Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-03-14
WHEAT SUBSTITUTES
MAY WIN THE WAR
Speakers at Meeting of Cham.
plain Valley Grange Declare
That Country Like United
States Should Not Be Con.
trolled by Its Sense of Taste.

large class Of candidates were
initiated in the first and second degrees Of
Champlain Valley Grange, Patrons Of
Husbandry, Saturday evening, with State
Master Willis N. Cady Of Middlebury in
the grand masters chair. The work was
performed by the local officers. Dean J. L.
Hills and Mrs. A. c. Dimock Of the Uni
versity of Vermont extension service gave
a talk on Food Conservation and It's Re-
suit on the War" A musical program was
furnished by local talent.
Dean Hills was a minute
speaker and he reminded his hearers
that lack Of food where needed would
lose the war unless drastic measures
are taken. He spoke of the need for
conservation and urged the people not
to criticize the food administration.
Dean Hills also made an appeal for
shipbuilders. saying he hoped Vermont
would meet it's quota in this matter.
which 1t has not done TO date.
Mrs. Dimock spoke of the three fac
tors which go to make the food situa-
ton SO serious, food supply. shipping
and transportation, and the conditions
of production. She said that the trains
have been so impeded that meat owners
could not kill and ship their hogs but
had to keep them longer than usual.
AS result. the hogs have gained 35
pounds apiece and now the food ad-
ministration allows people to eat meat
and suggests that meat and potato take
the place Of wheat. Mrs. Dimock sug-
guested a breadless meal. using more
potatoes. She spoke of the good eff
feet Of home gardens. and how they
have helped the transportation ques-
ton.
Mrs. Dimock emphasized the serious
ness of the wheat situation. She said ::
Our normal supply of wheat was as
to 40 bushels. or 216 pounds of flour
per capita per year. After reserving
a seed supply we found we had four
bushels per person left. 1t was thought
that by the advice of the food admin
istration we could get along with that
been shown by so many people has
been Offset by the industrial classes
who felt that they could not afford the
other foods which were more expen-
sive so we find we have only 1.6 BUSH
els per capita to use until next July.
There are only three things We can do
to relieve the situation. The first is
impossible-to cut off the supply to
our allies and to keep ourselves COM
Portable. The second Is to keep on
using wheat as usual for four months
and to go without 1t for two. which
would bear most heavily on the poor,
or to cut down one-third on all the
wheat we are using. This situation
has led to the $3.50 basis.
"Some people do not yet realize why
we are using substitutes and how valu-
able they are as food After talk by
n
was overheard saying to another. MY
house is nearly filled with wheat substi-
tutes. have to buy them to get -four.
The other replied, Well. thank good
ness, have a horse l can feed mine to-. >
Such people make the Kaiser's heart glad.
I'VE do not realize" said Mrs. Dimock.
how ridiculous 1t looks for country like
ours to be controlled by it's sense Of
taste. We should all ask ourselves the
question. VIII we allow a small group
OF people to drive the government TO
recognize democracy a failure?'
One of the greatest problems" said
MRS. Dimock, lis to get wheat substi-
tutes. Last year the corn and oat crop
exceeded normal. But even by working
night and day the mills could only grind
one-third or the corn crop. The oat
situation is even worse for the machin-
and 1t takes six to IL months to get a
mill well equipped. We should learn to
eat anything. There Is at present an
excess of rice and potatoes, SO we should
eat those" Mrs. Dimock brought a laugl,
from her hearers when she said that II
all the farmers who boarded potatoes last
fall had to eat their frozen potatoes, II
would help the sugar situation to a large
, extent.
I'VE have only six short months of in
convenience" said Mrs. Dimock. land
we should make good. This Is one OF
the greatest OF spiritual and moral oppor-
tunities. Courage and honor are the finest
things we can have. and especially cour-
age In little things.
| The people who say they can't afford
to buy wheat substitutes should remem
per that In 1914 We had SIS OOO, 900, OOO oil
$1So per person per year. Now we have
through our war prosperity, $50, OOO, 0OO, 600
or an annual income per person Of 81. 1870
The well-to-do should take this to heart
and spare nothing In time or money.
| There are two great questions to which
we should devote ourselves, our time and
Dab