Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1917-07-11


is one of the daring American avi-
ators at the front. Iowa electri-
clans and telegraph operators, Iowa
railroad men and Iowa expert ma
chinists to the number of more than
400 are enlisted in units quietly or
ganized by the federal government
for service in the first expeditionary
forces.
The total Iowans now il active
military service, or as Red Cross
and ambulance workers, is at least
$4,000, and probably 10000 is near.
er the mark.
More than $4,000 more Iowa
young men registered for service I'm
der selective CONSUMPTION June 5
and Of these more than 10000 claim
ed no exemption whatever.
Eleven Million Acres of Yellow
Gold-Corn.
The biggest Iowa force now work
ing in behalf of the allies, hOwev-
er, wears no brass buttons or khaki.
1t isn't creating much of a distur-
ba1ce, but is quietly engaged in
planting the greatest corn acreage
the state has ever grown.
Late estimates indicate that Iowa
will grow more than 100000
acres of corn this year, an increase
of about 10 per cent over the usual
acreage. Reports are that the corn
crop will be bumper one, unless un-
foreseen Developments spoil good
start. The rains so far have not ma
terially damaged the corn. On the
contrary, they have stored away in
the earth an ample reservoir OF
moisture which should suffice to car
ry the crop over any period OF
droug which may possibly develop.
Just a few more statistics. Iowa
has an area of 56,137 square miles.
OF this area 31,65S,759 acres is
farm land, all of which but 100000
acres is improved. OF the entire
area of the state, $50 per cent is
subject to cultivation, larger per-
centage than that of any state in the
union, and probably the largest Of
any tract of equal area on the
globe.
England and Wales combined have
but 10,965,707 acres of arabic land,
exclusive Of permanent pasturage,
Just little more than one-third of
the Iowa total. Iowa has more land
Iplanted in corn this year than all
England a1d Wales combined has
available for food crops.
Iowa, according to the state CEN
sus of 1915, had 1,464,a93 horses
and mules on the farms. England
and Wales combined had but 1881
1893 in 1916. Iowa had 4,1SS,956
cattle, as compared to 6,0G4,154 in
England and Wales. Iowa had 81
100000 swine Jan. 1, 1917, as many
as in all England and Wales. Iowa's
livestock row has an estimated value
of S534,312, 900, thirteen times the
amount apportioned to Iowa as its
share of the Liberty loa1.
Iowa's Oontribution Includes Food
Mountain.
1t is in the production of food
stuffs rather than livestock that
Iowa will be Of aid to the allies, how
ever. The value of Iowa's food
lproducts from the soil is annually
the greatest of that of any state in
the union. The total for 1916, as
estimated by George M. Chapel, di'
rector of the Iowa weather and crop
service, was 597,165,673.
Iowa could, almost double hen
subscription quota for the Liberty
loan from her butter and egg money.
Clifford Thorne once puzzled out
Just how big an omelet could be
made from the Iowa egg crop of a
single year. and decided that the
omelet would be about three square
miles in area. Iowa's dairy and
poultry products combined were estl-
mated to be worth $72, 100000 last
year. They will be worth more this
year, as every housewife knows.
Figures similar to the above could
be quoted almost without oni. The
object of presenting them is to con-
vey something OF an idea of the
available resources Of the state in
| a war which, more than any other
lin history, bears out Napoleon's as
sertio1 that an army marches on its
stomach, a war which has amended
the epigram of the great leader to
read that not only the army, but the
nations involved in the struggle are
dependent upon ability to I'll their
stomachs if they are able to continue
| il the war.
Iowa Can Furnish Million Fighting
Men.
Iowa will do it's bit as to produc-
ton. The aggregate value of Iowa
crops ard Iowa meats marketed in
the fall will, at prevailing prices
lbring in a theoretical return to the
Iowa farmer of about SS00,OU0,OOO.
1t wont be that much in actual
cash, for the farmer eats some OF his
own produce, and you can't feed
corn to calf and sell the same corn
on the market at S1.e5 per bushel.
Much of the Iowa grain is fed to
Iowa cattle and swine and market
ed as beef or bacon, cutting down the
actual revenue received from the
sale of the goods.
So much for Iowa as producing
ally. Mention has already been
made of the fact that If the state
should enlist as many men In proper
ton to the total population as 1t dld
| in the civil war, the force WOOL
aggregate 266,181 men. Iowa nl~
possibly be called upon TO raise moSs
than this number. Nobody Knows
how serious the war will prove be-
fore it is terminated.
The 1915 census figures SHOW that
Iowa has male population OF T.