Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-04-20
The Presidents Appeal
To Southern Farmers.

a
President Wilson's appeal to the country's pro-
ductive forces to exert themselves to the utmost
in this time of national stress is directed with par
ticular earnestness to the farmers of the South
In the war which we have entered for the cause Of
freedom and justice and enduring peace every
American is called upon to serve in one way or
another and every true American will find his path
of duty and follow ii with a stanch and cheerful
heart. Many must prepare to fight but many more
must continue to labor. Sir Douglas Haig has said
that for army's adequate support there should
be five working men back of every lighting man.
There must be men in the mines, in the shipyards'
at the FORCES and looms and especially must there
lie men behind the plows AS the President en-
phatically puts it:
The supreme need of our own nation and
of the nations with which are cooperating
is an abundance of supplies and especially of
foodstuffs. Without abundant food alike for
the armies and the peoples now at war, the
whole great enterprise upon which we have ON
barked will break down and fall. Not only
during the present emergency but for some
time after peace shall have come, both our own
people and a large proportion of the people OF
Europe must rely upon the harvests In Amer
ica. Upon the farmers of this country, there
fore in large measure rests the fate of the war
and the fate of the nations. May the nation
not count upon them to omit no step that will
increase the production of their land or that
will bring about the most effectual cooperation
in the sale and distribution of their products?
The time is short. 1t is of the most imperative
Importance that everything possible be done
and done Immediately to make sure of large
baryests | call upon young men and old alike
and upon the able-bodied boys of the land to
accept and act upon this dutv-to turn In
hosts to the farms and make certain that no
IL hfo of
matter.
81 particularly appeal to the farmers OF the
South to plant abundant foodstuffs we'll "a
cotton They can show their patriotism in no
better or more convincing way than by resist
ing the great temptation of the present price
of cotton and helping, helping upon a great
scale to feed the nation and the peoples every
where who are fighting for their liberties and
for own"
Every farmer in Georgia and neighboring States
should respond to this appeal, both as matter
of patriotism and enlightened self interest There
never was time when the production of food
staples was so assured Of rich rewards Inc
worlds reserve of grain and other basic COM
modities are almost exhausted. The supply OF
wheat in the United Statesis something like one
hundred million bushels less than 1t was year
ago, and there is a corresponding shortage OIL
corn oats and divers other necessaries TO make
nm these deficiencies, enormous crops must De
raised in every part of the country; no matter
how bountiful the harvests are, they will not eX-
coed. IL indeed they will supply the stupendous
and imperative demands. In these circumstances,
the farmer who has foodstuffs to sell will prosper
Inevitably and prosper as he never did before.
Wbether the war lasts six months or six years
ionger. the prices of food crops and food animals
will continue profitable to the grower, because
altar neaee is restored it will be matter OF years
before the worlds productive energy and proouc-
tive machinery will be entirely normal again.
IL then the farmers of Georgia and OF the
South would prove their patriotism and at the
Same time guarantee their own good fortune, let
then, pIant all the food crops and raise all the
food animals they can. There will be ready and
nro6tabIe market for every bushel of corn and
every pound of meat and all the otner loou
stanIes they produce The Presidents appeal to the
farmers of the South has all the import ana
urgancv of q call for volunteers to follow the nag
The soldiers of the commissary are just as essen
tiaI m victory as those with the colors. From the
davis of Lexington and Concord on through every
grest test of the nations strength, America s
"embsttled farmers have stood sturdy ana true
They should not and will not fail their country IN
this supreme hour of need.
When everything else grows dull somebody
finds supply of liquor in Girard
IA we would say in baseball, the Germans re-