Evening star., 1924-06-08
BY HERBERT COREY.

v v when farmers cannot?
That query involves two
distinct suggestions. One is that
| farmers are losing money. 1t GER
tainly is a fact that the senators and
representatives from our farming
states cry out loud every time they
think about their vote-bearing con-
stituents. The other is that sailors
make money on a farm. That sounds
incredible. Sailors are persons in
bell-muzzled breeches who go ahoy-
ing about the land. But the sailors of
the United States Navy are perhaps
the best farmers in the United States.
Listen:
Near Annapolis, Md. the United
States Navy owns farm Of more
that farm because the local farmers
had been furnishing milk filled with
typhoid germs to the students in the
United States Naval Academy:
Congress loaned the Navy 100000
with which to buy and equip that
farm. That money wasn't given. 1t
was loaned. The total cost plus
running fund was included in that
iodH mere 1871 ldIHleT III tHe
United States who could borrow so
much money from bank on the
same amount of farmland security.
That farm is today one of the best
IN the United States. 1t has 325 of
the best cows you ever saw, pedi-
greed, profitable, healthy, of which
more than 200 are always fresh. 1t
has paid back $4,000 of the borrow
ed money. 1t has 100000 more
ready to pay back If Congress insists.
iS haff 70
In every way every day. 1t could
be sold at a big profit except that
the Navy could not afford to sell.
Operated by Bureau.
Here is the moral:
That farm is operated by the bu-
reau of supplies and accounts. which
is perhaps the most efficiently func-
tioning business organization in the
United States. That has an extrava-
CANT sound, know. But show me.
Show any one who knows what the
bureau of supplies and accounts is
doing. 1t is the most gorgeously ex-
panded grocery store. bank. gents
furnishings and tourist bureau on
record. One branch of its activities
has as much relation TO another
branch as the doctrine of infant dam
nation has to hard boiled eggs. But
il never f1ivverS. Its accounts are
always straight. 1t can track a jug
of shellac right to the wasteful old
seaman who made his cocktails out
of the good varnish.
Let's get a few facts straight about
the bureau of supplies and accounts
and the Navy.
There are $4,000 men, more or less.
in the Navy. Not enough men, be-
cause there are not enough to keep
the machinery of the Navy function
ing economically, but there you are.
The $4,000 want everything, from
chocolate caramels to peajackets
furnishes everything for the men and
the ships. except big guns. ammun-
tion and necessities for the Marine
Corps, which is a touchy organization
that looks after itself.
$4,000 Items ON It's Books.
The bureau Of supplies and accounts
carries $4,000 items on its books
right along. 1t buys fuel oil. coal,
baking powder, silk handk erchiefs.
steering engines. boats-everything.
Not only that. 1t delivers all of the
So, 900 items against future need.
Here is the idea:
On Thursday last certain ships were
ordered to sail for ConstantinopIe on
Monday. Perhaps not last Thursday.
In every other respect this statement
is literally accurate. Those boats had
to be fueled, provisioned, medicined