The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1914-08-28
SOUTHEASTERN FOOD
CROPS CONFERENCE

ATLANTA, GA, Aug. 24th-The
Georgia Chamber of Commerce is
arranging to hold a big meeting in
Atlanta in the early part of Octo-
Der, which will be known as the
Southeastern Food Crops Confer
ence. The object of the conference
will be to secure the growing of a
large amount of all foodstuffs, both
for man and animals in the cotton
producing states of the Southeast.
At the same time, the cotton states
/ lying west of the Mississippi will be
requested to hold similar confer
ence in some suitably located city
within easy reach of their territory.
The plans, as outlined by the state
chamber, call for between 500 and
600 delegates The Commissioner
of Agriculture in each state will b.,
| requested to appoint a delegate
from each county in his state. with
! alternate delegates in case of inabi-
lily to attend on the part of the
first one named. These men will
be selected by reason of their in
f'uanco among the farmers of their
home counties.
The Importance of raising suffi-
cient foodstuffs so that the south
east will not have to import any next
year will be earnestly impressed up-
on the meeting Since the coming
of the european war, the entire
south is getting an object lesson on
the foolishness of depending toe
much on any one crop, no matter
how strong crop taat may be- It
is necessary that every county
shall grow at least enough to
fed itself next year 1t Is inn
possible TO say how l)ng this
war may Last. Earl Kitchener, the
British Minister Of war, who is pro-
badly the most reliable source of in
formation, states tAat II viii extend
over a period of eighteen months.
That will mean two crops for us.
1t is imperative that the South shall
be absolutely dependent of outside
sources of supply for next year.
Then, no matter waat price cotton
may bring, we shall be immuned
from the effects of high prices for
food stuffs in other parts of the
world. The South can do it. Be
fore the Civil war it was practically
an unknown thing for a Southerner
to buy any meats, grain or other sta
pie foods from anywhere outside OF
the South.
The date for the Conference will
probably be October 9Th and 9Th.
1T is possible that it will be found
advisable to change these dates a
little, but it will be held at about
that time in order that the effect
may be telt before the crops of small
grains are planted The meetings
will follow the same general plan
Campaign of last year, when diver
slty OF crops was so strongly urged.
They will be inspirational in char
acter At the close, each delegate
will be asked to personally under
take to create an effective organiza-
ton in his home county. These or
CARNATIONS will make personal
canvass of all farmers and secure
their promises to plant largely in
creased acreage in foodstuffs for
next year.
In order to make a campaign of
this nature bring resuts it is es-
sential that it be made wide enough
TO cover all the cotton growing
states. The Georgia Chamber If
commerce is undertaking to call
the conference is doing a work for
the entire south that compels the
heartiest cooperation from every
individual who calls himself a son
Of Dixie.
Careful plans are being made Ia
ensure the attendance of at least one
delegate from every county in each
state affected. Therefore the eff
rect Will be such as to turn the pre-
sent war scare into a blessing and
to set new date from which to
mark the prosperity and indepen-
dence Of the Greater South.