Springfield weekly Republican. [volume], September 12, 1918, Page 11, Image 11

About Springfield weekly Republican. [volume] (Springfield, Mass.) 1851-1946

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FARM and GARDEN
COUNTY LEAGUE DATA
THE SUGAR REGULATIONS
RESTRICTIONS NECESSARY
Twenty-Five Pounds More Than
Many Need for Balance of
Canning Season
The new plan of distributing sugar
for canning appears'to many women
to be hemmed in with many restric
tions and to be unnecessarily cum
bersome. Not being in touch with
the difficulties of securing an equit
able distribution of the relatively
small amount of extra sugar which
was secured for this state for can
ning purposes, many of them fail to
realise that the situation requires just
such restrictions and that a rigid en
forcement is the only way to insure
that every pound of this sugar is ac
tually used for canning.
It appears to be hard for many of
them to see why they should be re
quired to state Just what kinds of
fruit and Just how much of it they
have on hand or in prospect, before
receiving their sugar card. They feel
that it would be much simpler to put
in requisition for 25 pounds of
sugar tocover needs as a "blan
ket" allowance. Women who have
been accustomed to can hundreds of
quarts of fruit each year do not look
on 25 pounds of sugar as a large
amount for ordinary' needs.
But a. little consideration of the
situation will indicate the necessity
of the rule that each prospective
canner should state just how much
fruit she intends to put up with the
sugar which she asks for in the spe
cial allotment. The 25-pound allow
ance is really’ much more than many
families need at this late period of
the canning season. It the old days,
when pound for pound preserves were
common, the 25 pounds would not be
an abnormal allowance but under the
modern conservation rules, where the
minimum of sugar is requested, it
represents more cans of fruit than
most housewives will really put up
during the remainder of this season.
Using the modern conservation
amounts, one pound of sugar will can
an average of seven-quart jars of
fruit. .Some acid fruits, like plums,
will require a little more to make
them palatable, others will require
less. Most of them can be put up
without any sugar at all. in the ex
pectation that a small amount of su
gar will be added from the daily al
lowance when the products are used
later In the season. Taking the seven
quarts to the pound ratio as an
average, the 25 pounds of sugar will
put up 175 quart jars of fruit.
Putting it in other terms, one
bushel of peaches will put up 10 quart
jars. At this rate the 25 pounds of
sugar will can 10 bushels of peaches.
From a bushel of pears or plums 30
quart jars can be put up. The 25
pounds of sugar will serve for more
than six bushels of pears or five
bushels of apples. Few housewives
are canning in such wholesale quan
tities or anything like it.
If any canner really expects to put
up 175 quarts more of fruit she
should have no hesitation in asking
for the full amount of the sugar al
lowance. It is the wish of the food
administration that every assistance
should be given to canners of large
amounts of fruit and vegetables and
nothing could be farther from the
administration’s purpose than to place
any limit on the number of jars ac
tually canned. Nor will any local food
administrator question her right to
have the full amount if she puts down
the large quantities of fruit she has
on hand or in prospect.
On the other hand, the woman who
wishes to put up 25 or 50 or even 75
cans of fruit should state clearly just
what fruit she has to can and ask
for a smaller amount of sugar. Hun
dreds of women throughout Hampden
county are voluntarily asking for
less than ths 25-pound maximum al
lowance. There can be no better way
of showing their patriotic acceptance
o." the war program necessities.
GOOD OLD APPLE BUTTER
A . Means of Utilising Unsalable
Apples—May Be Made Without
Sugar
Apple butter, relished in thousands
of New England homes for genera
tions past, has fallen somewhat from
its former popularity, but it still an
important addition to the farmhouse
preparations for winter. With the
advent of better methods of canning
and preserving the old-fashioned ap
ple butter held ». Jess important place
than in the old days, but is coming
into Ite own again through the pres
sure of -war conditions.
There is no better method of sav
ing the tons of apples which would
ordinarily go to waste on the farms,
or at least be used only for cider,
than io convert them into appetising
butters for winter use. To be sure,
there are somewhat less of these
waste apples on the farms than in
ths old days, for modern methods
of spraying and handling make the
apple crop more saleable. But there
are still many apples which are hard
ly good enough for sale and cannot
be used on the farms for immediate
consumption.
Almost any apples will make good
apple butter, but those which have
good flavor and cook readily are most
desirable. Sound apples are the easi
est to use, but these generally have
a. greater value for other purposes.
Just as good apple butter can be
made from tilt sound portions of
windfalls as fram the Best of fruit,
but a little more work Is necessary
in preparation. Winter apples prob
ably make the heat quality of butter,
but recent tests by the government
indicate that summer varieties are
also good.
Apple butter may ho made with
Or without the use of cider, old
time New Englanders used cider
habitually in making apple butter,
and there was a good reason. Every
pound of apple butter made In that
way doubled the quantity of apple
Juice in proportion to the pulp, Sat
isfactory butter may be made, how
ever, without the use of any cider,
but It is said to be less appetizing.
Only sweet cider or commercially
Sterilized elder should ha used.
The peeled and sliced apples may
be cooked m the boiled cider or they
may be made into apple sauce first
and the eider added afterward. The
cooking should be continued until the
elder and rhe apple pulp do not sep
arate. and the butter, when cold, will
he the constituency of thick apple
sauce. About equal quantities of
sweet elder and the peeled and sliced
apple makes butter of the right con
sistency. Tho cider may be boiled
Kdown one-half before adding to the
■apples for convenience. Tho essen-
tials to making good apple butter are
slow cooking for from four to six
hours and constant Stirring.
