The St. Charles herald. [volume], August 17, 1918, Image 4

About The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993

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Oar Part in Feeding the Nation
i 'l*e- tat Information Service, United States Department of Agriculture.)
SECRECY GUARDS CROP REPORTS
- w.
\
y
Press Representatives Awaiting Signal for Release of Crop Report.
ACCURACY IS AIM'
IN CROP REPORTS
Department of Agriculture Gath
ers Information on Ameri
can Food Production.
STRICT SECRECY MAINTAINED
.It Forecasts Reflect Efforts of Farmers
forMaximum Yields and Have lm.
I s mediate and Marked Effect
ln ,i on Various Markets.
iL-tu
tostt r*e^en(lence of a large part of the
.of ii|k>tria upon American farm production
grairf 1 '** focused public attention upon the
Its i < r op reports of the United States de
wediPortraent of agriculture—reports which
g-epc'he United States government epon
*•><■« and protects from illegal use to
ne ultimate degree.
Just now the crop reports are re
lucting the efforts of American farm
rs for maximum production. "When
matt crops are reported the news
;rves to prepare the country and en
ble necessary adjustments.
Strict Secrecy Rules.
The crop reports, too. have an im
\ t-tUate and marked effect upon the
«.trkets. Their great Importance in
his Held has made necessary thorough
lifeguards against premature publica
tion arid unauthorized use. Every
i venue through which information
aiight be filtered from the locked
rooms where the reports are finally
prepared is closed and remains closed
until the second, when, as shown in
the picture, the signal for release is
given.
On "crop reporting day" at an hour
set months in advance, newspaper and
press association representatives gath
er in tlrfe main building of the depart
ment of agriculture. Each has near
it hand a telephone already connected
with hi« office and at the other end of
'he Ifn« Is a man equipped with a
"»tank crop reporting form. Shortly
>efore the moment set copies of the
completed crop reports are placed on
a table, face down, and each news
paper man gets his hand on one. At
tie signal, given by a high official of
the department, the newspaper men
get to their telephones and In a very
few minutes more the coveted infor
mation Is being read in every large
market in the United States and the
next duy, at the latest, It is available
iu every community of the United
States aid in the larger markets of
foreign countries.
Big Organization Works.
The "release" of the crop reports
follows v ork In which tens of thou
sands and sometimes hundreds of thou
sands of persons all over the country
have 'participated.
Distributed over the country are 42
salaried field agents, one In each state
>r group of small states. The bureau
it.so employs ten crop specialists, one
"ach for cotton, rice and tobacco, who
travel through the regions in which
their special crops are grown. In
addition there are approximately 175,
'>00 voluntary crop reporters, includ
ing fount j and township reporters and
producers, buyers and handlers of
graii' and live jtock.
Tabulation of Crop Information.
The returns from each class of re
porters are tabulated and averaged
separately as a check against the
others.
To prevent a total for any of the
so-called speculative crops, such as
corn, wheat, oats, barley, rye and cot
<x*u, from becoming known to any per
son prior to the time fixed In advance,
<*ven the tabulators and computers
who make up the totals do not know
the stntes to which they pertain. The
demi telegraphic reports and comments
■>( the field agents relating to the spec
ulative crops are kept locked in the
office of the secretary of agriculture
until crop reporting dafc when they
are turned over to the crop reporting
board and the entire board is Im
mediately locked in until the minute
that the report is issued, guards being
stationed at the doors and all tele
phones disconnected.
Each member of the crop reporting
board prepares bis own individual and
independent estimate for each crop
and state. These are compared, dis
crepancies are discussed and ex
plained and a final figure is adopted
by the board.
Data Complete.
The crop reporting board has be
fore it more complete, detailed and
accurate data than any other crop
estimating agency in the world. Mem
bers of the board and all other depart
ment employees concerned with crop
estimates are prohibited by law under
severe penalties from speculating In
any product "of the soil," from giving
out advance information and from
knowingly compiling or issuing false
statistics.
ACCURACY OF CROP RE
PORTS.
Wherever It has been possible
to secure an absolute check the
crop reports of the department
of agriculture have usually been
found to be surprisingly accu
rate.
Wheat will be added to the
few crops for which an addi
tional check will be made avail
able through the new require
ments by which all threshermen
must report to the bureau of
markets of the department the
quantity of wheat thrashed and
the acreage from which It was
produced.
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦»♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦»♦»A
No Open House for Rats.
