The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-05
MISS FARRELL TELLS 0F RESPONSIBILITIES 0F PEOPLE AT HOME
Winning of War Largely Depends Upon N0ncom- batants Supplying the
 Men at Front

Declaring that the winning of the world war depends largely on the people at home, Miss Ida Tarbell, celebrated writ CT and lecturer, made a patriotic and stirring appeal for food conservation and loyal service in her lecture given last night at the Central High school. Miss Tarbell spoke under the auspices of the Birmingham Lyceum course and was giv- en an enthusiastic reception by large and highly interested audience. She was introduced by Prof. Charles Brown, and was given warm reception.
 We women and other people at home
 who can't join the army, navy or oth- CT branches of war service have great
 responsibility in carrying on the war" said Miss Tarbell. "We form the inner line of defense, and 1t is imperative that we supply the needs of our men at the front and in the camps.
 OFFERING SERVICES
 Women from every section of the country are writing to the authorities
 At Washington offering their services in any line in which they are most needed. They are taking the places of the men called to the colors and we must con- tinue to fill the vacant places in order that the wants of the men in the trenches may be readily supplied
 Miss Tarbell told of the attitude of the people of Europe as well as the Unit ed States at the beginning of the war. stating they felt that business should go on as it was prior to the outbreak of the war, but with thousands of men taken l from the business world for the armies and naves, we can't have business as | usual. she said. and must not let our soldiers think we are thinking more of business than we are of them.
 1 In speaking of the labor shortage Miss Tarbell said: With 1,500,000 men in war | service the work in this country for.
 merly done by the men will have to be done by the women, is already being ldone in Europe. where the women are farming and working in machine shops
 as we'll as in intuition factories. We women must learn to do for ourselves
 things that have always been done l for us." GOOD SUBSTITUTES l There are two ways in which we can
 help. First. by speeding up the pro- duction and, second. by food conserva-
 ton and by using substitutes. The man.
 ner in which we observe wheatless, meat | less or porkless days as nation means the manner in which our boys in the 1 trenches are fed.
 sThe food question is the big question | of the day and the women of America must assume the largest measure of re- sponsbilitly. Should our food be cur tailed and the people at home as well as those in the army, be unable to get l food, then there will indeed be disorder and there should be- for there will be something wrong somewhere. Food has been one of the decisive factors in every war of history. It is because the civilian population has been short ra- toned in order to supply food for the men in the service that Austria has
 been in revolt, and that Germany is now
 suffering from riots.
 NOT LOST A MAN
 since June we have sent 10000 men a
 week to France, and have not lost a man. We have a frst-class navy, Eng land has told us so, and even Roosevelt admitted it. At present we have 100, ,OOf men in France. well clad, well fed and ! armed. our boys being cared for as sol l diers were never cared for before. We have also built 32 towns for them to live I in and never has there been such \ achievement as this country has ac- :, complished in such a short time The {, military establishment should be judged l not by mistakes, but by it's achievements
 I've have obligations other than sit ting around the stoves and criticizine Ii what is being done in Washington, foi we must let our boys know they have I the faith, love and full backing of the 1 people at home.
 l "Our men are fighting for that thu I world may have peace and is any effor'
 that we can put in this great inner force
 too much if we can bring peace, lovt
 and liberty to the world"