May 8, 2017
This is “Our Past Is Present” from
the Geary County Historical Society.
This story
is titled “Save the Fat – Help Win The War”.
“One tablespoon of fat saved each day for a month will furnish one pound
of used fat to speed victory”. This was
a statement found in the “Junction City Daily Union” on May 28th
1945. The statement came from the Kansas
State College Extension Management Specialist.
She was reminding Kansas housewives of this vital volunteer duty to
assist with the war effort. “Fat
collection is lagging in small rural areas” she continued, “yet the need for
fats is as urgent as ever. Meat shortage
may make fat savings harder these days, but you may be missing ways to save
fat.” She went on to explain that “when
one opened a can of sardines, salmon or tuna, there was at least a tablespoon
of oil that could be poured into the fat salvage can. Also, if one parboiled the sausages that
county folk were so fond of, then the water should be saved so the fat could be
skimmed off; and of course, fried sausage yielded a lot of fat in the frying
pan. It was suggested that all scraps be
kept for one week in the ice box then melted down to pour into the salvage
can.” The extension agent then reviewed
what one pound of fat saved each month would do for the fighting men of
America. “It would help make 150 machine
gun bullets, make 6 bars of military soap, make 19 pounds of synthetic rubber
for ambulance tires and help supply the medicines to maintain one military
hospital bed for 12 days.”
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