Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-04-24

Total. 3.e26.572,a56 S.6l9.oo7
Farms Must Be Made to Produce.
'In the multitude of counsellors
there is safety" so said King Solomon:
and its truth Is just as apparent to me
today l have endeavored to get in
formation and advice from all reliable
sources, and to make a somewhat ex-
haustive research. that might present
to you the exact conditions which ex-
list.
The reports and figures submitted
were rendered in times Of peace. The
great demand in times of war will Of
course immeasurably increase the need
! for containers: and prompt and i'm
perative action must be taken. Our
farms must be made to produce album
i dant food, not only to supply our own
people. but to succor the famished
| millions of Europe. 1t were better for
| us to supply food for those who are
! fighting battles for democracy abroad
| than to send an army to multiply the
| horrors of blood soaked battleflelds
Our Industrial establishments must be
| kept in operation: but it is of far
greater Importance that our food sup
| ply shall be maintained to an extent
| adequate to the needs of all our popu-
lation. A shortage Of food has proven
the greatest danger to the countries of
Europe in the present conflict, and I'M
less quick and decisive action be
| taken the same conditions will prevail
in our own country, to say nothing Of
the great increase in the cost of living.
The British food controller has Or
dered that, beginning April Is, in
hotels, restaurants. boarding houses
and clubs, there shall be one meatless
day weekly. They have also ordered
: that no potatoes shall be allowed OK
| cept on meatless days, and on Friday.
| The order imposes restrictions on the
quantity of meat, sugar. and bread.
Germany has long since restricted her
| citizens to the most meager and stinted
| allowance, and it is a matter Of COM
mon knowledge that, should there be
anything but a. full and complete
harvest in Germany this season she
would be obliged to surrender in
despair. without the discharge Of a
single gun. The blockade of both
England and Germany is for the pur-
| pose of starving the people into sub
mission.
Suffering Europe.
| The lack Of food in Belgium has
been frightful, but perhaps the most
painful and distressing experience
that any people were ever subjected
to was that of little Poland, where
children were compelled to share the
meat of mice and moles with the fam
| lily cat. until. overcome by the anguish
of famine and starvation, they were
relieved only by insanity or death. o
cruelty unspeakable! sunless. agon-
| lied country, where no child above
twelve years of age has survived-and
those Of older years, whose lives have
been spared mutilated and crippled.
mentally and morally robbed. The
history of the world records no crimes
SO heart-rending and atrocious.
| 1t is not expected that our country
will approach such conditions of suf-
fering and disaster. But that food
supply may be ample, that our people
may not entertain the possibility of
distress, we should exert every effort,
and all the energy we possess to the
one cause of success In this great con-
flict.
With righteous Indignation for the
insult and injury perpetrated by the
German government upon our people,
let us act, and act promptly. Let us
pass this bill. now under considera
ton, which will. am sure, give to the
conserver Of foods the assurance that
he will secure sufficient containers for
his products. and stop Immediately the
advancing price of foods. which has
been soaring for months, until now
| even the common necessities have al
most passed beyond the reach Of the
people.
The prompt enactment of this bill
will hold the tin plate in our own
country until sufficient surplus Is re-
I served to supply our needs. 1t will
give renewed courage and assurance to
the packer, and with this assurance
the tiller Of the soil, who can do more
than armed forces to win this great
battle for the rights Of man, will. on
every hillside and in every valley. and
from the great plains OF the fertile.
mighty and magnificent West. garner
harvest so full and abundant that no
single American shall suffer from hum
ger or want. And this nation, thus
provided for through the wisdom Of
her citizens. shall emerge triumphant
from this titanic struggle, and shall
not perish from the earth.
Miss Josephine Crisler, a southern So
cfotv belle nv her 1ohhyin1 RucceAded