The log cabin Democrat., 1917-04-14
WILSON TO BACK
UP FOOD CAMP PAICN
WILL APPEAL TO SOUTH
President will Issue Proclamation Con-
tanning Ringing Warning of the
Nations Peril.

Washington, April 14.-Within the
next day or two President Wilson will
appeal to the farmers of the country
to increase their production Of food
stutfs, This forthcoming appeal will
be in the nature Of a proclamation
and will ring with a wakening warn
ing based upon a possible situation
which can be met only by adequate
preparation.
That he would shortly issue such
proclamation was told Representative
Hubert and J. R. Paine of Memphis
by the president himself, who received
them at the white house yesterday.
Mr.. Paine was the spokesman for the
tri-state better farming committee of
the Memphis Business Mems Club
Chamber of Commerce, who laid be-
fore the president the campaign now
being carried on under the auspices
of that organization with view to
stimulate the farmers to the maxi
mum of food production the coming
season.
President Wilson heard Messrs.
Paine and Fisher with attentive inter
est, and gave cordial assurance of his
personal and official concern in the
full attainment Of the object for
which they spoke. While the presi-
dent did not say that his proclama-
ton would be framed for the exclu-
sive benefit of the farmers of the
south, he made it plain that upon the
farmers of that great agricultural
section of the country the RESPONSE
bility for increased food production
and conservation weighed as upon the
farmers of no other part of the Unit
ed States. To the extent that he has
this fact in mind, the presidents con-
templated appeal, or proclamation will
carry personal note 20 the southern
farmers.
The idea, as suggested and discuss
ed today. is for the farmers of the
south to go the limit in the vital mat
ter of food production. both for man
and beast, so as not to be dependent
upon the agricultural resources of
any toher section of the country for
supplies of any description.
In other words, the farmers of the
south will be formally reminded of
the necessity of the south being pre-
pared to live the coming year upon
itself, without reference to what any
other part of the country has produc-
ed and without regard to what the
other parts of the country do with
their foodstuffs. If the south will in
crease the food production, as the
eXigencies of The situation now un-
mistakably admonish, the other sec
tions of the United States may de-
vote their surplus crops to the thous-
ands of soldiers and sailors in the
| service.
They may also send what our SOL
diers and sailors do not require to our
European allies. One very important
way in which the United States pro-
poses to help the allies is to send
them needful food supplies and in his
indicated proclamation to the farers
the president will stress the impera-
tive necessity of such aterial assist
ance. Wherefore, if the south, which
can greatly increase its production of
foodstuffs, prepares the coming year
to live within its own geographical
lines, vast quantity of farm sup
plies produced in the other sections of
the country may be diverted for the
practical relief of the nations Euro
pean allies.
Of course it is contemplated that
the south will be able to take care of
the soldiers and all other persons
temporarily withdrawn from the
avenues of productive activities that
may be stationed within its own bor-
ders. 1t is also expected that if the
south produces a surplus of the things
necessary for such purposes this ex-
cess will be disposed of as the gov
ernment may deem advisable. There
is no doubt as to the ability of the
farmers of the south to meet the
emergencies of this extraordinary
situation, and President Wilson will
appeal to them, confident in the ex-
notation of UenerOuS reSnonse