Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 168, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 August 1917 — RETURNS HOME FROM LONDON [ARTICLE]

RETURNS HOME FROM LONDON

HARVESTER COMPANY EXPERT WHO SPENT FIVE MONTHS IN ENGLAND HERE. A. J. Gaston, who for a number of years has worked out of the Kankakee, 111., office of the International Harvester Company, is here,, this week assisting Kellner & Callahan in adjusting some farm tractors and in erecting some new machinery. Mr. Gaston left the United States, sailing from New York on March 13, and arriving in Liverpool on March 23. He should have gotten away earlier in the year but had some considerable delay in getting the proper papers and the company had considerable trouble in getting proper insurance. A policy of $5,000 was at last secured, for which his company had to pay a very heavy premium. The passenger vessel on which Mr. Gaston made his trip over was convoyed and while they were in constant dread no mishap was experinced. With him were five others of the harvester company’s men. It is understood that this company is selling the British government a large number of small tractors. The farms over there are all the way from one to ten acres but every inch is made to produce to its graetest capacity? On account of the war only those factories that produce munitions of war are running. There is an abundance of work and everybody is prosperous. Of course the very best manhood of the country has been sent to war and one is very liable to form an incorrect opinion of the country judging it from the standard of the men now in England. We have heard quite a little discussion about machinery being cheaper in England than in the Unitec States. This is not true at this time. In England they use a small binder which cuts but five feet and it sells for $225. Kelner & Callahan sell the large eight-foot binder here for $175. This, Mr. Gaston says, is true of all machinery.

In going out and into the country they were not allowed to use an automobile, as gasoline is 90c a gallon there and its use is prohibited except for special business purposes. Kerosine is 24c a gallon. It, would seem that these prices for fuel would be too high for tractors, but the war has almost depleted the country of horses and also the feed is too high for them. Mr. Gaston’s hotel bill was over $4 per day and his rations were very limited. The menus of all hotels are regulated by law and no one can get more than the amount designated, which seems pretty limited. A daily allowance of 5 ounces of meat and one ounce of bread was the limit and it was absolutely impossible to get more. Early in the year they were allowed to have potatoes but once a week and the price of potatoes was about $24 per bushel. Before he left potatoes were more plen- z tiful and their use was not so severely restricted. The price went as low as 9c per pound. Mr. Gaston was in Ireland and found that not so many of the inhabitants of this island had gone to war. He says the Irish people are not anxious to help in the war. He fedls that if they will agree among themselves that England will grant them home rule. One cannot get much information in reference to the war from the London papers. The American papers give much fuller accounts of all happenings. He is quite sure, however, that conditions of the allies are not worse than we have been informed that they are. People over there who would talk expressed the opinion that there will be at least two more years of the war. They have every faith in the final crushing of Germany. Mr. Gaston was in London the date of the German air raid, July 7th. He was in the main part of this city near the postoffice and got a good sight qf the German air planes and while they were some 3,000 feet in the air, yet he could distinguish the German from the English planes. As they approached directly over the place Mr. Gaston ran to a viaduct and a bomb was dropped within a block of this, killing 49 and injuring 150 people. There were 34 German planes and they were driven off by 18 British machines. Mr. Gaston made the return trip with eight other International men late in July. While he did not see their, convoy he was informed that it had shelled a submarine when they were only a day out. The large passenger ship on which he returned was accompanied by another of the same kind and also by a large freight vessel. He is of the opinion that there is not much danger of submarines injuring the fast passenger boats. The return trip was made in eight days and outside of a little nervousness was enjoyed very much by Mr. Gaston. He said that the good old U. S. looked mighty fine to him and that he was indeed glad to get back.