The Colorado statesman., 1917-04-14
COLORADO FOOD SUPPLY
RAISE CROP ON EVERY POSSIBLE
ACRE THIS YEAR.
Ways and Means Appointed by
Governor Gunter.
western Newspaper Union News Service

IL, l9lI.-To The People OF the state OF
| Colorado: Hon. julius c. Gunter, Gov
| ernor of the state of Colorado, has ap-
pointed the undersigned as n commit
lee on ways and means to devise plans
| to meet the conditions regarding our
| food supply. That "A serious food stu
| alton exists no one can question. The
| situation, which would have been Sc
rious in any event. has been greatly
| aggravated by reason of the war, and
as it exists today threatens national
| calamity unless every effort is made
| by all of the people to avert it.
In many parts of the great wheat
| producing states of Kansas, Oklahoma
is almost a total failure. According
to present indications Kansas. which
produced 160,0OO,000 bushels in 1915,
will not produce above 30,O00,000 BUSH
els from the coming harvest. The con-
| dition of other staple food products
throughout the country is hardly less
alarming. For instance, the potato
| crop of last year was close to 100000
| 900 bushels short of normal. The av-
erage for the past five years Is 344.-
| 100000 bushels and the indications are
that owing to the high cost of seed and
fertilizer the potato crop this year viii
be short from twenty to forty per cent.
Of normal. Reserve stocks have been
almost depleted. Seed of all kinds is
scarce and high in price and unless
States will. in the course of a year,
find itself unable to supply our SOL
dfery and sailors with food products
aside from the normal requirements of
our population. We will be unable to
assist those in the factories and on
the battlefields of Europe who are
necessary food supply. Let our people
also heed the fact that many will be
Withdrawn from all of our food pro-
ducing activities through the recruit
ing of our army and navy.
The greatest contribution which
Colorado can make to the country at
at this time is to put forth every ef-
fort to the end that the last acre cap
able of cultivation may be made to
produce some kind of a crop. The time
is short; the situation is critical.
This committee has been appointed
by the Governor of Colorado and his
Advisory War Council and asked to as
sumo the duty of securing a complete
organization in the state to bring
about the cultivation of every available
acre. We earnestly urge that the peo-
pie of every community and county in
the state be Immediately organized for
the purpose of assisting in this crisis.
We ask the banks in every locality
to Immediately call mass meeting of
the people of their communities and at
such meeting to appoint a committee
on ways and means; that committee to
open headquarters, secure clerical as
sistance and appoint sub committees
for the following purposes:
FirSt-A committee to Investigate
the condition as regards the seed sup
ply in tnat locality; whether or not
there is sufficient seed to plant full
acreage and whether there is a surplus
that can be spared for use in other
parts of the state.
SeCOnu-A committee to investigate
the financial condition of the farmers
in that locality and discover If finan-
cial assistance is needed by any
worthy individual in the purchase of
seed
Third-A committee to organize the
women of the locality for the purpose
of devising plans for conserving the
present food supply in every possible
way, and putting an absolute end to
waste of all kinds, as well as to assist
In increasing the food production.
We ask that as soon as organized,
the chairman of the local committee
report Immediately to the Ways and
tol Building, Denver
We urge upon the banks to extend
financial assistance to worthy farmers
who from a lack of funds are unable
to plant lands which they would other
wise cultivate. This committee will
undertake to assist in this matter when
called upon.
The time is short In few weeks
the planting season will be over. What
Derative need of the moment is local
organization. and we urge that the
banks. merchants. business men, com
mercial bodies, agricultural organiza-
tions and bureaus county commission
ers and all patriotic citizens unite in
perfecting local organizations at the
very earliest possible moment.
Conditions are such that high prices
are certain to prevail for some years
be derived from an increased acreage
will undoubtedly be great; but this is
wholly secondary to the consideration
that in this crisis Colorado owes the
country the patriotic duty of straining
her every effort and utilizing her ev-
cry resource for the purpose of con-
tributing her last possible bushel to
the nations food supply.
Other recommendations are under
consideration and will be submitted
later. Our food supply is the supreme
question of the hour and we desire to
impress upon our people the idea that
care and the elimination of waste in
cOnsumntiOn is puniVa1ept m
crease in production.
This committee has opened headquar-
ters in the Capitol Building at Denver
and will undertake to assist in every
possible way. Every resource of the |
state will be utilized to assist the To-
cal committees in their work.
The State Agricultural College. the |
Experimental station, the State Agri- |
cultural Extension Service and ali of |
the local bureaus of the Department of |
Agriculture have rendered their serv- |
ices to assist and may be called upon |
by every local committee.
In counties where agricultural agents |
are maintained the county agents are |
instructed to assist in every possible |
way the work of the local organiza- |
tions.
To sum up. we, citizens of Colorado.
whose chief concern is to bring home |
to our people the imperative necessity |
In this grave hour of increasing all |
food products of our state and thereby |
averting what in the course of months |
will be dire calamity to our people,
most earnestly call upon our citizen
ship throughout the state to bring to
the attention of all of our citizens the
condition of our state; address our
selves to relieving this condition and
in every public spirited way assist orr
farmers in increasing their agricultu-
raj areas and the production therefrom.
this state. aid in carrying this message
to our people
By order of the Governor:
]. X. MULLEN, Chairman
@ A. KENDRJCK