The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1942-10-15
Civilians Aid War Effort
Conserving Meat, Heat
Being Frugal With Coal and Oil for Home
Heating, and Also Not Buying More Than
Your Weekly Meat Allotment Helps.
By BAUKHAGE
Netus Analyst and Commentator.

WNU Service, 1343 H Street, N. w.,
Washington, d. C.
You have heard before that the
n question. repeated most often
in letters which come into the Office
Of Civilian Defense in Washington
is: What can I do to help win the
WARP"
I receive a great proportion of
such letters. Many Of you have
asked this question yourselves.
Some of you haven't been able to
get a satisfactory answer.
Beginning this month there
are two things you can do If you
really want to help win the war.
They r these: conserve heat
and meat.
We have plenty Of meat in the
country. we have plenty of coal and
oil. But some of the meat-about a
fourth Of it-has to 60 to our own
fighting men and those of our Allies.
And much of the coal and a great
deal Of the oil can't get to us be-
cause Of a shortage Of t%ransporta-
ton.
Look at the heat situation first:
The war has depleted our coastal
tankers which furnished 95 per cent
Of u means Of transportation to
the eastern states. Many Of these
tankers were needed by our fighting
forces and our Allies. many went to
the bottom as a result of the U-boats.
Many that once piled the eastern
seaboard 60 to Melbourne or Muir
mai:k-some have already gone to
Davy Jones' locker.
Last November the railroads
were hauling $1,000 barrels Of
oil . day. Now they are carry
ing soo. 900 barrels = day.
But remember it takes four or Ave
trains. Of some 70 cars each, to haul
a much as one tanker. And there
Is Of course a tremendous increase
in the amount Of oil and gas con
sumed by war activities, civilian
and military.
Fuel oil is already rationed. Case
line will be rationed nationwide
soon. That process Is automatic but
there are other things you can do
to help.
You a make your house
heat-tight with weather strip
ping; you can convert from oil
to coal III you can get coal in
your locality; you a be
frugal. According to estimates
given out by the War Informa-
ton Office you a save the ma
ton, by reasonable conservation,
25H MILLION tons Of coal this
winter. You can save over Is
million barrels of oil between
October l, 1912, and May 1, 1913.
Conserve your heat-now what
about your meat?
Beginning this month there is one
thing that you can do. It is easy
to check up on yourself as to wheth-
er you really want to help in this
respect. All you need to be able
to do is to count up to three. Not
even that far, just two and one-half.
That is the number of pounds Of
meat you ought to eat each week
from now on. More than that will
rob somebody else-less than that
isn't enough to keep you going.
BY February you will have no
choice. You'll have a ration book
and you'll get the amount the gov
eminent says you can have. Mean
while it is your patriotic duty to
ration yourself.
This is the reason: One-fourth of
the meat supply Of the country has
to be turned over to the fighting
forces of the United Nations. II
they could, the American people
would buy 81 billion pounds of meat
in the next IL months. There are
about l7h billions available.
Second Step: Rationing
The government has taken one
step, is preparing for another. The
first is to limit the deliveries by the
packers to civilian outlets. The Sec
ond is rationing. The machinery for
that takes time-by February it Is
hoped the rationing system a be
in effect.
Now in this intermediate period.
although there is a limit to the
amount Of meat the market gets,
there is no limit on what the in.
dividual a buy as long as the
butcher has it. That is up to you.
So 1t becomes a question of sharing.
The Food committee in Washington,
using the best information available.
has set ~ pounds per person per
week as the limit.
You may be able to get to the
meat market early. Many house.