiers. They make a game of the war
business. and play it through for the
very glory of winning.
The youngsters will start egg-layine
contests. Poultry shows will be organ
ized and conducted with pride and en-
community at large will gain much in
spirit of progress.
Idea Spreads Rapidly.
Such organization of boys and girls
clubs has been going forward rapidly
for several years in many states. New
Jersey and Massachusetts, are already
strongly in line. The great poultry belt
of the middle west is also promoting
this new enterprise for the relief of the
meat shortage.
The community that is making a fair
record in. poultry culture will find the
meat bills more manageable before the
year is half gone. If the whole country
will heed this call to mobilize the BOYS
and girls in a nationwide crusade for
more eggs and poultry meat our Sam
mees on the French front will not want
and every home in America will have a
good barrel of meat in the cellar
One of the best by-products of this
patriotic enterprise will be a vocational
training of the best kind for the boys
and girls This will be of value to them
in later life The boy who has learned
how to do one thing thoroughly and
successfully has a fortune of fair de-
gree to begin with. A trade is money
al nigh interest. II few millions Of
our American boys and girls can he
come proficient during the next two
years in producing the best quality of
poultry products the nation will be
richer and greater for it.
Organization Is Simple.
The crying need of the times on This
continent is a more practical training