Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 126, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 June 1917 — Page 2

American Farmers Will Win The Great War

I Without food for I /• neither the United States I nor her Allies can 1 crush the enemy ::The / \ great corn crop may / \ be the real life / \ saver for us / 4P ROBERT H. MOULTON

4 HE farmers of the United States ||l are on the firing line of the great * war today. Their plows are worth y<- —II many cannon. The seed they sow /7 EglhlU* * s wor th regiments of men. For no army can fight without foo(l and “° ua,lon can sustain " ar fe ' without food. The allies, our allies, are beginning to ee l t,ie P want, not in the same degree as the people ’of central Europe, but that will come unless America puts forth all her energies to supply them. But it is most essential to feed America first. Even now a large class of onr people are feeling the weight of food shortage. Food riots and partial famine are threatened by crop failure in the United States, go it is up to the American farmer to do his best. Many conditions have contributed to bring about the situation in which there are hunger riots In a land so rich naturally. Much of the shortage of food is primarily due to costly habits of eating which for many decades have been holding all classes in their clutch. The time is at hand when the nation will appreciate the many valuable articles which before Columbus came the Indians were developing. There are many food products native to the Western world which have been unaccountably neglected. The most striking examples of unused value in foods is the corn crop. Every other nation in the world Is eager for American corn, and yet this cheap and highly nutritious cereal is neglected in the land which is its main source of supply. What wheat was to the armies-of old, corn could be to the forces of the United States.r * The legions of Hannibal and of Caesar subsisted on the whole wheat; Gaul’s conqueror in his “Commentaries’’ tells how soldiers chewed frumentum as they marched. To this day Roman and Punic skeletons are unearthed on the old battlefields of Europe and the skulls are firm and hard because of the valuable salts and bone-building constituents which came from the wheaten diet of the ancient soldiery.

Corn is no less valuable as a builder of brave and sturdy men. The favorite ration of Davy Crockett was parched and ground corn, which he carried with him into the depths of the forest. It was a saying of his that if a man had a gun and ten pounds of parched corn he could easily live a year. His diet was a trick learned from the Indians. who were able to withstand .the fatigues of ■warpath and hunting trail because of this simple and quickly assimilated food. The corn, rich in starch and protein, parched until it was made quickly digestible, was rttlxed with water. A cupful of this most simple of all the elixirs had the effect of almost instantly .strengthening the tired body. The government of the United States urges upon the people of this country that at least one-fourth part of cornmeal be addecLto wheaten flour tn the ' making of bread. As a matter of fact; earn has been used In the form of a tine flour for centuries by various tribes of Indians, and when well enough ground it is fully as palatable as the wheaten product. The coarse cornmeal bears littje resemblance to the impalpable powder of corn which the primitive races of this continent made by grinding between istones and that by hand. The outer covering of the kernels Is scraped off after soaking them in * bot water to' which a little lye has been added. This flour is mixed with wafer at times, and the*' white liquid resulting is quaffed with much relish. It is an emergency ration of the highest food value. Whittier has sung the praises of the dish of eamp and milk by homespun beauty poured. The flominy block in the time of Daniel Boone was an gdjunct of the cabin of ever.! settler. It stood at the edge of clearings as a mark of the diet to which those steel-thewed pioneers looked for strength. The johnnycake and the com pone of the hardy mountaineers of the South bear abundant testimony to the body-building qualities of the staple from which they are derived. , Corn enters into the composition of patent break-

fast foods, but long before the days of cartons and bright labels the Indians were making corn dishes which for delicacy of flavor and dietetic value put the products of this modern day to shame. They also constructed flapjacks which literally, melted in the. mouth. The tortillas of the Central American countries are a form of corn which appeals* to travelers. The tortilla is made of corn flour and Is a first cousin of the pancake. Before it cools it is rolled up and a surprise party put inside it,, usually a little highseasoned meat. It is then kept for future use. A favorite breakfast in the Central American cnnm tries, consists of two tortillas which have been Cheated before the fire. They and a cup of coffee are enough to satisfy even the hungriest Indian. Totopztil tastes much better than it sounds. It is a very thin, light wafer made by the Indians in