Apple butter fits in with the con
servation program this year, as it
may be made entirely without sugar or
with only a small amount. One pound
of white or brown sugar to a gallon
of apple butter is the maximum, and
half or one-quarter of this will be
satisfactory. Apple butter may be
spiced to taste, about half a tea
spoonful each of cinnamon, cloves
and allspice for a gallon of butter be
ing a fair proportion. The sugar and
spices are added when the cooking is
finished.
While boiling hot the apple butter
should be packed in glass jars or
hermetically sealed stone jars and
sterilized in boiling water or steam.
The sterilization should be continued
five minutes tor quart or smaller
jars, 10 minutes for half-gallon sizes
and 15 minutes for gallon sizes. If
the covers do not fit tightly, waxed
or oiled paper may be placed tn them
to make a tight fit before steriliza
tion. AH fruit butters should be
sterilized in this way, but if this is
impractical, melted paraffin may be
poured over the butter to protect it
from mold or other spoiling of the
top layer.
CORN FOR SEED MATURING
If Frost Holds Off Two- Weeks,
Crop Will Be Fine — Talk of
Saving Over Seed for Two Years
The weather man is on the side of
the farmer this season so far as seed
corn is concerned. Last year the kill
ing frost early in September caught
the corn unmatured and resulted in
th j poorest assortment of seed corn
ever seen in this region. The corn this
year is now well matured and there
will be plenty of seed corn in .the best
of condition for next season's needs.
Inspection of many fields shows that
the corn is now well glazed over and
a frost at an early date would not
do much damage. If the frost keeps
off two weeks longer, the corn will bi
in the best condition and there will
be an abundance of ears to chooso
from.
The agricultural experts are urging
that a sufficient supply of seed corn
should be saved for two years as no
one can tell what the conditions will
be next year. With a two-years’ sup
ply of seed there would not be any
danger of such a serious shortage as
occurred last spring. The germinat
ing powers of corn are in no way di
minished by storage under proper con
ditions for several years.
The question of selecting seed corn
ears in the field from the growing
stalks instead of at husking time is
a pertinent one. The experiments,
which have been tried and records
which h^ve been kept, indicate that
such a practice does not result in any
increase in the yield. On the other
hand, selection from the growing
stalks makes it possible to take only
those ears which mature first. In
this section the big thing is to get
early maturing strains and it is prob
able that persistent selection of the
ears which mature first for use as
seed the following year will result in
making a material gain in this direc
tion.
WILL SOW ROSEN RYE
Hampden County Farmers Will
Use 25 Bushels at Seed This
Fall
The practical Interest which farm
ers of Hampden county are taking in
the campaign to increase the food
grain production of the state is indi
cated by their response to the offer
to secure Rosen rye for seed to sow
this fall. This new and improved va
riety will yield fully 10 bushels more
per acre than ordinary rye. The com
mittee placed an order for 300 bush
els of Rosen rye seed from the West
and offered it for sale at cost to the
farmers of the state.
Hampden county farmers, through
the agricultural adviser of tpe league,
ordered 10 bushels at once. This was
increased to 15 bushels later and now
so many more have placed orders that
at least 25 bushels will be necessary
to meet their needs. Hampden county
is the leading county in the state in
growing rye.
Bean Weevils Will Spoil Your Beans
The bean weevil will undoubtedly
spoil a great many bushels of beans
this coming winter unless the beans
are treated by the carbon bisulphid
method, or by some other material
which will kill the larva. The larva
is at the present time working in tho
beans and will continue to do so dur
ing the winter months resulting in
the development of the adult beetle
which will lay its eggs the coming
season on the bean pods. It is very
essential that every precaution bo
taken to prevent this waste of food.
Carbon bisulphid used at the rate of
one ounce for every 100 p'ounds of
beans is the best remedy to destroy
this weevil. The beans should be
placed in an airtight receptacle or
bin with the liquid which later forms
a gas and should be left for at least
48 hours in contact with the beans.
At the end of this time the weevils
will undoubtedly be dead.
THIS WEEK’S SCORE A TIE
Barred Rocks and White Leg
horns Lead With 55 Eggs
From Our Special Correspondent
STORRS. Ct.. September 5. 1018
The total production in the 44th
week of the laying contest at Storrs
amounted to 3555. This figure rep
resents a loss of only 54 from last
week's production and is 196 eggs
more than the production in the cor
responding week last year, Richard
Alien’s barred Rocks and E. A Bal
lard’s white Leghorns were tied tor
first honors with 55 eggs to their
credit. The Oragons were second with
53 eggs. Tom Baron’s white Leg
horns were a close third with 52,
while Merrythought farm's white Wy
andottes were fourth, having laid 50
eggs during the week. There are two
changes in the leading pens. Richard
Allen’s barred Rocks are now lead
ing in that variety and pen 24. owned
by Mrs It. W Stevens of Stillwater,
N. Y., went ahead of pan 26, and are
now third In the white Wyandotte
class.
During the month of September
there is a tendency for poultrymen to
let the chickens take care of them
selves. Growing chicks should he
looked after very closely, as over
crowding is liable to happen, owing
to the fact that the birds are getting
larger and need more "room. Failure
to provide more room for the growing
chicks, more particularly during the
night, will not only have a tendency
to create deformed specimens, but will
lower the constitution to such an ex
tent that the birds will not be profit
able as layers. The moat direct re
sult of crowding Is "snuffles" or fall
colds. In most cases this trouble can
bo easily handled by better ventilation
or more fresh air. There are three
Important points in handling chicks—
frosh air. especially during the night,
fresh water at all times, and clean
quarters—and at no time of the
growing season are these factors more
important than during th* early fall
months.
