Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-06

nation and its contest with the bar
barians. Doctrines were surrendered
to measures for war The scientists.
grouped into company known as the
division of planning and satisfies,
went eagerly and unitedly to worl! in
making the cargoes fit into the yes
sells, still af1oat.
ltNWas a delicate is we'll as a colos-
sal task. Countries were involved
Great interests were concerned Prod
uctS are paramount in the view Of
those who make or grow them. Thus
iron, to the furnace man. controls the
world of trade and industry. But
workers must eat says the farmer,
pointing to his field of wheat. And
must be clothed. replies the herds
man, whose specially is sheep.
Iron, wheat. cotton and wool are
among the basic products of civiliza-
ton. They are large and are given
much publicity. But other products
are necessary, Some OF them are
small and sound strange in print.
narrow, obvious and obscure, were
brought into the counSels of the
scientists. who. besides their mathe-
matics. We're compelled to exercise
their skill in diplomacy.
The ships were listed--American,
French. italian and British. Routes
We're measured. Freights were esti-
mated. War transportation, at the
very start, had to be given back
ground of facts. That was the be-
ginning Of all activity. Into the facts
came \such items as the history of
commodities. Where could they be
obtained without waste of tonnage?
How could they be obtained-by pur-
chase with money or in exchange for
other articles.
A large building. soon filled with
clerks. maps. charts and statistics
for ~
staff of scientists. With the ships
before them, on paper, and the troops
before them, also on paper, together
with cannon. shells, rifles and pistols
bridges. rails. cars and locomotives
and so on and so forth, likewise on
paper, the scientists began their la
bors.
Into their figures had to be includ-
ed, as heretofore stated, food for
France and Great Britain. their
armies and -combatafts. The ships
would not hold the freight--would not
hold it by many millions of tons. Ano
ships were being sunk by the Huns
daily. almost hourly in the eastern
waters of the Atlantic.
Only one thing then could be done.
The mountain of freight had to be
leveled down. Soldiers must. go; and
French. English and Italians must be
kept, with sugar and fat, meat and
wheat. on the battle fronts.
Uncssential products, as they are
called, have COMPOUNDED the wisest
men in politics and business. Early
in the war the railroads settled the
matter with typewriter and several
long sheets of paper. Here" they
said, easily and complaccntly, ARE 525
items that can be cut from our
schedules without much injury to gem
eral business"
Up rose at once the producers of
and dealers in the 525 articles that
were to be excluded from the going
and coming freights. Each man
proved his case, more orr less, except
the seller of diamonds. the maker of
musical instruments. the brewer of
lager beer and the distiller of strong
beverages.
Members of the cabinet and their
assistants, senator's and representa-
tives. dollar-a-year millionaires, Hur-
ley of the shipping board. Hoover of
the food administration. Garfield dl-
rector of mines and mining, worked
over the problem of unessentials and
were all and separately floored No
man agreed with any other man. The
inflnitude of combinations and elimi-