What the Insignia On Uniforms Means

- ■ —— ■ 1 In times of peace by means of the amount of gold braid and shiny buttons displayed the aver-age-man could usually guess the rank of an -officer within a few-grades, but In the stern days of war, when officers and men are clad alike in businesslike khaki, there is little to tell a private from a yiajor. There is, of course, a method in this, for it . would not do in niodean warfare to make officers conspicuous to the enemy. In all branches of the service, infantry, cavalry and artillery, the same symbols or insignia of rank are used. The corporal, at the bottom of the scale of officers, is., distinguished from the private by the chevron, consisting of two bars on the right sleeve. In . the case of the sergeant, next, highest in rank, the chevron is of three inverted V-shaped bars. All enlisted men. including these non-com-missioned officers, wear on one side of their coats or blouses a bronze button with the number of their organization, and in relief crossed rifles for the infantry, crossed sabers for the cavalry and crossed cannon for the artillery. Coast and field artillerymen may be distinguished by the fact that in the case of the former in addition to thq cannon there is a shell at the point of intersection of the cannon. . . The second lieutenant, -lowest in rank of the , may be distinguished from the enlisted man, despite the fa.ct that he wears no insignia on his shoulder straps, by the gold marking on his collar. This symbol, as in the case of the enlisted men, is of crossed rifles, sabers or cannon,, according to the branch of the service, and is worn by all regimental officers. On the other side of the collar, are the letters “U. S.” in gold. Infantry officers may be distinguished by the fact that the latter wear canvas leggings, while the officers have tan leather leggings. First lieutenants have a silver bar on their shoulder straps, while captains have two tfars. Of the field office?*, the major wears a gold leaf, and the colonel a silver spread eagle. The brigadier general has one silver star, and the major general.

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN, RENSSELAER, IND.

the southern part of this continent. The corn from tyhlcli The cake is made is first slightly parched and then pounded to a fine dust. The cakes are flakelike and*not much thicker than wrapping paper. They are carried in small bags thrown over the shoulders of the hardy Indians. Totopztil is dry and crumply and yet delicious in flavor as well, as sustaining in its qualities. The biscuit and crackers of civilization are tame in flavor as compared with this aboriginal provender. Corn flourishes In the fertile bottom of the middle West, under the lee of the mesas of Arizona, ami “even “TJT“ regions* of “the’ Northwest, “Where_uiLtil recently it had a hard time to escape the frost. One of the.greatest gifts which the Indiana bestowed upon the world was this grain of gold. The general impression is that the-redskin was merely a hunter, when in reality he was a walking experimental agricultural station. It is one of the favorite outdoor- pastimes of the Indians of the Southwest to laugh at the goffernment agricultural experts who have from lime to time been sent out there to teach them liow to grow corn. The Indians profess great interest, and not to appear unappreciative, they used to plant corn patches alongside those of the federal apostles of modern farming. The government corn came up bright and green and soon withered away, while that of the Indians flourished like weeping willows by the j-iver’s brink. The Indians in order to avoid the killing dryness often lodged the kernels three and four feet below the surface in the bottomof holes made by their planting sticks. Hence the development of the deep-growing corn which, often raises only its ear s above the surface. The corn or maize is essentially a tropical plant which had its origin in Mexico and was adapted to this climate by the Indians. The agricultural secrets of the Mandan Indians have recently been applied in the Dakotas with such success that the domain of the tasselcrowned King Corn has been much extended. The introduction of the Indian methods have made it possible for the farmers to grow a corn which can be harvested within GO days after it is planted and thus escape the frosts which would ruin it ’even In its maturity. Corn, therefore, should be an ideal food for both the soldiery and the civil population, for it now may be raised abundantly in practically every part of the country. Vast tracts could be devoted to the grain and many crops could be harvested. In winter the Americans could learn the value of the hqg and hominy, of the flavor of that delectable compound of cornmeal and pig’s head, known as scrapple, and could eat with zest fried mush and corn cakes. The summer would bring them corn flour and polenta, ajpl many other foods derived from the yellow cereal.