Do not keep "open house" for rats
by leaving basement doors ajar for
ventilation without proper safeguards,
The management of a large depart
ment store in an eastern city recently
had a very expensive lesson in this
regard. Rats had been doing damage
to the extent of nearly $1,000 a month,
but by persistent trapping were finally
exterminated. The building was then
made "rat-proof." But after a tlm«
rats were again at their work of d&
8truction.
Puzzled to know how the pests had
gained entrance, the management
learned that in summer the night
watchman was accustomed to lenve a
basement door open for ventilation.
Naturally the rats entered and am
other campaign of extermination had
to be waged. This expense could eas.
ily have been prevented, says the bu>
reau of biological survey of the depart j
ment of agriculture, If a piece of sheet
Iron three feet high had been placed
across the doorway and the sides o'
the doorway sheeted with metal
or otherwise made smooth so that rati
could not gain a foothold. Rats can
not climb over such barriers, as thej
do over mesh or crossed wires.
PACKING FRUIT FOR MARKE1
Good, Clean and Attractive Package!
Count for More Than Inexperienced
Man Realizes.
The commercial grower knows tha'
good clean packages and honest attrac
tive packs count a great deal— mon
than the inexperienced man realizes
Fruit coming from the Pacific coast
where good packages and professional
packers are appreciated, finds a read|
sale and good prices. Eastern grower!
have learned many a lesson In fruli
packing from their Western brothers
The Western product outsells that pro
dueed in the Central and Easten
states because of the very attractlv»
pack of the former. While the qnal
Ity of certain classes of the Paclfli
grown fruit Is no better than Easten
grown stock, yet It Is so carefully sort
ed and packed that It at once catche)
the eye of the fruit purchasers anl
adds at least 25 per cAit to the selling ;
value of Western grown fruit. |
F=
:f Kaiser Defeated Allies United States
Would Carry on the War
By ALBERT J. BEVERIDGE, Former United Sûtes Senator From Indian*
•■ar
fi
Ev< ii if a> by a miracle < Jennany mu ordeil in
overwhelming «ne allies, the I'nited Stales would carry
on the war single handed until the Herman government
admitted its defeat.
Americans are unbreakably united for this war
on tlie solid ground that we went into it because we
were attacked, and wnile the war lasts all discussion
of all war purposes that will divide the country ought
to have been avoided. But advocates of an interna
tional league to enforce peace declare that one of tho
principal objects for which America went into the war
is the erecting of this international house of dreams, which, if it stands,
will imprison us and if it falls will crush us.
If the league should fail to impose its will on the world, wo, as a
member of it, would be bound to lake part in any war wherever waged,
that the majority of the league decided upon, no matter whether the
American people want to do so or not. A league to enforce peace would
have restrained us from making war on »Spain; in our Civil war a
league would have intervened and the question as to whether the Ameri
can mpion should be divided would have been settled by a vote of foreign
nations. Take for instance the problem of Mexico. If we became a mem
ber of a league to enforce peace we would have no more to say about
Mexico than would Holland or Serbia. American interests, rights and
honor, as affected in Mexico, would be at the mercy of a majority vote
of every nation, friendly and hostile.
Whole United States Has Become a Nation
of German Exterminators
By WILLIAM F. PAYNE, New York
The lied Cross campaign just closed has demonstrated that hereafter
the United States will have no goals or quotas when it »starte out to raise
money for war needs.
The country was not out for any goal. It was out to raise mouey
for the lied Cross, and got it. No city oversubscribed its quota, even
though it raised five times the minimum amount put down for it. We
have got the American idea at least—have found ourselves. We will show
the stuff out of which we are made in Liberty Loan campaigns, in Y. M.
C. A. campaigns, etc., from now on until the Hun is blown off the face
of the earth. Frankly I do not know of a reason why Germany should
he left on the face of the earth. It is difficult to see where there will ba
a place in the scheme of things for a nation of murderers of women and
children. This war is certainly a war against the German people, who
have become criminals, and if it had not been criminal at heart it never
would have followed the Ilohenzollern murderers as it has followed them.
The war has come around to a single issue, and that issue is, "Blow
Germany to hell." , If there are still men in America who are not recon
ciled to this policy there are internment camps in Georgia and in Utah
amply suited to their needs.
Italy's Break With Former Allies to Join
in Great War Explained
By PROF. GRANT SHOWERMAN. Uairemty of Wucoium
Italy's war is a people's war. She entered spurred by sympathy with
Trieste and the Trentino, by the accumulated hatred of a hundred yean
for the Austrian tyrant and by indignation at the arrogance and brutality
of the Teutonic powers.