THE SPRINGFIELD WEEKLY REPUBLICAN: THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 12, 1918
TO ACCEPT CONTRACT
RAILROAD MEN AGREE
Executive Advisory Committee
Makes Unanimous Recommenda
tion — Trusts to Govern
ment’s Fair Play
Acceptance by the railroads of the
standard form of contract between the
government and the railroads as pro
posed by Director-General McAdoo
was Friday unanimously recom
mended by the railroad executives' ad
visory committee, representing 82
railroads with 92 per cent of the total
mileage of the United States.
Thomas De Witt Cuyler. chairman
of the committee, which met at New
York Friday, said in his report:—■
Self-Interest and Patriotism
"In the opinion of this committee,
enlightened self-interest and the dic
tates of patriotism alike require the
acceptance of the proposed contract,
snd the committee without doubt or
hesitation so advises.”
The decision of the committee was
reached after five months of negotia
tions. It now awaits ratification by
stockholders of the roads. Robert S.
Binkerd. assistant to Chairman Cuy
ler. said there was little doubt that
the remaining 18 per cent of the
railroads would acquiesce in the com
mittee's conclusions which, he said,
presented "a strong argument against
instituting litigation, not only because
of the fairness and legitimate nature
of the findings, but on patriotic
grounds.” He said he believed hold
ers of securities in the roads repre
sented by the committee Would ap
prove the action, but there was a
remote possibility that a recalcitrant
minority might pursue a different
course. Two main points of differ
ence raised by the railroads were
carefully considered. It was said, and
the committee finally decided not to
set up any contentions but to accept
Mr McAdoo's recommendations with
out reservation.
One of the two obstacles had to
do with the acceptance clause in the
contract W’hich absolves the govern
ment from consequential damages in
curred during governmental control
and forbids the railroads from suing
the government at the end of the war
to determine such liability.
The other contention was that the
government should guarantee that
dividends should be made as certain
as interest on bonds and that the
charge for maintenance should lie de
ferred until the roads were returned
to their owners.
As to Unearned Dividends
"We believe the contract is accept
able insofar as earned railroad divi
dends are concerned,” added Mr Bin
kerd. "but where they are unearned,
of course, there will not be the same
assurance,” By unearned dividends,
he said, he referred to those which
might bo declared by "skimping" and
neglect of railroad properties and by
other means.
The desire of the railway execu
tives' advisory committee, he stated,
was to "lay all the cards on the table”
and trust to the justice of the gov
ernment for a square deal. Everyone
was confident, he said, that the rail
roads would emerge from the present
crisis in splendid condition as a re
sult of the provision that would be
made for after the war financing.
The negotiations with the govern
ment, which were carried on by the
15 members of the committee and
Alfred P. Thom, its general counsel,
said Mr Cuyler in his report, Were
hampered by the fact that tor more
than 30 years “every conceivable
question relating to railroads had been
subject of political agitation and de
bate and of sharp differences of opin
ion, resulting In two distinct schools
of thought, neither of which was will
ing to measure its conception of jus
tice to the railroads by the standards
of the other."
Instead of adopting “an attitude of
narrow, exacting and irritating con
tentiousness." the committee, he said,
tried to establish in the minds of the
government conferees "respect for the
legal and moral soundness of our pro
posals and for the Justice and rea
sonableness of our contentions."
TO REHABILITATE B. & M.
Consolidation Into One Compact
System—Approvedal of Stock
holders Necessary
A plan for the rehabilitation of the
Boston and Maine railroad, with the
aid of a loan of $20,000,000 from the
railroad administration, was an
nounced by William G. McAdoo,
d rector -general of railroads, while on
a tour of inspection of New England
roads Saturdaq, Mr McAdoo also
said he thought he could safely prom
ise that New England would not
see a renewal of the transportation
diflieuliies of last winter.
Interest on the money advanced to
the Boston and Maine, the director
genera'. said, would be secured by
mortgage bonds and trust funds, and
approval of substantially all of tns
stockholders would be necessary be
fore the plan could be put into ef
fect.
Exchange of Stock
“As now presented,” Mr McAdoo,
said, "ths plan provides consolidation-
Into the compact system of the Bos
ton and Maine and its chief atur
proprietary Unes, the holders of ap
proximately $39,000,000 guaranteed
stock of leased lines receiving in ex
change preferred stock of the Bos
ton and Maine bearing, during five
years, four-flfths of the old rate of
dividends, and thereafter the present
rate of dividends.
This arrangement will reduce the
fixed charges upon the system ap
proximately $2,500,000 per annum and
ray a needed basis for a mortgage se
curing. on equal terms, all outstand
ing bonds and notes and provide a
margin for any needed future issues.
"It Is chiefly upon the security of
bonds secured by such mortgage that
the government is now asked to ad
vance approximately $20,000,0011
he essary to carry out the plan of
rec rggnlMtion.
"The plan provides that during the
period of five years the surplus re
mninlng abovo fixed charges and
preferred dividends shall be paid into
a trust fund pledged as additional
security to the government's ad
vances' the trust, however, to be ter
mhablo If and when within thia
period a preferred stock issue of not
lens than $12,000,000 Is floated, tho
proceeds to be applied toward pay
ment of said advances.
Rental and Fixed Charges
“It is estimated that ths standard
rental to be paid by the government
during federal control will ba between
$9,500,000 and $10,000,000 and that
the fixed charges upon the reor
fanlzed system will be only between
5.000,000 and $6,000,000. It thus ap
i pears that the standard rental will ba
fully adequate to pay all fixed charges,
dividends upon the preferred stock
and to provide a surplus for said trust
fund. The annual gross operating
revenue of the system exceeds s<so,-
000/MKI.
