The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-05-07

trenches. The industrial forces OF
the country, men and women alike
will be a great national, a great in.
Eternational, service army,-a notable
and honored host engaged in the ser.
vice of the nation and the world
the efficient friends and saviors OF
free men everywhere. Thousands
nay, hundreds of thousands, of mell
otherwise liable to military service
will of right and of necessity be eX-
cused from that service and assigned
to the fundamental, sustaining work
of the fields and factories and mines,
and they will be as much part of
the great patriotic forces of the ma
ton as the men under fire.
I take the liberty therefore, of
addressing this word to the farmers
of the country and to all who work
ON the farms: The supreme need
of our own nation and of the nations
with which we are cooperating is
an abundance Of supplies, and es-
pecially of food stuffs. The import
ance of an adequate food supply, es-
pecially for the present year is sup
erlative. Without abundant food,
alike for the armies and the peoples
now at war, the whole great enter
prise upon which we have embarked
will break down and fail. The
worlds food reserves are low. Not
only during the present emergency
but for some time after peace shall
have come both our own people and
a large proportion of the people of
Europe must rely upon the harvests
i'm America. Upon the farmers of
this country, therefore, i'm large
measure, rests the fate of the war
and the fate of the nations. May
the nation not count upon them to
omit no step that will increase the
production of their land or that will
bring about the most effectual CO.
operation i'm the sale and distribu-
ton of their products? The time
is short. 1t is of the most impera-
tive Importance that everything pos
sible be done and done Immediately
to make sure of large harvests. /
call upon young men and old alike
and upon the able-bodied boys of
the land to accept and act upon this
turn in hosts to the farms
and make certain that no pains and
no labor is lacking i'm this great
matter.
l particularly appeal to the farm
ers of the south to plant abundant
food stuffs as well as cotton. They
can show their patriotism in no
better or more convincing way than
by resisting the great temptation of
the present price of cotton and help |
ing, helping upon a great scale, to
feed the nation and the peoples
everywhere who are fighting for
their liberties and for our own. The
variety of their crops will be the
visible measure of their cOmprehen-
sion of their national duty.
The government of the United
States and the government of the
several states stand ready to CO.
operate. They will do everything
to assist farmers i'm securing
IN adequate supply of seed, an ade-
luate force Of labOrers when they
are most needed, at harvest time,
and the means of expediting ship
nents of fertilizers and farm ma
;hinery, as well as Of the crops
when harvested. - The
course of trade shall be as unhamp-
,red as it is possible to make it and
here shall be no unwarranted man.
pulation of the nations food supply
~ those who handle it ON its way
% the consumer. This is our Oppor-
unity to demonstrate the efficiency
If great democracy and we shall
lot fall short of it!
This let me say to the middlemen