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Show PRES. WILSON URGES SAVING PERISHABLES Addresses Secretary of Agriculture Agricul-ture Regarding Preservation Preserva-tion of Foods TWENTY- FOUR STATES INVOLVED IN ADDRESS Indorses Efforts of Secretary of Agriculture Agri-culture to Promote Canning, Dry-inc. Dry-inc. and Storage to PrcTent Waste of Vegetables and Fruits. President Wilson addressed to the Secretary of Agriculture the following follow-ing letter commending the plans of a special committee to encourage the canning, drying, preserving, and storing, stor-ing, as well as consumption of perishable perish-able fruits and vegetables especially in the twenty-four states where important im-portant surpluses of thse products are indicated. The President's letter reads as follows: fol-lows: Mr. Secretary and Gentlemen of the Committee: I very earnestly desire de-sire to commend your plans and to second your efforts to secure the conservation con-servation of surpluses of perishable food product.. Out of the depths of their patriotism the farmers of the Nation gave an immediate response to my appeal to increase production. Providence favored them and we have not only the incrensed crops of a number num-ber of staples but also tho certainty of a large production of fruits and vegetables. But increased production, important as it is, is only a part of the solution of the food problem. It is of the first importance that we take care of what I has been raised and make it available for consumption. This task is of peculiar pe-culiar urgency with reference to our perishable farm products. It is essential es-sential not only to secure their conservation con-servation but also to assist producers 1 in the matter of marketing. I am informed that in many sections sec-tions in which fruits and vegetables have been produced in abundance the people already are canning and drying dry-ing them in large quantities. But we should be content with nothing short of perfection of organization ami should be unwilling that anything should be lost. In this hour of peril, I am concerned, as I know you are, with the necessity of avoiding waste. Every bushel of potatoes properly stored, every pound of vegetables properly put by for future use, every jar of fruit preserved, add that much to our insurance of victory, add that much to hasten the end of this conflict. con-flict. To win we must have maximum efficiency in all directions. We can not win without complete and effective effec-tive concentration of all our efforts We can all aid by increasing our consumption of perishable products. Such of them as we can efficiently utilize, util-ize, we must utilize, and, by so doing, relieve the strain on our supply of staples. We must aim to consume these things locally so far as possible and thus relieve the pressure on transportation trans-portation agencies, freeing them for the more efficient handling of products pro-ducts required for military purposes. What we cannot presently consume we must conserve. The service we are asking the peo-i peo-i pie to perform in this matter is a public service. It is one primarily for the household. Upon the housewife house-wife much of the burden of the task will fall.. I join you in your appeal to the women of the Nation whether living in a city, town, or country, to devote their time, so far as it may be feasible and necessary, to the per formance of this very essential work. Among them some will be found who are fitted by experience to teach others, oth-ers, and they will put tlii kno a ledee whole heart edly at the service of their neighbors. I am sure that we may confidently count upon the cooperation of the editon of the Nation in disseminating disseminat-ing the necessary inform-ition. I am equally certain that the governors and the food committee i appointed by them in the States in which this problem is urgent will leave nothing undone to attack it promptly and to I ist in solving it. Faithfully yours, (Signed) WOODBOW WILSON. The states in whi-'h h" ivy production produc-tion ll Indicated and in which serious P"ilage of food will result unless unusual un-usual efforts are made by their citi- zens are: Arizona, Colorado, Connat ticut, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Vir-ginia, Wisconsin, Washington. The particular vegetables that have been raised in home yard gardens in cities and in rural communities are: Tomatoes, beets, potatoes, beans, su gar corn, peas, carrots. The fruits are: Peaches, pears, apples, and in somu of the states, blackberries. |