"Without such reorganization the
Boston and Maine and its subsidiaries
will continue to be seriously handi
capped in raising funds for improve
ment on the properties absolutely re
quired in the public interest.
"The director-general has decided ta
advance the necessary cash of about
$20,000,000 upon a reasonable interest
basis secured by the mortgage bonds
and trust funds, the general details to
the plan to be, however, in all respects
satisfactory to the director-general.
The director-general will not sup
port the plan until it is approved by
substantially all of the stockholders
affected thereby, or such proportion
of the stockholders as may be satis
factory to him.
Hampden Railroad Claim
•No action ta*.en by the director
general In this matter will interfere
in any way with the opposition of tha
Boston and Maine railroad to what is
known as the Hampden railroad claim.
The plan will not be approved by the
director-qeneral unless the reorgani
zation expenses are placed upon a rea
sonable basis satisfactory to him.
"Charles A. Prouty of the railroad
administration and Interstate Com
merce Commissioner Anderson have
been earnestly co-operating with the
Boston and Maine reorganization com
mittee in endeavoring to get the re
organization plans into such shape that
the railroad administration would be
justified in giving It the necessary
financial support.
"It is hoped that this has now been
accomplished."
RAILWAY WAGE BOOST
Scale for Nearly a Million Em
ployes Announced —Protection
for Nonunionized Workers
Nearly a million railroad employes,
including all clerks, track laborers
and maintenance of way men, are to
receive wage increases of $25 a month,
the equivalent of $1 a day, or
12 cents an hour, over the pay they
received last January 1, under a wage
order issued Thursday by Director-
General McAdoo. Advances are ef
fective as of September 1.
This order, affecting half the rail
road men in the United States and
adding approximately $150,000,000 to
the annual payroll, represents the sec
ond largest aggregate wage increase
ever granted in American industrial
history. It is supplementary to the
general railroad wage order issued
nearly four months ago, providing
for about $300,000,000 increases, and
for the classes of employes affected
it supplants provisions of that order.
Most of the employes covered by
the new order have made consider
ably less than SIOO a month, and the
voluntary increase was decided on by
the director-general after investiga
tion by his advisory board of railroad
wages and working conditions of the
pay of men doing similar work in
other industries. In the main, this
board's recommendations were fol
lowed.
The order specifies that eight hours
shall be considered the basic day, but
overtime up to 1(1 hours is to be paid
pro rata, with 1% times the regular
late for overtime "past the 10 hours.
Specific rules are laid down for the
promotion of employes on grounds of
merit and seniority. Other regula
tions, forbidding dismissal of- em
ployes without cause, and providing
for hearing on appeal, resembles the
rules now in effect under government
civil service. These restrictions will
affect mainly the half million railway
clerks.
Thousands of women clerks em
ployed by the railroads are to receive
the same pay as men for similar work,
but the interpretation of "similar
work" is left to executives.
Back pdy from January 1 will be
made under the former general wage
order, and the advances now granted
will be figured on top of the wage
last January 1, rather than on the
pay received in the immediate past
under the general wage increase.
Minimum rates of pay are established
for all classes covered by yesterday’s
order, but the increases of $25 a
month, applied if the employe worked
on a monthly or weekly basis, and of
12 cents an hour, applied if the em
ploye worked by the hour, in many
cases will run the actual new rate
above the minimum.
Promotions and Complaints
Referring to promotions, the order
provides as follows: —
“Promotions shall be based on abil
ity, merit and seniority, ability and
merit being sufficient, seniority shall
prevail."
This proviaion does not apply to per
sonal office forces of superintendents,
trainmasters, division engineers, mas
ter mechanics, general freight or pas
senger agents and similar offices,
where the management is to be the
judge of promotions.
The railroad administration lays
down the rule, applicable to all cases
affected by the new order, that new
positions or vacancies are to be bul
letined for five days in departments
where they occur, and employes may
apply within that time for appoint
ment, which must be made within 10
days. Temporary appointments may
be made meanwhile. In reducing
forces, seniority js to govern. A se
niority roster of all employes in each
classified department who have seen
service six months or more is to be
posted in a place so as to be seen by
all in the department.
An employe disciplined, or who
considers himself unjustly treated,
must be given a fair hearing by his
immediate superior it he asks tor this
within five days. A decision must
be given within a week and the
employe then may appeal to the next
higher officer. In these proceedings,
he may be assisted by a committee of
employes.
Other similar rules governing fiis
missals or disputable treatment are
established as a means of giving cler
ical forces, most of which are not or
ganized, a measure of the protection
already built up by unionized classes.
SUGAR ALLOWANCE STANDS
Two-Pounds-a-Month Schedule Ap
proved After Conference at
Washington
The retention of the present sugar
ration of two pounds a month for
each person wus announced by the
food administration Friday at the
conclusion of a two-day conference
at Washington, attended by admin
istrators frdm most of the states
called by Food Administrator Hoo
ver.
MAKING OF FORDS SUSPENDED
Production of motor care by the
Ford motor company has been sus
pended entirely, it is officially an
nounced at the plant at Detroit. The
step wi]| enable the company to de
vota its entire facilities to govern
ment work, the announcement says.
BAY STATE TOWARD TOP
OF THE THIRD LOAN BUYERS
Delaware's Percentage of Quotas
Highest — Washington City.
Arizona and Alaska Rank High
One out of every six persons in the
United States bought Liberty bonds of
the third loan last April and May.
