The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1917-05-17
SENATOR FLETCHER TALKS
OF FARM PRODUCTS
Says it is Not Alone Increase in Pro-
duction. But Conservation of Mat
ter. That is Now Wasted, That
l. Needed.

Agriculture and food supply is the
subject .of an important statement is
sued by Senator Duncan L. Fletcher,
President of the Southern CONNER
cial Congress. Senator Fletcher
speaks with authority on this sub
ject in which he has taken d leading
part in the past few years. He serv-
ed as chairman of the United States
Commission, appointed by President
Wilson, and as President of the
American Commission on Agricul-
tural organization that made investi-
cations in Europe, resulting in the
Federal Farm Loan Act.
In normal times" said Senator
Fletcher, England does not produce
enough food stuffs in year to last
her six weeks. In France millions of
men have been withdrawn from the
fields. thousands have left their
farms in Canada for-the army. Thou
sands of farm workers have gone
from the United States into Canada,
where special inducements are off
cred.
Thousands Of young men have
temporarily passeofrom the farms in
the United States to the factories
the same time we can easily produce
food enough for ourselves and all
Europe We have the soil and the
climate, when, While labor is essen
tial to production, production is a
sure reward of labor.
When we consider that Germany
is not as large as Texas by an area as
big as Alabama, and she must feed
-, 10 n
should be ashamed, with all our ter
ritory, fertile lands, splendid and
mild climate, to own to- any uncer-
tainty about our ability to feed the
world. Yes, and clothe it, too. For
some years L have been convinced
that what we need to be exercised
about was, not production, but a
proper system of distribution.
For sometime past l have thought,
and some of our advanced agricul-
tural colleges have insisted, that
what We most needed was scientific
marketing methods rather than in
creased production. That need is
emphasized by existing conditions.
We have laid stress on scientific
farming to the neglect of the equally
important matter of scientific mar
keting. There is no use to pr0duc5
grain, vegetables, fruit, cattle and
the like if the cost of production is
TO be exceeded by freights, commits
Sions and charges here and there,
delays and waste.
Our people engaged in agriculture
can readily furnish all the food pro-
ducts required at home and by our
friends. What is needed is a plan,a
method, a system for economically
getting the products where and
when they are wanted and disposing
of them to the best advantage to
both producer and consumer. There
should be mobilization of this pro-
ducing power with proper agencies
for distribution.
Another thing is most important;
some fruits and vegetables mature
and must be marketed within few
months or they are lost. In that way
the markets are glutted. They can
not be consumed before that time.
The demand ceases. They rot in the
field or reach the market in bad or
der. The remedy is to conserve
these products; in some instances by
canning or preserving, and in other
cases by resorting to the rather eX-
pensive alternative, cold storage.
Provision should be made to take
care of the surplus production, and
have it in another, but wholesome
and useful form to feed out, when
the fresh supply is exhausted. l do
not mean to say, however, but that
the time is here for every farmer to
do his best. He can render the
country no higher service than to
make two blades of grass grow
where one grew before"