The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-04-15
Florida Has Only Enough
Food For Sixty Days.
Says McRae
CATS DELIVERS
VIGOROUS TALK
Market Provided for Rally
At Tallahassee April 26
To Boost Farming
SPECIAL TO THE JOURNAL.

Mariana, Fla, April 14.-Today
was in many respects the biggest
day IN the history of Jackson coun-
ty and large part of West Florida
adjacent thereto.
For today the people of the entire
county and surrounding counties came
together in a monster patriotic mass
meeting to discuss the great crisis
that faces the country and to devise
ways and means whereby they may
do their part to meet the emergency
presented by the shortage of food
prevailing throughout the country
and throughout the world.
For Bigger Crops.
The meeting was proposed less than
ten days ago by the president and
directors of the West Florida Fair
| Association, who held a special meet
| ing and decided to resolve the fair
association into committee of pub
| lie safety and an organization to pro-
mote the production of food crops
throughout the territory contributing
to the West Florida fair. The popu-
larity of the proposition was evil
| denced by the readiness with which
| people seized upon the suggestion
and so the success of the meeting
and of the movement was assured
from the first. The fair association
worked continuously on the project
! appointing committees on arraign.
ment on program and on decorations,
and working with these committees
tirelessly, the newspapers of the
state lent their assistance in givins,,
! publicity to the meeting and the
country was circularized thoroughly
| by President Smith and his corps of
assistants.
The large court room of Jackson
county's court house was filled to
overlooking with every seat on both
floor and galleries taken and many
standing.
After two selections of music by
the Rhyme band, of this city, the pro-
gram started promptly, with PRAYER
by Rev. B. F. Marshall, presiding
elder of the Mariana district of the
Methodist Church.
w. H. Milton, acting as chairman
Of the meeting, then introduced w.
E. B. Smith, mayor of Mariana, who
in short speech, bid the people
welcome to the city.
Patriotism's Appeal.
The singing of "The Star Spangled
Banner" by the assembled school
children, with the crowd joining IN
the chorus, was inspiring and lent
a martial atmosphere to the occasion.
| ]. d. Smith, president of the West
Florida Fair Association, told the
people of the purpose of the meeting.
q Mr.. Smiths speech was a strong and
ringing one, filled with information
and burning with enthusiasm for the
cause of agricultural preparedness.
Mrs. M. r. Burton then sang "God
of Nations" with great sweetness.
Prof. P. II. Rolls, dear Of the Coli
lege of Agriculture at the University
of Florida, was next introduced and
spoke on agricultural Preparedness.
Fighting With Plows.
His address was on education in the
fundamentals of agriculture and an
inspiration and a call to arm for tho
defense of the natior in the great
war, whose chief battle are to be
: fought with the implements of the
: farms in the fields of the country.
After the rendition of columbia,
/ the Gem of tse Ocean" by the band,
5 Prof. Spencer, also of the College of
Agriculture, made a talk, illustrated
by charts, on the subject of scientific
farming.
/ The singing of America" by. the
: audience was a great and inspiring
!, number on the program, followed By
: the address Of w. A. McRae, commits
I. sioner of agriculture.
= What Florida Loses.
Mr. McRae directed attention tr
: the fact that in spite of the boast
e of the south that she can feed the
: world, she does not, in fact, feed her
5 self, bnt that every southern state
t imports many millions of dollars
n worth of food for both man and beast
: the total deficit of the south amount
e ing to more than billion and thire
t dollars worth of food products o.
: which Florida's share is about s83
: 100000, or more than eighty dollars
per capita.
" Food for the Markets.
n He declared it to be fact that tbs
u supply of food in Florida would no
y last the people of the state sixty day.
y should communication be cut off iron
all other sources of supply. A condi
% ton not impossible considering tn
10 strain that is placed upon transpor
% tasion on account Of the mobilization
% of the country's fighting forces am
r the necessary supplies for the army
Continued on Page TYo)