The Carlisle independent., 1917-04-19
FOOD ARNl FIRST
 IMPORTANCE NOW
AUTHORIZED STATEMENT OF CARL vRooMAN, ASSISTANT sECRE-
 TARY OF AGRICULTURE.

The South needs to be agriculturally prepared and mobilized at this critical moment in our history, because the South is dependent on the rest of the country for her food supply. The South must develop her food resources and her system of food distribution to the highest point of efficiency. The South at this crisis must lead the way by feeding herself. thus releasing s600.- p00,000 or s1,000,000,0 900 worth of food 10 those who are fighting with us for democracy and human liberty War means that the present serious short ige of freight cars will become even more serious, and the South will suffer because of its dependence on the North west for meat and flour.
 It Is essential that every possible food resource of the Southern States be developed to its fullest capacity this summer, and that reliance be not placed on the cotton crop alone. It may be that substitutes for staple | foods will have to become a part of the
 Southern diet. Soy beans and cowpeas. Tor example, would ease up the meat situation. for both are excellent pro- tein sources for human food, and if wheat flour Is difficult to get, bread ran be made in conjunction with pota- loes, corn meal, rice. peanut meal. soy bean meal, etc.
 Under normal conditions there would be at this time enough food in the
 
 and do big export business In addi- ton. But war is not a normal condf- ton. Our allies are hungry, and we must feed them. Our winter wheat crop is small, and the world wheat crop Is likewise small There Is every req son for the strietest economy in the use of food. the styictest efficiency in the distribution of food, and the ut-
 most use of scientific principles in the ! production of food.
 The responsibility for adequate food production lies with the individual cit lzen. Any planter or farmer who, in this national crisis, fails to put a large l percentage of his land in food crops is lacking both in patriotism and in com mon prudence. We can not win this war If we permit the boys at the front 1 to supply all the self sacrifice Today 1 the first duty of the South and the na-
 woman and child must share in this common burden and privilege. am myself landowner as well as public official. and want to say a per sonal word to the landowners of the | South.
 All landowners in the South who live | In the cities and rent their lands to tenants owe a duty to their country in l this time of war necessity for food
 stuffs. They should give their tenants every facility for growing not only the | supplies needed on their farms. but
 also, they should urge every tenant to grow SurpiuS or food crops. Local 1 forces should be organized to furnish l market at reasonable prices for these food crops. and thus insure profit on the crops produced.
 Any landowner who. by exorbitant | rents or by pressure of any sort causes 1 his tenants to plant on his lands a large crop of cotton at the expense of | food production is not doing his part
 and has signally failed to measure up 1 to the requirements of a good citizen. I have said before. and I say again, | that the South can and must feed her i self, and this can only be done when | our city landowners and those who con- | trol lands actively support and use all their Influence to secure the production | of food.
 Contracts for rents and for methods | or cropping may already be made but l no landowner, true to his country will | stand in the way of production of food stuffs because of selfish conSidera tfons
 Even from the selfish financial point of
 View, to put all your land in cotton
 this year Is poor business judgment Tn
 all likelihood food crops will be more 1 In demand in the South than even cot | ton. Much larger acreages must be de- voted to corn. soy and velvet beans po-
 tatoes. forage. home gardens and this | Tall the grains-an Of which is impos-
 sible if the land is in cotton.s
 1 The responsibility of this crisis on
 the individual landowner is as great s upon the individual farmer. the indi- 1 Niuudl bdflhff. me llO1NlQual merchan nt
 pr the individual soldier in the trenches. l If our nation is 10 exert her full might l In her splendid crusade for democrac cy and liberty. the same iuvincible spirit | or patriotism must animate alike all l classes of our citizens Landowners of i Tennessee, the time has come for you
 to sign your pledges and do your bit'' | for the South. for the nation, and for
 the successful termination of this war Carl Vrooman