The Washington times., 1917-05-03
WANTS STATES OF
US. SELF F-SUSTAHNING
B. F. YOakum Would Encourage
Farming.

B. +. Yoakum, in a letter to Sec
retary Of Agriculture Houston urges
the National Government to see TO
Il that each State raises as nearly as
possible its own food supply In order
TO relieve the already overtaxed trans
portation system Of the United states
and at the same time insure large
supply of food to be exported TO our
allies. Mr.. Yoakum in the letter
which he made public yesterday says
he sees in this program a need Tor
the Eastern States to Increase their
1917 food production. He advises
that the Government see that farm
workers are paid as high wages as
are maid to munitIon workers, food
, being as important in the conduct OF
the war as bullets. A third recon-
InendatIon is that farmers be guar
anteed a minimum price for staple
crops. In general, he asks that &C
tion by the Government be more to-
ward production rather than being
confined to regulation
.sIf a citizen fails to do his part IN
his country's defense when needed, ne
a a Stacker" said Mr.. Yoakum. III
State fails through neglect to produce
its pro rata of food, in war times IL Is
n slacker State I have contended
that IL is the duty OF the different
States to produce as far as possloie
sufficient food to take care OF thelr
own requirements. The food supply
has become such a serious national
defense measure that the burden OF
furnishing it should be equally dis
trfbuted."
Food Production Low.
Mr.. Yoakum then gave statistics
showing that the per capita farm
production of Iowa, with a popula-
tion of 2,224,771, was $141.44 a year;
Of New York, with a population OF
a1I3614. s22e5, and Of hassachu-
aetts. with a population OF 1886. .4lo'
only 81. 40. The statistics showed IN
General that the per capita food pro
auction of the Eastern States was
very low. Mr.. YoalUum then quoteo
Leonard G Robertson, president OF
the Federal Bank OF Springfield,
Mass as saving: THE New England
states are importing practically 20
Der cent of all the agricultural PROD
nets which they consume. They nave
the land, but the laborers are few:
eastern farmers are robbed OF
farm labor by the high wages paid ny
manufacturers" continued Mr.. foak'
ur, ssrhe farmers must be put in
position to pay the same wages 70
the man who follows the ploW max
ing bread as is paid to the man who
works in the factory making bullets
ssWith New England farms ldle'
4heir labor and capital engaged In
nrontable manufacturing, drawing on
the Southern, Middle. and Western
States for 20 per cent OF their 1000
supply, what will be the attituoe OF
.he Government on distribution! VIII
the surplus produced by the othel
states be sent to States which have
land. money, and labor to produce
their food requirements, II they viii
push their farm production with th'
same energy and activity as they az
their manufacturing; or Will the GOV
ernment under its proposed plan o.
distribution direct the surplus Iooa o
the Southern, Middle, and Westerr
states shipped to the nations that ar
60hting a death struggle under starv
ing conditions to save the war which
we are now In?
Must TIL Idle Land.
1For instance. a trainload of onion
shipped from bTO"HsNAAS' -'
Portland, Ne, traverses approximate
ly as far as II shipped to Liverpool
England. Under the critical circun
stances, who will get the onions, tn
soldiers in the trenches, or the state
which fail to produce their pro rat
of foodstuffs? The allied armies ar
fighting the greatest battle OF IN
world. and as We are now lined u
with them and are beneficiaries, II !
our solemn duty to see that thei
soldiers are well fed. 1t is, there
fore, incumbent upon the Easter
States TO buckle down and cultivat
their idle lands under a broad, com
prehensive national plan, guarantee
ing the farmers fixed prices for thre
years. The Government under col
tract pays the ammunition maker
prices for ammunition that enabl
them to pay wages SO attractive ths
farmers and farm labor quit tn
farms and go to the factories. tn
farmers should be guaranteed ais
prices for their products that wi
Justify them in paying wages to CON
pete with the factories for labor.
'Sf action is taken promptly ther
need be no fear; IL delayed and de
bated to death, the results to thi
and the allied countries will be dis
astrous There Is yet time to saw
the situation. supplying the Amer
cans with all they require, and fur
nishing the allied countries wit
plenty to prosecute the war to a fin
tsh."