The exact number of subscribers was
18,308,325. or 17.7 per cent of the
103,000,000 estimated population of
the country. New York state led in
the volume of subscriptions and num
ber of subscribers, but Delaware sub
scribed the highest percentage of the
assigned quota and the city of Wash
ington furnished the largest propor
tion of its population as bond buyers.
nns was disclosed Sunday in a
treasury report of third loan subscrip
tion of federal reserve districts, state
citles - The loa n total.
M.1<0,016,850, represents an aggregate
?hr»» U a?m PtlOn o£ per cent of the
billion goal, and every reserve
district, every state and nearly everv
city went above the 100 per cent mark,
p£n W 11 be made in the fourth
? a "‘ open| nk September 28. t o break
these records.
volume of subscriptions, the five
K'X™ 88 were New York - with
Si. h 1 ? 0 ' or near >y One-fourth of
mirm Pe '”i«yl''ania. $467.-
000.000: Illinois, $279,000,000. Mas
a"d Ohio.
...J?® percen tages of quotas
wi^ were recor ^M by Delaware,
wltn 29<> per cent; Alaska. 252- Ari
and Distric " of Colum
leading states in number of
bond buyers were: New York, 2.456.-
ISI7^ nnSJ ^ ania ’ 2.032.000; Illinois,
j.ou i ,uuu Massachusetts, 807.000
Ohio 194.000; and California. 750,000.
nnn showings in proportion of
on the subscription rolls
were by the District of Columbia, with
V® per ce , nt „ or more than one >n three;
I ~L a Sout J Dakota. with 29 per
.cent each, and Rhode Island the
smallest stale, with 26 per cent.
AMERICAN YARDS SCORE
NEW RECORD FOR SHIPS
Sixty-Six Vessels of 340,154
Deadweight Tons Turned
Out in August
Delivery of merchant ships by
American shipyards in August ex
ceeded all previous records for this
country, Chairman Hurley of the ship
ping board was advised last week by
Charles M. Schwab, director-general
c- the emergency fleet corporation.
Sixty-six ships, aggregating 340,154
dead .right tons, were turned out.
1‘ oi ty-four of the ships of an aggre
gate deadweight tonnage of 260.645
were steel and the remaining 22 were
wooden or composite.
Aiigust- production of American
yards was a world record, shipping
board officials said. The previous
monthly record of 295,911 deadweighi
tons having been made by British
yards last June.
Completion of the 66 ships, it was
said, will permit the return to the
coastwise and South American trades
of some of the fast vessels that re
cently were transferred to transatlan
tic service to meet war demands.
August deliveries put the total ton
nage built for the shipping board be
yond the 2,000,000 mark. The first
million tons was delivered in May and
the total production to September 1
was 2.010,480 deadweight tons.
Increased deliveries by American
yards added to those of the allied
countries places new construction well
ahead of destruction by submarines.
For the first six months of this year,
the sinkings of allied and neutral ves
sels totaled 2,089.31)3 gross tons, while
production was 2,113.591 gross tons.
CHEAPER GASOLINE
Dr Garfield Expects to Fix Loiter
Price for Domestic Consumers,
as Well as for Government and
Allies
Fuel Administrator Garfield an
nounced Monday that he expects
soon to fix a price for gasoline for
demestio consumers, as well as the
government and the allies, at a figure
much lower than the present market
price. He is awaiting further reports
tn the situation before taking definite
action. No intimation was made as
to what the fixed price will be.
Dr Garfields announcement dis
closed that for some time considera
tion had been given the problem of
bringing the price of gasoline to a
lower level. Several reports already
have been made to Mark L. Requa.
director of the oil division of the fuel
administration, and it was intimated
that upon completion of the investi
gation now being conducted immedi
ate action would be taken.
The disclosure of Dr Garfield’s pur
pose came during an Informal talk
with newspaper correspondents, in
which the stocks of gasoline in the
country, and the stated shortage east
of the Mississippi river, which caused
the administration to request that no
passenger automobiles be operated on
Sunday in that section were discussed.
Dr Garfield would not discuss
ports that this request was based on
Information furnished the administra
tion by the oil Industry for the al
leged purpose of maintaining the pres
ent price of gasoline in the face of a
reported large supply tn the country.
The Senate Monday displayed its
interest in the autoless Sunday re
quest by adopting a resolution offered
by Senator Dodge of Massachusetts,
asking the administration for Infor
mation as to the country's produc
tion. consumption and exportation of
gasoline, with separate figures on tie
amount used by passenger cars.
AMERICA NOW LEADS
Shipping Board's Figures Show
Output From Our Yards Largest
in World
America now is leading the world
In ship production. Comparison "f
figures on deliveries announced by the
shipping board with official figures on
the output of yards in the United
Kingdom show that plants In this
country have delivered 1.636.4<Xl
deadweight tons since January 1
while British yards have turned out
1.545.826 tons.
American yards began to take the
lead over those In the United Kingdom
two months ago, but it was not cer
tain then whether this was not a mere
'temporary advantage. In August,
however, yarde in the United States
increased their lead, delivering 323JVWJ
deadweight tons compared with 157.-
019 deadweight tons for the United
Kingdom.
Not to Participate In Strikes
The first of the big unions con
nected with ehipbuUdfng to adopt the
"standard of war-time conduct for
American industry.” as deviled by the
American federation of &bor. is the
international association of bridge
structural and ornamental iron work
ers. In making this announcement
Friday.- the Industrial relations
group of th© shipping board said this
means an indirect promise of the
union not to participate jn strikes
during the war.
Movements are under way among
the men to lead other unions engaged
; in shipbuilding to adopt this standard.
