Acute Shortage

A native of Detroit met a friend on Broadway, Manhattan.

"When are you going back to Detroit?" asked Friend.

"This evening," said Detroiter.

"No, no. Don't do it. You had better stay over tomorrow and see the parade."

"What parade?" asked Detroiter.

"Why, a woman is going to ride horseback from Columbus Circle to 42nd St. dressed like Lady Godiva. You'd better stay over and see."

"Oh boy! Will I stay?" shouted Detroiter. "Why, I haven't seen a horse for 20 years!"

That the blase dinner guests who tell this story are being more apt than risque, was indicated by a report last week from Secretary William M. Jardine's watchful Department of Agriculture. U. S. horses, said the report, and U. S. mules, are decreasing rapidly in numbers. Their population is 17% less than in 1920. The next five years will show a 30% or 40% reduction of their present scanty number. Breeding, warned the Department, must be stimulated to meet what is already an acute shortage on farms where machinery is impracticable.