Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-01
HOUSTON IS ASKED
TO COME TO IOWA
SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE Is
URGED TO ATTEND GREATER
STATE CONVENTION.
BOOSTER PROBLEMS
About 500 Deisgates are Expected at
Gathering in Amos When Discus
sions win AaNe TO do With
Bringing Bsisians Hero.

secretary OF AGrTCultuTO lawn IAo"'
ton has been asked to attend the Great
err Iowa convention at Ames on Decem-
Der 2, as the states guest. Governor
Clarke in cooperation with the officials
Of the Greater Iowa association mas
sent the secretary an urgent INVITA-
ton to BIZ present at this booster meet
ing, at which it is expected there VIII
be at least 500 delegates.
Secretary J. N. Weidenfeller OF the
Commercial association has received a
letter from Woodwork Clum, secretary
Of the Greater Iowa association asking
for a delegation from Ottumwa to the
convention. 1t is urged that as many
as possible attend the meeting and Mr..
Weidenfeller will take the matter up
with the association between now and
Tuesday. 1t is believed that one or
more men from Ottumwa will attend.
George Haw of this city Is member OF
the original committee of fifteen that
made the trip to San Francisco to
select the site for the Iowa building at
the exposition.
Noted Men on Program.
Among the speakers will be Governor
Clarke, Justice Horace e. Deemer. w
w. Marsh Of Waterloo. president Of the
Greater Iowa association, r. j. Ward,
head of the social economy department
Of the University Of Wisconsin, SEN
ator Kenyon, Senator Cummins, E. 7.
Meredith and probably e. Hayenith,
Belgian ambassador to the United
States. If Secretary Houston can attend
it is planned to ask him to make an
address.
One Of the largest problems which
will be considered at the convention
according to Sec. Woodwork Clum, Is
whether Iowa boosters care to under
take to bring 100000 Beigians to Iowa.
and set them to farming the land that
Iowa farmers now waste.
May Send Man to Belgium.
Final action on the question prob
ably will be. taken at the convention,
and if it is decided to make the effort,
a representative may be sent to Bel
GUM by the Greater Iowa association
before the first of the year
The address Of Mr.. Ward will be es-
pecially interesting because the social
center idea which has been put into eff
feet so successfully in Wisconsin and
in New York state contemplates the
use of the school buildings throughout
the state for meetings of the citizens.
MI Ward will tell of the wonderful
work that has been done along this
line and Of the new community spirit
that has been developed by reason Of
this plan. He will urge that Iowa give
consideration,to the social center.
II Started Something.
'"rhe Greater Iowa association start
ed something all (over these United
States when 1t telegraphed the Rookie
Teller foundation and the Belgian min
lister and the secretary Of agriculture
at Washington, telling them that Iowa
had room enough and work enough for
900 Belgian refugees" said Secre-
tary Clum.
Immediately following that tele-
gram the secretary Of agriculture is
sued an official bulletin. calling the at
tention of the entire United States to
the desirability Of taking care of this
high type Of immigration. And i'm
mediately the Southern Commercial
congress which is a sort of a Greater
South organization, called convention
to meet at Washington, D. c., Dec. IL.
at which time they are going to take
steps to direct this immigration into
the southern states.
1T is not intended to bring these
Belgians over here to take the place Of
our Iowa farmers or to take the place
of Iowa.s unemployed. The association
does not intend to do for the Belgians
any more than it would do for any Of
Iowa's citizens.
Know How to Farm.
"The secret Is merely this--that the
Belgians are past masters of the art Of
raising large crops from small areas.
The Greater Iowa association believes
it will be beneficial to Iowa If the acre
age on the Iowa farms can be cut
down from an average Of 1862 to so or
70--maybe less. It is desired to have
the Belgians come and take up ten
acre tracts throughout the state and
by their efforts and the knowledge they
have acquired in their own country
49, t. v1~<N 4.
the way of intensive farming. This
does not mean the elimination Of corn
or wheat or oats as Iowa's great crops.
Far from that. 1t merely means that,
on the farms adjacent to the cities and
towns of Iowa some Of these Belgians
will take up small tracts and not only
contribute toward the lower cost of liv-
ing but will help increase the value of
land by showing the greater production
that can be obtained from It."
UInM NOW I'M d