CHANGE TO 8-HOUR DAY
AT SMITH & WESSON PLANT
Basic 48-Hour Week Is Amended
—Time and a Half for Over
time Stands
The Smith A Wesson company an
nounced Thursday that it had amend
ed its new working schedule bychaiig
ing it from a 4S-b'>ur week to
a bae.c eight-hour day. The overtime
ratings |WIU be computed on all work
done In excess of eight hours. The
mnaagement stated Thursday that the
change was made primarily to simplify
the working schedule.
Under the most recent schedule the
factory will continue to operate 55
hours a week, or 10 hours a day for
five days and five hours on Saturday.
The employes will receive straight
time for eight hours of continuous
work and time and half-time for the
two hours required to complete the 10
hours. Overtime will be figured on
■the basis announced Wednesday. Time
and half-time will be paid on the basis
of the hourly .ratings of day workers
and piece workers will be paid on tire
basis of their average hourly earnings
for each week.
BIGGEST ANTHRACITE WEEK
Production of 1,806.121 Tons Sets '
New Record fo^ Year
Anthracite coal production for the |
week of August 31 was the largest
of the year. 1.80:1.121 tons. These '
figures announced Thursday by the
fuel administration, show an increase
over the preceding week of 100,000
ions and do not include coal used at
the mines or sold for nearby delivery.
It was the first w eek of the year
when the daily average exceeded 300,-
000 tons.
LIMIT FOR BEER
Food Administration Sets Decern
lisr 1 to Cease Manufacture as a
War Necessity
Manufacture of beer in the United
States will be prohibited after Decem
ber 1 next as a war measure. This,
announcement was made Friday
by the fcod administration, which said
the decision had been reached at con
ference between President Wilson and
representatives of the fuel, food and
railroad administrations and the war
Industries board.
Factors which influenced the de
cision to prohibt the manufacture of
beer after December 1. the food ad
ministration announcement said, were
"the further necessity of war indus
tries for the whole fuel productive ca
pacity of the country; the considerable
drouth which has materially affected
the supply of feeding stuffs for next
year, the strain upon 'ransportation
to handle necessary industries, and the
shortage of labor caused by enlarge
ment of the army program."
Warning also was issued to manu
facturers of all beverages and mineral
waters that for the same reasons there
will be "further great curtailment in
fuel lor the, manufactures of glass
containers, of tin plate for caps, of
transportation and of food products in
such beverages."
ON LAFAYETTE DAY
Jusserand, Roosevelt and Chap-;
man Speak — Messages From '
Foch. Fershing and Others Read I
A stirring address by Jules Jusse- ;
rand. French embassador to the Unit-1
cd States, in which he asserted that I
“the enemy is doomed” and “we shall ■
choose and appoint the day for peace," i
brought to an end Friday New I
York's celebration of the 161st birth
day anniversary of the marquis De ]
Lafayette and the fourth anniversary '
of the first' battle of the Mai'ne. I
In this address, delivered at a ban
quet Of the Franco-American society
M Jusserand paid tribute to America s
efforts in the war. showed the insin
cerity of former German peace offers, :
and predicted that the enemy’s next ■
peace offensive "will fail as well as his 1
other offensives.”
The evening meeting, however, was
only one feature of the program ar
tanged for the joint celebration,. At
an impressive ceremony in the city
hall were read messages from Ameri
can and allied leaders, all. expressing
confidence in.ultimate victory,
From Foch and Fershing
One from Marshal' Foch asserted
that, if the allied dead could open
their eyes. "they would see the blue
sky." Gen Pershing's communica
tion reads:—
- "On this fourth anniversary of the
great battle all people who love lib
erty and hate oppression unite in ad
miration and gir.iitftde to thbse gal
lant soldiers of the French and Brit
ish armies whose heroic acts turned
back the advancing hordes of the en
emy and made possible the programs
of allied armies now gloriously ad-,
vancihg toward the final victory that
will save the civilization of tho world,
to hitlire generations. It is with deep
emotion that to-day we of the Amer
ican expeditionary forces offer out
homage to those brave men. both
the living and the dead, and again
confirm our devotion to tbelr cause
and again declare it to be our fixed
puipose that their sacrifice shall not
have been in vain."
The other messages were from
President Poincare. Marsh*! Joffra
and American Hmbassudor Sharp.
Addresses were delivered by Col
Theodore Roosevelt and Jolin Jay
Chapman, each of whom Ivas lost a
son fighting with the allied air forces.
During the ceremony, American
troops stood at attention, and in the
audience were soldier* and sailors of
Franco and the other aUtes.
At the evening banquet, at which
Dr Nicholas Murray Butler, president
of Columbia, presided. M Jusserand.
reviewing America's war efforts, de
clared that the Germans, “with their
thousands of spies and their millions
of dollars for whit they were pleased
to call propaganda (which included
murder), had no idea that this could
be."
"There was one ‘pot opened to us
all. but into which German spies could
no’ pry—the American heart," he
continued.
SUNDAY ♦•GAS'’ SAVING
Estimated at Between 100,000 and
150,0C0 Barrels—lllinois Leads
Husp"nsion of pleasure riding in
geo) Ine-driven vehicles last week
Sunday, in response to the re
quest of the fuel administra
tion, resulted in the saving of
between lW.o<>o and 150,000 bar
rels of gasoline, according to fig
ures made public at New York last
week by A, C. Bedford, chairman of
the national petroleum war service
.commission. Mr Bedford predicted a
much greater saving next Sunday,
when a better understanding of what
is required will make compliance with
the request much more general.
A census of traffic on important
automobile roads in 25 states affected
by the request showed Illinois led
in the percentage of reduction, with
an estimate of 95 per cent. Mr Bed
ford said. Ohio was second, with a
percentage of 93, and Wisconsin third
with 91. New York was far down the
list with 74.
