The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1918-01-11
Fantastic Tales Concerning
Them Exploded by Federal
Government.
PRO-GERMANs SPREAD LIES
Homo Gamers Of America Prove Pa
trIotlsm In Meeting Emergency
Billion Cans Of Food on Pan
try Shelves Today.
BY FREDERIC J. HAsKlN.

600 cans of home-canned fruits ana |
vegetables on the pantry shelves OF
American homes today. Those billion |
cans are huge monument TO patriot
ism and the speed and efficiency with
which democratic America can rally
to meet an emergency. They are
weight of some size on the spirit OF
German autocracy and a colossal STUN
bling block in the path Of Germany's
march to world domination. They are
the most important collection Of cans
the world has ever seen. And II is VI
tally important that the American peo-
pie should realize that those cans are
cans OF good food, safe to use, safe to
eat, and That certain fantastic tales be-
ing circulated concerning them are ut
| terly without foundation.
The home Gamers Of America can
ned 1,000,O00.O00 cans Of fruits and
! vegetables this year. Next year, II all
goes well and the spirit of the people
remains equal 10 the tasks of war,
they will can one and one-half billion
cans OF fruits and vegetables. This Is
war measure and one of vital impor-
lance. Any tale or rrmor which tends
to discourage the use of this yenr's bill
I lion cans. or the preservation OF next
years billion and half cans, Is OF aid
and comfort 10 the enemy, although II
may. In some instances. be reported in
all good fnith.
Some OF the rumors are so ridiculous
4 that few people win believe them.
Here are a few that have been dis
covered, Investigated and exploded by
authorities OF the federal government (:
Exhibit A is the tale. circulated early
4 In the canning season. that u part OF
the glass Jars and rubber rings In use
had been poisoned by German spies.
Tale Spreads Fast
Exhibit u Is rumor OF immense
persistence and vitality, TO the erect
that the government is going TO seize
home-cnnneds foods. This tale Is sur
prislngly widespread. Judging by tbs
number OF anxious letters concerning
IL that come TO the government depart
ments. the federal food administrators
aud the various newspaper bureaus IN
Washington. Whether the story wai
started, as most people here believe
j. deliberately TO hamper the comini
campaign and render II less effective
or whether II simply arises from an ut
ter mIsconcepdon of the nature of tn
food and its purposes, Is not impor
tant. What Is important is that th'
story is not true. The government Il
not going to seize any home-canne'
foods.
~ A story related to this last is re
, port that the government Is coStcn
plating war tax on home-canne'
fruits and vegetables. Careful inves
tIgation here has failed TO show tn
slightest basis for this report.
: Perhaps the most annoying repor
/ that has been making Its unpatriou
rounds is the report that fruits an
vegetables canned by what is know
as the "one-period. cold-pack method
are liable TO be unsafe as food.
For those who have canned foods 0
r this sort on their pantry shelves the 10
lowing absolutely authoritative STATE
/, ment is offered by way Of reinsurance
1.-THE cold-pack method processes hav
been used for five years and not sir
I gle death or serious Illness has result
I. ed from the consumption of food save
according to It's direction"
.BolIing" Saves Much.
OF course certain amount OF con
Z mon sense is needed In the use Q
a canned foods, just as 1t is needed !
Z crossing the street or getting Off raj
q way train. Fruits or vegetables whic
a show amy signs of decay should not b
canned. Canned fruits or vegetable
whose looks or taste, or odor when III
can is opened, might Indicate that the
y are spoiled, are perhaps best throw
$ away by the inexperienced Gamer
u although experienced housewives ofte
;. make use Of canned fruits that sho'
$ mold, for example, by "boiling thei
> over" before putting them on the Il
/ BILE.
p This last process suggests the nam
q of "yacillus botulinus"-a germ In
fair way to gain some small reput
/ ton. In a recent number Of a medici
y journal there appeared an article o
IS ''botulIsm," disease which may B
a contracted by eating spoiled canine
c fruits or vegetables.
a It should be clearly understood tbs
s. botulIsm is one Of the very rare malt
q dies. The chances for contracting
. by eating canned goods, say the e.
y perts, are rather less than the chance
y Of dying from lockjaw every time 20
q scratch your finger,
= The long-and-short Of this whol
y matter of canned food is that there
no more danger from eating It tn
~ year than there was In any other yea
g II you want to take extra precaution
s. recook canned foods little befoI
o. using them. Remember, too, thu
y homecoming is great help in VIII
2 ming the war, and get behind ne'
y years canning campaign.