The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1917-04-26
CONFERENCE ON AGRICULTURAL
SITUATION

The secretary VI he' iN"i'"N
oested the state Agricultural Of-
ncials and representatives oil the
agricultural colleges in all the
states from New York to the Rocky
Mountains. to meet him in st. LOUIS,
Mo-. 10 discuss the AGRICULTURAL
situation in the present nationai
crisis. The conference convened az
the Jefferson Hotel at ten O'CLOCK,
Monday. April 10, and continued
through Tuesday. Thirty two states
were represented by sixty-two Oh
flcials and the Department by the
Secretary Of Agriculture and the
Chiefs of the Bureau of Plant In
dustry and the officials OF Markets
and Rural Organization. After a
thorough discussion of the major
problems involved, it was decided 10
deal with the whole subject matter
in four major divisions:
1. Production and Labor. 2. Dis
,ribution and Prices. 3! Economy
and Utilization. 1. Effective organ
ization.
A representative committee OF
fifteen was appointed by the con-
ference to formulate its views on
these subjects and to submit sug-
gestions for courses Of action. SUD
committees were appointed by this
committee to deal with each OF the
enumerated matters. The sub
committees reported to the full
committee, which in turn reported
TO the committee Of fifteen; the con-
ference decided to express its views
and to urge the courses OF action
as indicated below:
The Farmers Responsibility
Upon the farmer rests in large
measure the final responsibility OF
winning the war in which we are
now involved. The importance TO
the nation of an adequate food sup
ply. especially for the present year,
cannot be accomplished. There
fore. the man who tills the soil and
supports the soldier in the field. and
the family at home, is rendering as
noble and patriotic a service as is
the man who bears the brunt OF
battle.
The American farmer has long
shown his ability to produce more
food per man and at lower cost per
unit than any other farmer in the
world, but he has never had to dc
his best. He needs to do his best
now. II is very important that the
farmer devote his principle efforts
TO the production of such crops and
the employment Of such methods
as are well established in his COM
mnity and are likely to yield the
maximum in food and clothing
material.
We urge the importance OF the
immediate mobilization of all avail
able service of the Federal and
State Departments of Agriculture
and the Colleges of Agriculture in
cooperating with the press, the
banks. the commercial organizations
the religious and the social societies
that all may heartily join with the
farmer in performing the patriotic
duty OF providing and conserving
food.
Because of the world shortage OF
food, il is scarcely possible that the
production of staple crops can be
too great this year.
Increasing The Food Supply
Throughout the United States
east Of the one hundredth meridian
the corn area may be increased u
advantage, with view to its use:
both for human food and animal
production.
In the districts where wheat has
been winter-killed replanting |:
suggested with oats. corn, or sor-
ghum as climatic conditions ma,
determine.
An important increase in oul
food supply may be made by en-
larging the area planted to nav,
beans in the North and West, an6
by stimulating in every reasonable
way an increase in the area OF po-
tatoes planted, especially for loca
use.
Sweet potatoes in the South will
undoubtedly be needed in theil
fresh state in larger quantities thar
usual and also for storing for win
ter use either in their natural stat
or as canned or dessicated pro
. ducts.
While il is important TO utillz'
available lands in the staple small
grains and titled crops, care shoul'
be taken TO avoid undue encroach
ment on the area used for pasturag