The diamond drill., 1917-05-05
A LETTER FROM MR.. PINCHOT
April %. 1917.

Editor Diamond Drill
In this great time, when every citi-
zen must do his part, the President
has made his chief appeal TO the men
who live on the land. He is right in
doing so, for the safety OF our coun-
try just now is = the hands OF our
farmers. What I mean is not merely
our safety and the safety OF our AL
lies in the matter Of food. / mean that
the safety of the United tSates against
foreign invasion hangs on the decis-
decision OF the farmers OF the forty
eight states.
The two great weapons in this war
are arms and starvation. The war
against German arms will be won or
lost in France-the war against star
yation will be won OF lost in America.
The Kaiser cannot whip the French
and English armies and the English
navy while England has food. But
IL Is still possible that the German
submarines may be able to keep food
enough from reaching England to
starve her into submission
If the%ubmarines win. the first item
in the Kaiser's peace terms Of peace
will be the English feet. With the
English fleet in his possession. the
Kaiser will be master OF the world.
What will happen to us then? Ev-
cry man who stops to think knows
the answer. We shall have money.
food, labor, land everything that is
desirable In the world except the
power to protect what we have. Ex-
perts estimate that IL will take us nine
months tot ge ready TO meet German
army OF even 10000 men, with mod
ern artillery Under such circum4
stances. would the Germans treat us
better than they have already treat
ed the Belgian and Fench?
Even IL the armies OF our Allies
should crush the German military
power this summer, before the short
age Of food can reach the point OF
want. the world would still need vast
quantities Of American food. But If
they do not. only one course can make
us safe and that Is to grow more food
enough on our farms and for our
selves and our Allies. and to put ships
enough on the sea TO carry the food in
spite OF the submarines TO the men
who are fighting our fight
If the war lasts beyond this sum
mer. It will be the American farmer
who will win or lose the war. who
will overcome militorism and auto
cracy. or allow them to spread and
control the world, ourselves included
Many a man will make light Of II until
he comes to think It over, but / ven
ture to say that few will treat II light
ly after careful thought II Is no
more impossible than the great War
itself appeared TO be. only few days
before It began
II Is true that we can greatly in
crease the available food supply out
Of grain now used In making liquors,
and by reducing household waste
But when these two things are done,
and done thoroughly. they will not be
enough The final decision will still
rest in the hands of the men who
raise our food IN the first place.
The clear duty of the Nation Is to
guarantee the farmers a fair price
for their crops when grown, and
reasonable supply Of labor at harvest
The clear duty OF the farmer Is TO
raise foodenough to win this wra for
democracy against Kaiserlsm.
No such responsibility has ever
rested on any class Of men since the
world began as rests today on the
farmersof America
Sincerely yours,
CHORD P1NCHOT.