The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-05-01
We Need the Help Of
the Farmer-Here's Way
For Us to Help the Farmer

The Times has a letter from Clifford
Pinchot
Pinchot's letter is alarming but ne in
sists he is no alarmjst
He insists that the safety Of oui coun-
try lust now is in the hands Of the farm
ers.
What he insists has always been pretty
much an accepted fact but Pinchot
writes from the standpoint Of war and
INVASION by Germany
MANY a man viii make light Of the
picture until he has thought the matter
over" he says, but venture TO say
that few viii treat it lightly after care
full thought
Here is Pinchots line Of reasoning;
The safety Of the United states Against foreign
invasion hangs on the decision OF the farmers
Of the forty-eght states.
The two great weapons in lhis war are arms
and starvation. The war against German arms
win be won or lost In France-the war against
starvation will be won or lost in America The
Kaiser cannot whip the French and English arm
les and the English navy while England has
food But II is sun possible that the German
submarines may be able 20 keep food enough
from reaching England To starve her into sub
mission.
II the submarines win. the hrst item in the
Kaiser's terms OF peace viii be the English feet
With the English fleet IN his possession the
Kaiser will be master OF the world
What viii happen 70 us then? Every man
who stops TO think knows the answer. We shall
have money, food, labor. land.-eyerything that
Is desirable In the world except the power 70
protect what we have Experts estimate that
Il viii take US nine months TO get ready 10 meet
4 German army OF even 10000 men. with mod.
sra artillery Under such circumstances would
the Germans treat US better than they have a.
ready treated Belgium and France?
Even II the Armies Of our Allies should crush
the German military power this summer, before
The shortage OF food reach the point Of want.
the world would stin need vast quantities Of
American food But II they do not, only one
course can make US safe. and that is to grow
food enough on our farms for ourselves and our
Allies. and to put ships enough on the sea TO
men who are fighting fight
II the war lasts beyond this summer II VII be
the American farmer who win win or lose the
war. who viii overcome militarism and auto
cracy or allow them to spread and control the
world. ourselves included.
The clear duty Of the nation ia to guarantee
the farmers q fair price for their crops when
grown. and a reasonable supply Of labor at har.
vest The clear duty OF the farmer is to raise
food enough to win this war for democracy
against Kaiserism.
No such responsibility has ever rested on any
class of men since the world began as rests today
On thee farmers Of America
In his fear Of invasion of our country
by Germany, Pinchot is not alone.
In his theory that the American farm
er has an important part to play, Pinchot
is not alone
In his plea that we must not only
grow but CONSERVE food, Pinchot is
not alone.
We have suggestion to make, sup
porting Pinchot, but in making it, insofar
as there seems to be hope Of its imme-
date adoption in Washington is con-
cerned, we feel very MUCH alone.
They are calling on the farmer to help
the government.
We want to suggest how the govern
ment can help the farmer.
We want to suggest a plan for con-
serving the wheat supply, so that it can
be made to 90 farthest
We want to suggest that there will be
more wheat from which TO make -four
and bread, and that there viii be less
likelihood of a German invasion, follow
ing defeat Of the Allies thru starvation.
if our government will INSIST upon all
wheat being used for food. and make
sure that it IS used for food by stopping
at once the manufacture from it Of IN
TOXICATING LIQUOR.
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Droffv Good T;,,,o TI,se