the highest officer in our array at present, has twa silver stars. The campaign hats —broad-brimmed felt hats* with stiff brims—afford another clue to the arm to which the wearer belongs. The hats of all enlisted men are alike, but the hat cord around the crown reveals by its color the branch of the service to which the man belongs. A blue cord signifies infantry, a yellow cord cavalry, and a red cord artillery, either coast or field. The men of the quartermaster’s corps have buff, the engineering corps red and white, the signal corps orange and white, and the hospital corps maroon and white hat cords. Officers of all branches wear gold and black hat cords, the insignia on their collars being the only indications of rank. The Insignia of the quartermaster’s corps is a winged wheel crossed by a key and sword, of the engineering corps three turrets, and of the signal corps crossed flags. . There are a few other emblems, but these are the most important. In addition to the hat cords used in the service there are frequently seen on the streets the red, white and blue cords of the men who have been at Plattsburg or other camps, but who are not actually in the service. The home-defense men “wear green and white hat cords and slate-colored uniforms to distinguish them from the regulars •—New York Sun.

PROTESTS OF ESTEEM.

Ms Bllgglns a patriot?” « “I don’t know/ He says he loves his country.” “That ought to settle it.” “Well, he says he loves his family, too. If he doesn’t treat his country any better than he does his family I doubt whether his love for country will make much difference.”

EXPENSIVE INTELLECT.

“Old Bostely says he has a miHion-dollar brain,” observed the man who was always picking up choice bits of Information. “He’s quite right,” answered the other; “it would cpst him fully that much to find But what’s the matter with it.”

Kin Hubbard Essays

PROF. ALEX TANSEY ON “THE .MODERN COLLEGE EDUCATION” .

While posin’ fer his annual haircut yisterday, Professor Alex Tansey, o’ Tharp’s Run School, Number nine, wuz lamentin’ th’ unusually poor quality o’ intellect bein’ turned out by our schools an’ colleges these days o’ athletics an’ cigarettes. He says he reckons ther haint two students in th’ middle West that knows th’ difference between specific an’ advalorem. An’ th’ worst o’ it is, he says, they don’t seem t’ care. He says It’s little lessen remarkable how gracefully a student kin glide thro’ college these days without bein’ infected—without even absorbin’ somethin’ thro’ dally an’ constant contact. A boy’ll come out o’ college wit ft sunburnt arms an’ a chubby briar pipe an’ pose around fer

He Had Only Found One Student in Three Hundred That claimed t' Know Anything About Aristotle, an’ He Said It Wuz Some Kind o’ Specially Prepared Paper That Wuz Used by Fertographers.

a year er two an’ then start in t’ find somethin’ that jist suits him. Professor Tansey says a college career is a mighty pretty thing t’ look back on in after years, but that it don’t git you nothin’ unless ther’s somethin’ in your noodle that wuz already there. This thing o’ sayin’: “Father got by without knowln’ nothin’ ” won’t do. If father wuz Successful he must o’ had somethin’ besides a standin’ broad jump record an’ a diploma. It’s true lots o’ merchant princes don’t know what altruism is, but they know how t’ add an’ subtract. You’d naturally think that a boy er girl that tries f graduate from a school er college without knowin’ how t* spell would be detected an’ detained by th’ professor, but somehow they gain their liberty.

Weddln’ couples are beginnin’ t’ return t’ ther ole stampin’ grounds —t’ th’ scenes o’ ther engagement days, th’ happiest days they’ll ever know agin. They are tired an’ grimy and disillusioned. Some have bathed in th’ crystal waters o’ Cedar Point, some have walked solemn-faced thro’ th’ historic precincts o’ George Washin’ton’s ole home at Mt. Vernon, some have crawled thro’ th’ mud o’ Mammoth Cavb, some have mingled in th’ gayety o’ Atlantic City, while some have returned sun-browned from '"th’ croquet grounds of inland resorts. A hot, sticky w’eddin’ trip in midsummer must be a beautiful experience —all th’ way t’ Nlagary Falls In a yeller day coach, half embedded In egg shells an’ spillin’ baked beans on th’ red plush seats at ever’ lurch o’ th’ train. A groom dressed In a tight flttln’ black forced sale suit covered with cinders an ’a big brown derby hat that

