The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-05-09
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
The Grow Food or Go Hungry Cam
paign is Going Forward Steadily
ana Gaining Momentum Every
Week.

The regular semi-monthly meeting
of the Sumter County Committee of
Public Safety was held in the Cham
Der Of Commerce at II o'clock this
morning with an attendance of more
than fifty members of the various
township committees.
Reports were received from all
townships, save Providence, showing
increasing interest and systematic
work everywhere. AS time passes
the gravity Of the situation and the
necessity of each man doing his part
to make food for himself and a sur
plus to support the non-farming ele-
ment Of the population of the coun-
ty is being more seriously realized.
The acreage of food crops has been in
creased and will be added to by the
planting of additional acreage in corn
after wheat and oats. In addition to
the enlarged acreage devoted to all
kinds Of food crops greater attention
is being paid to the cultivation and
fertilization OF these crops, and the
belief was expressed by all of the COM
mittee that, granting a normal sea-
son and sufficient rainfall the yield of
corn, peas. potatoes, rice, etc., as
well as truck will be much greater
per acre than usual. The sentiment
is that the people are in deadly earn.
est and are doing all that they can
with the means at their command to
safeguard the future of Sumter coun-
ty insofar as the food supply is con-
cerned.
The detailed crop survey of State
burg township was reported complet-
ed and will be turned in to the Sec
retary to be tabulated on Monday.
The survey of Manchester township
has been partially completed and will
be finished within the next week or
ten days. A partial survey of Mid
dleton township has been made, prac-
tically every farm having been visited
by a member of the committee and
the data will be compiled as soon as
possible. This work is under way in
the other townships and the data will
be tabulated on standard forms that
the committee will prepare and send
out early next week.
The most interesting and helpful
feature of the meeting today was the
general discussion by the various
members Of various phases of the
work. There was evidence of
hearty and growing interest in the
work, which seems to expand in
scope and to call forth the best efforts
of the members as they carry it for
ward.
Mr.. j. M. Brogdon, Of the Concord
township committee. brought before
the committee the matter Of food
boarding and speculation in staple
provisions by local capitalists, some
of whom have been and are buying
up large quantities of -four, sugar and
other articles and putting them in
storage against the time Of higher
prices. when they can reap a large
profit on the necessities Of those peo-
pie who have not the money to buy
provisions for several months needs
at one time. He stated that this food
speculation is not only prevalent here
but in all sections of the South, as
we'll as in the North and West, and
that 1t has created an artificial con-
dition, an unnecessary food shortage
and unreasonable advance in price,
not warranted by actual conditions
in the provision market. The matter
was generally discussed and equally
as generally condemned, but the opin-
ion was expressed that the Federal
government would shortly take up
this matter and deal with it and the
spectators here as we'll as through
out the country in manner that
would quickly bring them to terms
and discourage such unpatriotic and
srasping methods.
Another matter Of great interest
was brought before the meeting by
MI. {. j. Jackson, Of Statoburg town
ship. He said that there had been
more Or less inquiry as to the dispo-
sition that would be made Of the vel
vet bean crop that the people have
been urged to plant. and that there
seemed to be considerable doubt as to
the value OF velvet beans. To show that