The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1917-12-27

Union aside from Iowa.
10 the Germans have. an adva4na-
Ecidedly not. Their soil averages, less les
than half as rich in the essential eie,
ments of nitrogen, phosphorus ana
potassium as our Iowa soil. MUCH
German soil is thin sand or peaty
Potash, salts and phOsphates must be
- In the matter of climate, the Unit
ed States farmer has decided adj
cantage over the German farmer.
Much of Germany has an average
rainfall little greater than that OF
Germany is farther north, she does
in western Nebraska Iowa has
about fifty per cent more sunshine
than Germany From November to
May, the German temperature IS
ust our corn belt temperature averag-
es nearly ten. degrees, higher; Ev,
erything considered, the soil and
climate of the corn belt states are
far superior to the soil and climate
of Germany.
In the corn belt, we are complain
ing of the labor trouble, and with
reason German farmers are de.
pending very largely on the labor OF
women, the manned who have come
back from the war; and the prison.
ers. American farmers complain OF
the high cost of farm machinery.
The German farmer must be getting
along with old machinery. and lit
tie Of that. 1t does not seem pos
sible that that nation has been able
to keep up it's outpour of up-to-date
farm machinery and carry on the war
so efficiently.
But the great advantage which the
German farmer has over the Amerl-
can farmer is the thoroughly SYM
pathetic attitude of his government.
AS we have said, for forty years the
German government has syst s,,iit E,
ally encouraged agriculture, putt j.
The government of the United
States has spent good deal of
money on its Department of Agrlcul-
ture, and has in recent years done a
great deal to stimulate production
standing of the farmers problems.
It's efforts have been to increase pro-
duction in order that the consumer
might get cheaper, food.
The German farmer has the sup
port of the German press, Ihose
editors understand very we'll that inc
ting food, and they. know that the
farmer is the man who, mus, produce
the food. Consequently, they are
doing everything possible to encour-
age the fcrmer in his most necessary
work. ~
is 4u the Hn stems st as # e eve
hand is against the farmer The
daily nress stirs up prejudice against
him. 1t accuses him of lack Of pat
riotism, of wanting to get rlch
through war, of refusing to tight.
1t misrepresents him IN every gf c On
ceivable way. and i o romp and milk 81 in
pitiable ignorance of the difficulties
which surround production on the
American farm. This has resulted
in discouraging many farmers, in
making them feel that theirs is a
thankless job And it WI WI result aa,d; ~ IN
wear. because, unless there should be
an almost miraculous change in the
attitude of both the government ana
the daily press and the people OF the
cities, the farmer will simply adjust
his business to produce What nc can
,and.-let the rest go. 1870 ,a.,o, o,,nt
There would be no question aDout
the outcome of this battle between
the German farmer and the Amerl-
can farmer, if the latter could nave
the same sort of intelligent support
from his government that is accord
Ed to his opponent. In Germany. the
gnyernment has studied the agricul-
tuyaI situation thoroughly. me
leaders know just what they want to !
do: they know how much OF the ull-
ferent grains and meat products they
need. They cooperate so; Win hi IN t aae
to give this production. Ihey set
the people of the cities to work W n,,
they can work to advantage. Iney
nav prices high enough to enable
the farmer to make such increase as |
may be needed.
in this country we are all at loose |
ends. We have Food Admlnlstra-
ton working with prices. We nave |
a, Department of Agriculture stimuli
lating production, or trying 70 40 So
il, haphazard, unsystematlc way.
We do not seem to have anyone III
authority who understands the
farmers problems and can inspire !
his confidence. This condition |
makes the work of the farmer very
difficult. .o,
We must win this war; the farm,
err must win it,, but many lVes would
be saved-the lives OF our own Doys, !
the lives of ourallies, and the lives
Of our enemies--if in this country
we could have thoroughly worked
out national agricultural pollcy a.
rected by wise men who understand.
Farmer.