Then Comes th’ Photo Studio an’ They Git Took Together Settin' In a Dummy Airplane, th’ Groom With a Se-gar in His Mouth an’ His Hat Tilted Back.

won’t hang anywhere an’ a high oneply La Verdad collar an’ a unmanageable necktie. An’ a bride pinned t’gether in a travelin’ suit o’ blue serge that turns red on th’ shoulder next t’ th’ window an’ a hat o’ her own creation. They .spend th’ first' day at th* Falls among th’ souvenir pustal booths an’ Ice cream cope bazars. Then comes th’ photo studio an’ they git took t’gether settin’ in a aeroplane, th’ groom with a se-gar in his mouth an’ his hat tilted back. Th’ bride places her left hand on bis shoulder (ring showin’) an’ in her other hand she clutches a red goblet bearin’ th’ inscription, “Prom Cecil t’ Myrt. Niagary Falls. 1917.” How happy they are j—she can't see th’ Falls fer her new ring, while hl? breast swells with

Some time ago a’ Princeton professor said that he had only found one student in three hundred that claimed t’ know anything about Aristotle, an’ he said it wuz some kind o’ a specially prepared paper that wuz used by fertographers. Ther’s lots o’ Yale men movin’ around t’day in th’ best circles that think Pogugal is a minin’ town in West Virginia an’ that hominy is th’ chief food o’ th’ crowded inhabitants of Indlanny. It would be fun t’ know jist what percent o’ th’ big, robust ex-students o' th.’ average college know that th’ 1 United States has t’ import beans ans that ther’s two R’s in February. Anybuddy would think that a young man who struggles fer a education byj

cleanin’ wall paper an’ weedin’ onionsi In th’ summer time t’ git his tuition money would finally come out o’ th” battle with a little dash ,o’ information, but they seem t’ be immune too. I asked one th’ other day what initiative an’ referendum meant an’ he said its wuz unheard of when he went t’ college. When Miss Mazie Bud was writing her graduatin’ essay this spring she asked her teacher who th’ Pilgrim Fathers wuz, an’ her teacher said, “I r don’t know, dear. I'only heard they . come over." I don’t know which Is th’ most useful in makin’ a livin’ these days, a planner er a education. Th’ more folks are supposed t’ know th’ poorer they seem t’ be, but you kin mortgage a planner.

HONEYMOON DAYS

a feelln’ o’ security as he notices, hid* den between two ones, a five that hasn’t been broken. Long before they strike th’ state line on th’ return trip th’ groom falls int’ a meditative state an’ begins t” realize fer th’ first time that he’ll have t’ be some contortionist t’ make both ends meet on his weekly wage. He begins t’ feel that he should have held off fer another year—till he had another suit o’ clothes. He wonders ’f his bride is stocked up on clothes an’ if her teeth are plugged. As he enumerates th’ extra added features o’ married life th’ fear that he’ll be reduced t’ stogies seizes him an th’ scenery along th’ route loses its charm. Them th’ ole happy past looms up—when he boarded at home fer nothin’ an’ didn’ have anything on his mind but his hair an’ a little dash o’ violet water. How he used t' lean agin th’ courthouse fence in th’ evenin’ an’ smoke long,

fragrant La Zaras till It wuz - dark enough t’ set on her verandy among th’ sweet smellin’ honeysuckles an’ talk o’ love. How he whistled “Sweet Marie” all th’ way home, an’ how his dear ole mother’s voice called down t’ him not t* strike matches on th’ hall wall paper. How he crept int’ his chamber an’ put his tuberose buttonhole bouquet tenderly between th’ well thumbed pages o’ “Which Loved Him Best.” Then he looks at his bride. .She is fast asleep an’ a half eaten, tvedge o’ custard pie reposes among th* banana peels in her lap. Her little ■feet are cocked up on ther pasteboard suitcase an’ a sweet smile lights up her girlish face. She is drearnin’ o* th’ future. (Copyright, Adams Newspaper Service*