Show it II War liar Dea Demands a ds Worlds World's fool Sc pp y I I I I Tho The present world war is causing an alarming shortage in the wool market market mar mar- ket In the tho United States More 1 sheep are no won our ranges than ever before before before be be- fore in tho history of the country but wool plays a decidedly important part partin partin partin in conducting war on a large scale The largeness of this part is brought within the reach of understanding bythe by bythe bythe the following facts and figures reprinted reprinted re reo printed by special permission from the Illustrated World Chicago In the first pine the United States is raising and equipping a huge army It must be clothed and blanketed andall and andall all clothing and blankets must be made of the best grade of long wool obtainable which never has been used before This Is the grade used in civil life me to make overcoats which at 50 suits which cost from 45 to 75 and and nd blankets which sell in stores for from 25 to 40 a pair I IAn An inkling of the Uie difficulties this j task involves may be gathered from Great Britain's s 's experience In m facing the s same me problem In August 1914 tho the British land forces numbered about men T Today day they are several millions During Dur Dur- Duri i ing the first twenty rn months of or tho the 1 war yards yards' of woollen cloth were called for from Great Britain Flannel used mostly in the manufacture manufacture ture of shirts aggregated yards About shirts were manufactured In twenty months b by y contractors contractors Of buttons alone were needed The demand on British industry fo for r woollen materials has beep been increased increase d s sixty one fold The British army to to- I I j i 1 day clay demands weekly nearly as many suits of clothes as formerly it consumed consumed con con- in twelve months Blankets were needed in enormous numbers and the British was not prepared to meet the demand By scientific organization and vigorous vigorous vigor vigor- ous action this deficiency was quickly made good In tho the period from Aug 1914 to March 31 1916 I I I wankers blankers were called for for six eighty times the ration of peace times 1 I I Owing to the fact that output is practically paralyzed by bythe the war the United States has been I called upon to furnish material for forI I use abroad almost surpassing the I 1 I amount which is being clipped for j I home use Durin During the time twelve months 1 ending June 1917 worth I of wool manufactures were shipped t out of tho the country as against II during the into same period of 1914 j I I Thousands of pounds of felt which Is made from old woollen clothing I I I blankets etc is being used in the manufacture of munitions and alit the I supply is to a great reat extent cO coming r r from the United States and South America In civilian life blankets last from five to twenty-five twenty years and clothIng clothing cloth cloth- I I Ing lag from one to five seasons But m in time of war clothing and blankets are often destroyed by a shell torn to ribbons on the barbed wire wino lost in III the mud or sunk in the sea The maximum max max- life of a garment In army service service ice is about four to six months and its minimum period of existence Is less than five minutes There are thousands of men fighting fighting fight fight- ing for the allies alUes today who are wearing wearing wear wear- ing uniforms of the poorest cotton cloth These Uncle Sam would like to help but at t the rite present time his future army army- of represents a large order on the wool market and andone one that America will have to hustle rustle to fill during the next twelve months |