the results of this shortage. An owner of a boot-shop was prosecuted
by the police for having 70 pairs of good shoes which he would sell
only in exchange for butter or bacon. (_Brunswick Volksfreund_,
January 16, 1918.)


THE SITUATION IN THE UNITED STATES

The United States has great resources of vegetable oils, cottonseed,
peanut, corn, and olive oil. It is this apparent plenty that makes
it so difficult for many to visualize the shortage abroad. We are
shipping about one-third of the lard which we produce, and large
quantities of oleo oil for oleomargarine. Although the exports of
butter in 1917 have almost been doubled since the preceding fiscal
year, it is relatively unimportant, representing only about 1 per
cent of the production. We are shipping cottonseed oil also, but this
requires tank-steamers, which are scarce. In general, as the oils are
much more difficult to handle and impossible for the armies to use, we
must ship the solid animal fats.

_The Individual's Part in Fat Conservation_. Although at present
there is butter and lard on the market, the need for conserving
it is important, just as in the case of meat. WASTE OF ANY KIND
SHOULD BE ABHORRENT TO ALL OF US AT THIS TIME. There probably
has been a greater waste of fat than of any other commodity, but
it is encouraging to note that this waste has been decreased by
conservation. The amount of fat in city garbage has gone down all over
the country. In Columbus, Ohio, the fat in the garbage was almost 50
per cent less in 1917 than in 1916. In fourteen large cities with a
total population of over 5,000,000 nearly 40 per cent less fat was