The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-05-26
ARE Io Sly WASTE
WITH THRIFT SIkhPIS
Government Is in the Market for Com
modities Usually sent to City
DUMPS,

Every man. woman, and child in
New England now has chance to OBJ
tain war savings and thrift stamps
without the least cost to themselves.
All that is necessary Is to collect the
things usually thrown away and then
TO sell them TO the government.
The smallest scrap of paper. empty
bottles, rags, bits Of tinfoii. pieces of
rubber-all may be turned into
stamps. Moreover. IT will be no
trouble for anyone To dispose of an
accumulated stock OF waste material,
for every village, town and city in
that part OF the country is organizing
agencies through which tho govern
mcnt may buy what would otherwise
go 10 the dumping grounds.
The Waste Reclamation Service OF
the Department OF Commerce has for
mulated y plan to save millions OF
dollars. It is cooperative plan that
works admirably with the National
Cleanup and Faint-up movement
which the United States Department
of Labor is supporting in connection
with its Own y our Own Home cam
paign and which is of interest to all
the housewives of the country. The
plan includes all the departments of
the government and it reaches out to
every inhabitants or the United States.
are 10 be established in each com
muni,y. These will be composed of
representatives of operating ma
tional organizations who will be Sc
lected by mayors. Wherever pract-
cable special weeks will be designated
for the collection of certain commodi-
ties. There will be paper week a
metal week, and a. rubber week. The
councils will conduct educational
m {yv in, WI irh no NJ W a { fes
materials and the duty of conserving
the resources OF the country are
taught. Newspapers will be asked to
aid in this part OF the work, and they
are already volunteering hearty sup
port.
The importance or enlisting in the
Waste Reclamation Service movement
at this time. when spring days en-
courage the cleaning OF houses. shops.
and city streets, is emphasized by the
government. for it is hoped to salvage
large part OF the refuse that is gem
orally destroyed by carting to city
dumps. The war taught the country
few primary lessons in saving and
statistics gathered during the two
years in which the United States
grimly faced the possibility OF long
conflict have demonstrated the prodi-
gality Of people accustomed to peace
and plenty.
No nation In the world uses so much
paper as we find 1t necessary to utilize
in our complex activities. America
annually sends TO the dump twice as
much paper as Great Britain collected
in 1914 when 5000 tons a week we're
gathered under stress OF war needs
Eight trees OF mature growth are re-
quired to make a ton Of pulp. A ton
OF waste paper will save eight trees.
Two million tons of lockwood were
from old paper last
year. II this paper had not been sal
vaged 100000 trees would have
been sacrificed. BY. helping to save
paper citizens ally themselves with the
Forestry Service.
II IL estimated that s per cent of
every ton OF waste sent to the dumps
Is composed OF rags Dump rags can
be used for making roofing felt. To
destroy them, therefore. is to increase
the cost of building. Clean rags are
needed for manufacturing paper.
Other materials that are enumerated
a. on the list exchangeabie for war
savings and thrift stamps are: Canvas,
books, magazines. pasteboard con-
tafners OF all kinds, iron, steel, copper, |
brass. tin foil, and rubber.
In places where the Waste Re- |
clAmAtion Service has not yet estab- |
lished councils the .salvaging Of sale |
Aole mafefiab can be assured BY the |
co-operattoa Of Cleanup ana Faint
y ooaamalttaek WAasoveS the councils |