First, Italy promptly and decidedly refused to obey the summons oi
Germany and Austria to come to their aid. This she was able to dc
without any manner of unfaithfulness to the triple alliance, because il
required her to support only in case of defensive war and because Austria
herself had violated the terms of the alliance by altering the status oi
the Balkan territories without previous arrangement with Italy. In thii
way Italy declared to the world her condemnation of German and Aus
trian aggression.
Secondly, at the beginning of hostilities Italy promptly withdrew
her troops from the French frontier, thus not only signifying her friend
liness toward France but making possible the transfer and use of 400,00C
soldiers in the campaign which ended in the victory of the Marne. Noth
ing could have got the Italian army and navy to fight against England
and France.
Thirdly, when Italy did finally take up arms it was at the time oi
Russian retreat and reverse for the allies. She entered the war then as a
people rather than a mere government. Such was the intensity of their
passions that the Italian ministry faced no less a question than that oi
war or. re volution.
Effort to Stamp Out Idleness Should Have
Approval of All Americans
By C. O. HOWARD. New York
Governoi Whitman's effort to stamp out idleness among the men wIig
»re able to work and will not work certainly ought to have the hearty
approval of all Americans. If the Whitman :dea—to make all loafen
subject to a fine of $100—were followed in other states, it would go a long
way toward extirpating pro-German sentiment. It is a fact, easily dem
onstrated by investigation, that a large percentage of the slackers—and
this is but another name for loafers—are pro-German in their sentiment
They will not work, because in the first place they are opposed to work
constitutionally, and also because they are against America and for Ger
many. It is not only the rich young fellows who are idle but a great
many others who scratch out an existence by avoiding work and living on
others—social parasites. It would be a good thing if our young women
wmtV *- the «lackers in America as the young women of Cauad#
b ---fused to enlist.
STDR'ES« g
f . • t ' f & 1 'i Xy i
Mrs. Brown Bear Resented Spouse's Playfulne
AN FRANCISCO.- —Crlm trngerly hangs over Rear Hollow ln '■ 1,1v ''
(lie rump—tragedy symbolized by :i weeping s-poii.*»« w i<>
R>f. hifi-s) gulden star to be
/
I to (he honor roll of Uri-nt Lakes. From
I he time of their enrollment as rookh «
in detention two weeks ago, -lohn and
Susie Rear led an Ideal life. John
would nose out the choicest tidbit.«
from his daily rations and slip them tn
Susie for dessert, and Susie in turn
would lie for hours scratching John »
hack.
Rut behind this lovely picture of
conjugal bliss stalked the specter of
death. Yesterday morning, it appears,
John upon being awakened by tb*
rosy hues of dawn reached over am
gave Susie a hear hug. Her eyes Muttering open, Susie reciprocated by wu'
^ _ ..... , • »... . 1«, a i ..._ 1 .. ,.<■« noetl I t/ifl In Itkil
hit
Haw two yards of fur off John's spinal column
t
o
rave Susie a hear hug. 1 1er eye# Muttering open, Susie reciprocal.«« uj "lo
oping John playfully In the Jaw. This bit of tenderness resulted in John
•kiting Susie on the left hind foot, a display of affection which led Susie to
•law two yards of fur off John's spinal column.
John was quite willing to let It. go at that for the time being. Lnt the
love of a woman, once aroused. Is a dangerous thing, especially that of a
cave-lady.
"Somebody had better hurry and rescue Johnnie Bear!" shouted a re
emit, rushing Into Ensign Sharpe's office a few minutas Inter. "Susie's go
him down und Is lilting und tearing the hide off'n him.''
wr . .1 .1..........I t „ *U,i. IT/.ILm- l«nf if li'lia fntk Ijltf»
win mm i fin ink tut- umc tfiL ii liuu.
a ,»» n»e guard dashed into Bear Hollow—but it was too late.
Even as they appeared, John rolled out front Susie'- » , .rra-«ni , ' 1U
Members of i lit
y u
glassy eyes staring int
_ ie's claws-and lay with
'»ring into the blue heavens. He was dead. A post-mortem
examination disclosed the fact that a blood vessel had been ruptured by th*
excitement.
Dumfounded
by
the result of the unleashin
was overcome by grief. Last night it vv
to bear heaven.
uiiit-u.-iiin* "f her affections, Susi«
us thought she mtry follow her mal«
Mystery of Intoxicated Cows Is Now Explained
T RoI'ICO. CAL.—The cows thought it was a perfectly delightful fast in»
weed. So they ate and ate and ate and—.so on. But when the chemist*
analyzed the milk produced by a certain Tropico dairy company recently anl
ordered the proprietor arrested as a
MAR IWTLO ous
CRAiS -WEB
ARB CFTTinC
Hie - now -
u
¥
bootlegger, things began to happen.
