Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-04-26
FARMING asa,
PATRIOTIC Duty

PATRIOTIC DUTY
How those who do not fight may
serve their country.
We are at war with a great power
We are preparing an army and train
ing a navy, to combat that power. But
the work of preparation and defense
is not to the army and navy alone.
Our people can not all be fighters
We must have in addition to our ar
mics OF fighters. armies OF producers
to sustain those who struggle and to
maintain those for whom they strug
gle.
Men In close touch with the food
supply of this country predict that II
the present decrease In production
keeps up for another year. we will
face serious food famine. And as our
country is the chief food producing
country Of the world. that statement
means that the entire world will
face the same terrible consequences.
To avoid this shortage Of food, our
country must develop it's patriots who
plow. Just as 1t develops its patriots
to shoot. For the man who shoots can
not long exist without the active sup
port of tho man who plows.
Two hundred and forty million
acres of unallotted public land in the
western. states await the coming of
the farmer and the herdsman. Millions
OF acres OF fne farm lands in the east
ern states lie idle through lack OF
men to work them. Forty-two millions
OF our population sufle in crowded
streets and complain OF the high cost
of living. -rs .g tr
In times of peace the Interior De-
partment and other branches Of the
government offer tremendous oppor
tunities to those who want to farm
Homestead rights, expert advice and
free seed. rural credits are all at the
disposal of any man who wishes to
start farm or a stock ranch.
In this, emergency solemn duty, 9
call as compelling as the call to arms
confrontss every man In the United
States who does not fight. and whC
knows how to grow the crops-tha
are the life Of this nation.
Any citizen of the United States wht
has not already located homestead
may apply for as many acres o
straight farming land as he wants III
to l60 acres in the restricted sections
and ND to 800 acres in the unreclaimeC
sections. Straight grazing land ma!
be had to the extent of $40 acres.
During the first two months of thi
year applications for 15.355,O00 acre
OF safeguarding land alone were fllet
From Alabama to Alaska land is wal
ing to be taken up. The products Q
Alaska have astonished the Who'll
world into a realization OF its farmin
possibilities. The resources of tn
eastern and western states have lon
been known. And with all ,nese T,
sources we face an actual food fan
Inc. How often we have paused owe
our morning coffee and read with no
,ror Of people starving in China, fo
want Of food, plain everyday food, th5
We can step down to the corner or,
Gerry and buy. Do you realize toda.
that the time may come when we wi
not be able to step down to the cornt
grocery and carry home loaf {
bread, and q quart Of potatoes? VIII
said potatoes, you ask. ~ .r ...
III we reach that point we will del
- nitely take our place among the pc,
pie who can not see beyond the ne1
lamp post. a,ae ~ q. ...-
-, Several hundred million acres {
farm land in this country can be a.
quired under. very reasonable cond
tons for cultivation . .,. ...
Thousands OF people who know ho
to,r farms live in our cities, man
of them under very fortunate cond
lions. .t.uil hnl 80 - .fs.f... .s se..
Besides the individual personal goo
II would do. these people to get out {
the, city. and into the country, the SUI
port Of the army and the. well.bein
Of, the nation demand that yacar
farming lands be taken up and d,
veloped as plain matter of defens,