Other percentages were: District of
Columbia and Kentucky, 90; West
Virginia, Louisiana and Tennessee,
87; Indiana. 85; Maryland and Flori
da. 84; Maine. 83: Massachusetts,
Alabama and Pennsylvania. 81; Con
necticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey
and Georgia. 80: Mississippi. 71;
North Carolina. 68; South Carolina.
66; Michigan. 65, and Virginia. 63.
NAVAL WAREHOUSE FIRE
Paintings and Furnishings From
German Liners Are Destroyed
Fire in a naval warehouse at New-
York Sunday destroyed valuable
paintings, furniture and ship fixtures
removed from interned German liners.
According to the police, the origin of
the fire is not known.
Among the paintings destroyed were
those from the former Vaderland and
the President Lincoln of the Ham
burg-American line, some done by fa
mous European artists. The silver
service of the Vaderland and the lin
er's grand stairway also were de
stroyed.
Two hundred inmates of a home for
friendless women and children ad
joining the warehouses were driven
to the street by the blaze.
MONEY AND BUSINESS
Railroad Reorganization
In view of the insurmountable ob
stacles to the reorganization of the
Boston and Maine railroad system be
fore it passed into the receivership
in the summer of 1916, it may now be
said concerning the new reorganiza
tion plan announced by Director-Gen
eral McAdoo that only certain leased
lines could be conjectured as stand
ing in the way of its consummation.
The Eastern, the Lowell and the
Fitchburg in 1916 accepted the prin
ciple of reorganization then proposed,
under President Hustis’s administra
tion, but the Concord and Montreal
and Connecticut River companies re
jected the plan, which would have ob
literated the leases and have compen
sated the leased line stockholders for
their properties and franchises with
. referred stock of the new, unified
corporation.
The Boston and Maine system went
into the receivership immediately after
the failure of the different interests
to agree upon the terms of reorgan
ization. It will be recalled that the
Connecticut River company, in apply
ing for a receiver after the action of
the Boston and Maine to the same
end, stated in its petition, among
other things, that in the event that
the lease of the Connecticut River
railroad were canceled by the Boston
and Maine, the Connecticut River
company would probably be unable to
operate its Unes and that its own in
solvency might result. Thus the fact
was satisfactorily established by the
virtual admission of this leased line,
that the restoration of the old railroad
conditions in New England prevailing
before the consolidation era had be
come practically impossible.
Since the receivership of the Bos
tuv and Maine system was estab
lished two years ago, another trans
portation revolution has taken place
rivaling in importance to the rail
road security owners of New Eng
land the consolidation movement of
20 and 25 years ago. AU the rail
roads. "including the Boston and
Maine, have been taken over by the
United States government for the
duration of the war and for 21 months
thereafter. The present status of the
Boston and Maine is that of a re
ceiversluped property commandeered
by the government under stress of
war. and its receiver is also the
regional director of the federal rail
road administration for all New Eng
land.
Mr Hustis, the dual administra
tor for. the federal court and the
federal government, has never
swerved from his conviction, stated
in 1915. to the Boston and Maine
stockholders, that the properties
should le kept intact and that tha
leased, lines should be made integral
parts ci a unified system under one
(management. When appointed re
ceiver in 191 G. he announced that
under his administration he should
adhere to that policy. It need sur
prise no one, therefore, that Mr Hus
tis has taken full advantage of his
position as regional director of the
New England railroads to revive the
reorgan zation scheme for the Bos
ton and Maine and seek the financial
aid of the federal railroad adminiy
trillion in lift ng the reorganized
system out of the receivership.
Mr McAdoo declares, however, that
while he approves the plan of reor
ganization which has been perfected
by Messrs Andersen and Prouty of
the interstate commerce commission
and tlte federal railroad administra
tion, in co-operation with the reor
ganization' committee, his support Is
conditioned on the approval of the
plan by substantially all of the stock
ho'ders affected thereby, or by such
proportion of the stockholders as may
be satisfactory to him. Evidently this
means that the leased lines, or the
strongest of them, must acquiesce in
the reorganimtion now proposed in
order that the plan may become ef
fective.
The present argument for the ac
ceptance of the plan by all the leased
Unes appears to be very strong; cer
tainly, from the public point of view,
there seems to be no ground for op
position. The situation has changed
so radically in two years that the
leased lines which killed reorganiza
tion in 19V' must now find their own
problem changed. While some of
them will not enjoy the nreferentia!
remunerative position which their
loin term le. -cs gave them under the
old regime before the receivership, or
receive us much as they demanded
in 191(1. still the new plan will cer
tainly provide their stockholders with
a substantial income and, further
more, the assurance of the gov-
ernment's financial backing will brir^s
the who e system out of the receiver
ship long before It could be brought
out in the absence of government sup
port in the shape of a loan of ?20,.
for reorganization purpose*.
It is manifestly in the pubdc in
terest that the government be met
'half-way m this matter. The Boston
and Maine cannot be put in a per
manent position where It can do th*
best service for New England unleaa
reorganization effectively reduces the
old ratio of its fixed charges to the
average not income, for its credit
must depend upon such a devel
opment In its finances if it is t*
succeed under private management
after the war. The friendliness
of the government to New England
business interests cannot be ques
tioned. The Interstate commerce com
mission has recently decided that ths
New Haven railroad can retain its wa
ter lines, the old freight rate dif
ferentials will remain undisturbed, ac
cording to an announcement last week,
and the railroad administration haa
taken over and begun the iotprove
ment of the Cape Cod canal. This la
very decent treatment and the Bos
ton and Maine reorganization plan la
to be interpreted as an effort of. th*
federal railroad administration to help
rehabilitate that system and place it
squarely on its feet, both fianciallv
and physically.