First of all, Tropico is dry—bone
dry. It turned as arid ns a sandhill
several months ago. And liquor held
by the police, taken In confiscation
raids, had no place In the Tropico jail.
The court ordered It destroyed.
Accordingly, the officers of the law
took keg after keg of It. knocked out
the heads of the barrels, and let the
contents of barrels and bottles ran
down the gutters. However, It chanced
that the gutters In Tropico are level affairs, and if there Is enough Ikpaid
a good part of It usually runs "every which way." And it so happen**) that
a large quantity of rich yellow liquor settled ou the ground where a Tropic«
dairyman had pastured his cows.
And several weeks Inter the unsuspecting bovines chewed down a nni
Iter of the tall weeds that so suddenly had sprung up in the pastnre.
And—also—that is why the milk sold by the Tropico dairy had smelt a
faintly satisfying odor, and taste.
Careful Investigation of the milk revealed a certain small percentage o<
alcohol. It is said. The dumfounded cotv owner so valiantly proteste«! his
Innocence of any bootlegging scheme that an Investigation of the feed àf du
cows subsequently was made, resulting la the discovery of the mystertm»
booze weed.
For want of a better name, residents of Tropico have named the weed
"Intoxlco." The cows have been taken ont of the field where tbe weed wai
discovered aud a careful watch of its growth is being recorded.
LrU.
"Sweethearts' Evening" Proves Great Attraction
N EW YORK.—From now on every evening will be "sweethearts' evening"
at the new Enlisted Men's club. In the Broadway Congregational taber
nacle, at Fifty-sixth street and Broadway. This announcement was made by
Capt. William It. Feam, who has
charge of the club, after the first
"sweethearts" evening, which was
unanimously voted a great success by
those present. Not only are sweet
hearts of army and navy men wel
come. but wives, mothers, sisters and
girl friends are ufged to attend.
Pilgrim Hall, the basement of th«
church, has been fitted up for tbe mil
formed men, and It will be used for
r«st and recreation quarters for th«
duration of the war.
"What I like best Is to talk to a pretty girl," said one khaki-etad yooe*
man. "That Is what all we fellows like best, only some of us haven't Mrt<>
enough to speak it out," he added In confiding to Captain Feam.
The club Is open from eleven o'clock iu the morning to eleven o'doek at
night, and at all times there are older women and men on hand who. In addi
tion to trying to make it pleusant for tho soldiers and seamen, will serve as
chaperons.
There are four shower baths, and last Saturday 40 men used them. Th*
army men take to water more than the navy men. There are several table«
of billiards, and these can be used ut any time except during Sunday services
There is a large library.
There are 40 small green tables with white tops and green chairs about
them. Here, Taris style, meals are served. Dinner is .'Î0 cents and luncheon
2o cents. Religion is tabooed, so that Jews and Catholics will feel as welcome
as Protestants.
$
Peevish Parrot Makes Trouble for Its Owner
P HILADELPHIA.—There Is n parrot on the third floor, hack, of an apar*
ment house that 1ms displayed, according to testimony In the police court,
some evidence of being a music critic. The bird does IV»t hesitate to re
monstrate In no mild language when
vocal selections of neighboring ten
ants displease. Mrs. Pauline Mirhael
son. owner of the bird, acted as de
fendant iu a summons case.
K. S. Jasper, tenant in the first
fli»or front, was the complainant. He
charged that Mrs. Michaeison was re
sponsible for the parrot's annoying
nttitude. Mrs. Michaeison said that
the bird only remonstrated when vocal
selections rendered by Mr. Jasper as
he awakes each morning are wafted
through the alrshaft window. Mr. Jasper told the magistrate that he did not
trifle with music, and he could hardly recall when the last hote was uttered
by his lips
The magistrate knows that no parrot, no matter how innocent he miy
appear tripling about his cage, la limited In Its vocabulary. Taking all
phases of the case Into consideration and resting his Judicial head on his arm
on the desk, he meditated for a while and finally announced that a parrot
with an unlimited vocabulary should not be limited to the confines of a eaire
and he believed that It would Improve the disposition of the parrot if it wJr.
allowed the freedom of the Michaeison home.
The magistrate directed »Mrs. Michaeison to release the bird if .t.
wished to prese- ' ~ she consented.
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