Evening star., 1918-05-26

Is DOING
the emergency conditions that pre-
vailed for several months could not
have been handled. but relief was
forthcoming from two sources. These
included ~ tho opportune detail to
the ofiice Of several competent yeo-
serve force. whose services. the Of
fcials say. have proven invaluable.
and (2) the employees Of the office.
realizing the seriousness OF the situ-
alton. toiled early and late.
F. It is understood that notwithstand-
the clerical force. the work has fallen
behind and 1t will not be possible for
II to be brought up to date. the
officials feel. with the present force
until there shall occur decided de-
' come about m ."s until M'fi after Ia the war war. -
In connection with the additional
work a distinct departure was made
recently from the departments type
Of shipbuilding contracts when con-
tract was made. under recent con-
gressional authority, for constructing
plan Of paying the ascertained cost
and allowing the contractor 10 per
cent of such cost for his profit This
arrangement was necessary because
of the novelty of the cruiser design
and the great cost of the vessels
material markets. owing to the war.
This method of financing the con-
struction Of vessels was simultane-
ously extended to other types OF ves-
sells without express authority OF
Congress. such express authority
being unnecessary. and now All the
ships under construction, except some
of the submarine boats. are building
on the cost plus percentage for
profit basis. With the difficulties of
obtaining skilled labor. the constantly
rising wages. and the uncertainties OF
the Immediate future, the applica-
tion of such a plan was indispensable.
the officials believe. to the procuring
of the vessels needed. Whether this
method will prove advantageous in
normal times, as compared with the
payment of a fxed price" plan. is
a matter Of Importance and interest
that will require determination in the
near future.
The great lakes. shut of as they
are from sea-level connection with
the ocean, have
To,r.-. r,o, nevertheless con-
tributed materially
Great Lakes. to the work of pro-
curing tonnage for war purposes.
saw officials of the United States
Shipping Board.
An unprecedented number OF newly
oeo,<,uoxaA oh{no hova haan hrOl Rht
down from the lakes. and in addition
twenty-one steel steamers have been
withdrawn from lake commerce and
are being brought down for war ser
vice. OF these. sixteen were too long
to pass through the locks. and 1t
bring them down In parts. and reas-
semble them on the st. Lawrence.
Twelve Of the vessels were put to-
gether anoat, an achievement never
before accomplished. Ten steel tugs
have also been commandeered by the
and are being fitted with surface con-
densers for ocean use.
In connection with the shortage OF
ships the shipping act provides for
the transfer to foreign owners or
flags of vessels owned by citizens Of
der the laws of the United States. 1t
requires that before any such vessel
may be transferred to foreign own
er or flag, application shall be made
to the shipping board, and further
provides appropriate penalties for the
In the exercise Of the powers con-
ferred by this section, the board has
been compelled to deal with questions
of extreme Difficulty and delicacy.
The authority conferred is in the
main a war power. 1t was obviously
conferred upon the board in order
that there should be created that CEN
tralized control of tonnage which is
requisite for its effective mobiliza-
tion in the conduct of the war.
4 X
The question of "spuds" Is one of
considerable Importance at this time.
and the Irish potato is
Potafn coming into its own. In
this very connection ex-
otolage. perts Of the Department
of Agriculture say that the storage
Of potatoes of the main crop can be
accomplished most satisfactorily
throughout much OF the United States
in the dugout pit or potato cellar in
some of its various forms Of construc-
IlOus LA 6CA0t Oh IL 10 ooAAs Ao oSeoihPI
is made to store potatoes Of the early
crop. since usually they are sold for i'm
mediate consumption.
While the dugout storage house is
in most general use. concrete or
masonry houses with frame super
structures are. perhaps. most salts
factory in cold climates. In some
sections, especially in the South
where dSainage is ppor. insulated
frame structures built entirely above
ground must be depended upon.
The primary purposes OF storage.
1t is pointed out. are to protect the
tubers from extremes Of heat and
cold and from light. Account also
must be taken of conditions of hu-
midity and ventilation and of the size
of the storage pile.
Tho temperature should be the
highest at which potatoes can be
maintained firm and ungerminated.
and which will at the same time hold
fungus diseases in check. Expert
ments Of the department with arti-
fictally refrigerated storage indicate
that So degrees F. Is sufficiently low
for all practical purposes and that
in the earlier portion of the storage
season a temperature of 40 degrees
+. is just as satisfactory as lower
one except where powdery dry rot
injection occurs.
All natural light should be ex-
cluded from potato storage houses.
because when the tubers are exposed
to even modified light they are soon
in iured for food n,Irnoaes pro ctt