What will help the Boston and
Maine and New England will also help
, the New Haven system, which is *
heavy stockholder in the Boston and
Maine, The outlook in general for th*
railroads of New England is much Im
proved. New Haven stock has been
rising for months since government
control began. After the announce
ment last week of the settlement of
the tei ms of the railroad contract
with the government under the con
trol act, there was a sharp rise In th*
low-priced bonds of the New Haven
company. For the payment of their in
terest charges is assured. There is also
an expectation that the government
will not be unkind to the New Haven
in maintaining its high efficiency a*
a common carrier. The government
has already gone to that road’s as
sistance in meeting its short-term
। debt.
There is no question, of course
about the advisability of the New Eng
i land systems accepting the govern
' ment contract. There is the highest
railroad authority for saying that
every railroad signing this contract
with the government will have th*
assurance that it can pay the interest
upon all of its bonds and mortgages;
the rentals of all leased roads and th*
maintenance of its corporate organiza
tion before the government will satisfy
any claims it may have for the mak
ing up of deferred maintenance or for
the construction of additions and bet
terments. Wherever in the past divi
dends have been fully and completely
earned, there Is just as much reason
to expect their payment during fed
eral control as before. That state
ment applies to all railroads, but mon*
than most of them are the New Eng
, land railroads interested in approving
I the contract. They were "down and
‘out” before government control be
gan; they can now make the period
!of government control the time at
their rejuvenation.
BOSTON STOCK MARKET J*
Stocks
Last
Open. Hish. Ixw.
Alaska Gohl 3 3XI
•Allouez 49 49 49 49 i
Am Aeri Chern pr 92 92 92 92
Amoakeag SI St 91 81
Am Sugar Refining 10914 I<)S4 1084 106%
Am Tel & Tel 9’4 98 9«% 96%
Am Woolen pr 954 95% 95%
Am Zine I. ABm 15% 15% 154 15%
do preferred 494 494 49%
Anaconda 67 67 87 87
Arizona Com 13% 15% 14 4 14%
Booth FMwrien 26% 26% £5% 25%
Boston Elevated 70 70 694 89%
Boston A Lowell 87 87 87 87
Boston A Maine 35 35% 35 35
Boston & Prov 160 100 160
•Calumet A Aria 66% 68% 66% ^^6%
Calumet A Hecla 445 445 445 445
Centennial 12% 12% 12% 12%
Century Steel 13% 13^4
Conn A Pass pr 72 72 72 T 3
Copper Range 46% 46% 46% 46%
East Butte 9% 12 * •
Electric 1454 IjW 1«84
Gorton-Pew Fish 30_ 30% 23%
Islsn^Cwk Coal
Uland Oil & T 34 3?,
Keweenaw Soc SOe 80 c
take Onrer 5* »
ta Sei” ?, *
Mew OmM Ji ♦* 4 £
Macs Electric pr 13 <
Mass Gas fu 84
do preferred 8*
MltMe«<»-. Alkali 33^ 3 .. J
Mayflower-Old Lol
Mohawk
North Butte M
ih
^nblmHstSi 83*
St Mary "a Laud « ,
^ftreo B “ ,0 “ A 104
Torrlßgroa Freren
l ntted Drug Ito
Vnited Fruit 130 l» 130 ' 1™ ZJ*
1 sited Shoe Mach 40$ <os 4 { ‘ J’S
VSSreßetiM <!*. «H 4 1$
VS Steel W»"s I®”*
ttah-Con-d 10 10 1® 3 ®
Vtah Met il 2 -
Ventura Oil « . • n ‘ *3
■Walworth MfgCe ME 30'- 2" A
Wor End St m 4Si, 481, 48 h 481,
WestinehMise Elee 42H Jyi
WoleerG. M 34 24 S 4
AmTE4T»I4> TVS
AtGiWISSVs T’S TJ*.
Mess G«« 4V».'31 SOH £}» *"7
swift aCo s'- am mu ws note
USUMUk'I 101-0* 101,'H 1W.04 IOXS#
dosw». r 100.00 ioo.ee woo 100.0#
ferA'i n».M 03.34
94.34 ».5O W’V as .14
talvi MT SS.tO 33.20 95.20 86.30
do4U'« U 33.90 OH.OO M'H 35.34
dwiS’s "-'8 93.90 0T.50 W.M 30.24
•Ex-div Mend.
The war industries board announces
that war relief organizations will con
tinue to receive their supply of knit
ting yarn to be made into woolen
garments for American soldiers and
sailors despite a program of restricted
production by rpinnera approved by
the board.
B mkmg and Financial
SPRINGFIELD
FIRE AND MARINE
INSURANCE COMPANY
CASH CAPITAL 52.500.000.00
A. WILLARD DAMON. President.
WM. J. MACKAY. Vice-President.
GEO. G. BULKLEY. 2d Vice-Pre*
EDWIN H. HILDRETH. Secretary.
PRIOLEAU ELLIS. Assistant Sec*y.
Oppenheimer 4 Field. 14 Fort St.
Springfield Agents:
FRANCIS H. WILLIAMS. Trea*
Heir Wanted— Men
ELDERLY men and nieu above draft may
obtain positions at the Northampton State
Hospital br wrtttnK to Dr J. A. Hous toe,
bnpt.. Northampton.
Help Wanted— Women
WANTED—Person to have chare* of the
nuraery department at Cblldrene Home,
Buckingham at. Call or write Mr* G. B.
Hall. 20 School at. Between 4 and 8 p. to.
11