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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. !/ \ \