Evening star., 1917-05-27
7N his war message to the producers

of the country President Wilson
said: Upon the farmers of this
- country in large measure rests the
fate of the nations The time is short.
1t is of most imperative Importance
that everything possible be done imme-
diately to make sure of large harvests."
It has been the desire of various divi-
sions of the government. of many ma
tional. state and local organizations
and of millions of individuals to see
this manifesto set in practical opera
tion. but few have had at hand all the
essentials to set the machinery in i'm
mediate motion.
There is one division of the govern
ment service. however, where the Pres
idents declaration was not only given
full heed. but where the wheels of in
tensive agricultural activity had been
set in revolution less than week after
the congressional resolution recognfz-
ing a state of war between the United
States and Germany. This is the bu-
reau of Indian affairs. which is the only
government agency which has the land.
the man power and machinery to put
the Presidents request into immediate
execution. and the single authority to
set 1t in operation.
= j.
Cato Sells commissioner of Indian af-
fairs. anticipating what war means in
its relation to the food supply. and
realizing that time was short if this
seasons crops were to be materially in
fuenced had sent forth his instructions
for increased planting to the produc-
ers under his control and in less than
Wilson sent forth his message the In
dians were actively at work on their
lands
states in the Union contain Indians and
that there are more than one hundred
Indian reservations, varying in size
from a few thousand acres to several
hundred thousand acres. and that there
are approximately 350.000 Indians, the
result may be hopefully anticipated.
More than three million acres on Indian
reservations are now in cultivation,
besides a limited acreage at twenty
five non-reservation Indian boarding
schools. which is used for the produc-
tion of foodstuffs for the Indian pupils
and forage for the school stock. While
the possibilities for increased acreage
on such farms are limited. by intensive
cultivation it is planned largely to in
crease their productivity. Such of the
Indian land as is unfit for cultivation
is now used for stock grazing.
The story of how the Indian service
met the emergency war situation is an
interesting one. The attention of the
United States Senate was called to what
the Indian Office is doing in the way of
food production when, on April 16, Sen
attor Reed Smoot said. in addressing
the Senate:
Mr.. President, in connection with the
Presidents address and appeal to the
farmers of the country, published in the
papers this morning, urging that every
tillable acre of land be cultivated, 1
have certain correspondence from the
honorable commissioner of Indian af-
fairs showing what the Indian bureau
sponses made through the Indian
agents of our country. I wish to COM
mend the position taken by the COM
Inissioner. as outlined in the corre-
spondence, and show the wonderful
work he is undertaking to accomplish
on the Indian reservations. which Is in
accord with the Presidents recon-
mendations. In this connection, SO that
the Senate may know just what Is be-
ing done, ask that the letter addressed
to me by the commissioner, together
with certain other correspondence, be
printed in the Congressional Record.
The letter which Commissioner Sells
had sent to Senator Smoot was as fol-
lows:
Nv Dear Senator: Complying with your verbal
request, am sending you copy OF my telegram
to 137 superintendents Of Indian reservations
and schools April O. 1sl1 together with with rev OF
There is every Indication that the employees
Of the Indian bureau and the Indians will patri-
otically and promptly respond to our appeal for
intensive food production and that the result Will
be exeeedingly Eratifying; s =, ,,,a.r-
stand and appreciate their true relationship to
our government. They are fast becoming pro-
ducers rather than altogether consumers. am