The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1917-04-01

should impel American farmers To
extraordinary Efforts TINS year ia the
production of food staples. The Unit.
ed States is On the verge OF a war,
the tull responsibilities OF which no
man can foresee. German lawIcss.
ness and aggression nave forced hi
| TO measures oil vigorous defense. The
navy is being recruited To its maxi
mum authorized strength. HarDor5
arc being fortified ais swiftly as pos.
sible against the danger of submarine
attacks. Public utilities and indus
trial plants OF military importance are
being guarded with greta care All
this is bat preliminary to the main
plans that VIII be put into operation
as soon as congress, which cOnyenes
In special session Monday, grants the
requisite authority. 1t is probable
that an army larger than any this
nation ever has mustered within a
single year will be recruited and
trained. 1t is possible that in time
great expeditionary force will be sent
TO Europe. IL is certain, unless ali
the virtue OF American tradition is
dead, that the United States will re-
sist and combat to the utmost the
German assault upon it's rights and
its freedom.
in the reaching tasks OF prepa-
ration thus made necessary the far
mer il called upon 10 play pecu
liarly important part. The govern
ment considers his part so important
that Secretary Houston has issued
special appeal for what Is aptly term
cd agricultural preparedness" With
out that sort of preparedness, the
STRENGTHENING of the navy and the up
building Of a great army would be of
scant avail The country must be fed
II its industrial and military vigor is
TO be sustained 1t must be able not
simply to feed its own people, but
also to aid generously in provisioning
france and England, if il lives up to
It's duty in this world struggle be-
Swecn democracy and despotism,
Even were there no cloud or omen
~ war the nations welfare would de-
mand large increase in food crops
The short harvests of grain last year
were inadequate to normal needs. SO
much so that the greater part of the
surplus brought over from the won.
derlul yield of 1915 has been called
into the market The result is that
we must look almost entirely to this
years harvosts for our supply of
wheat and kindred staples Such
would demand extraordinary
efforts ON the part of planters at any
time, because unless there is a check
and balance to the towering prices OF
food the country's vital interests viii
suffer. But the demand is doubly i'm.
porative at n time when war is sweep.
ing toward us every sinew of the ma
TONS strength must be ready for ser.
vice.
In his appeal for agricultural pre-.
parodness, Secretary Houston stress
es the importance of preventing
wastes as well as increasing supplies.
There should be keener care and eff
cheney than ever before in the plant
ing. the cultivation. the storing and
the marketing Of crops. Lack of fore.
sight and simple caution in these re-
spccts has entailed the loss of many
millions of dollars year and has con.
tributed very largely to the burden.
some prices OF food. Wastes in plant.
ing and cultivation must be looked to
by the farmer, but wastes connected
with marketing constitute problem
which the government itself should
grapple with promptness and vigor.
The question OF efficient distribution
of food is among the most important
that amy nation at war has to face.
As one OF the great agricultural re-
gionS OF America, the southeast owes
the country an especial obligation to
porduce and conserve food staples to
TIE full measure OF its wonderful ca
pacity Every bushel OF grain, every