Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1917-04-20
CITY AND COUNTY
JOIN FOOD CAMPAIGN
OLYMPIA TO HAVE MORE GAR
DENS-FARMERS TO IN.
CREASE CROPS.


With joint committee from the
Chamber of Commerce and the local
lodge of Elks directing the work in
the city and committee of county
officials headed by Agriculturist c.
H. Bergstrom, supervising that
throughout the county, Olympia and
Thurston county jumped right into
the agricultural preparedness CAM
paign this week and present indica-
tions are that they will contribute
their share to the nationwide effort
for an increased production of food
|stuffs.
The city's joint committee. con-
sisting of G. J. Lord, H. L.. Whiting
and r. G. Blakeslee for the Elks,
and F. r. Klumb. George Diehlman
and B. F.. Hume for the Chamber Of
Commerce, has been gathering infor-
nation this week from local property
owners a. to vacant lots available
for cultivation and already has Z
large number listed. The city cam
paign Is conducted especially to stim-
ulate gardening and promises to pro-
duce big results.
Directing the work in this county
is committee composed Of County
Agent G. H. Bergstrom chairman,
Commissioner T. Ives Dodge and
School superintendent o. G. 0oss.
authorized: at the mass meeting ak
the courthouse last Saturday. attend
ed by more than so farmers and
quite a number Of local business
men. 50
County Commissioner J. 9. Sans
presided at this meeting, which had
been called BY the county ofhcials a
response to the proclamation issusd
by Governor Lister. and stated thAt
the county hoard might finance Tho
purchase Of seed by farmers and gar-
deners II necessary, to make the cam-
paign successful IN. this county. and
might also furnish farm tractors to
assist the greatly Increased cultiva-
tion desired ana likewise the cultivar
tion OF unoccupied farms.
Dissatisfaction Yith the local mar
keting situation and severe criticism
OF local merchants along the lines
that has been voiced in the past, Was
expressed by several farmers attend
ing the meeting, who declared that
farmers would not grow larger crops
unless they knew they could dispose
OF them satisfactorily and who ~
serted that local conditions ct pre-
emit did not enable them to do 20.
Wide discrepancies between prices
they said they had been offered BY
local merchants and Tacoma and Se-
attic market quotations were cited ~
several speakers during this phase Of
the discussion and resolution was
proposed, but not adopted. calling
upon the government to nx food
prices.
Az an answer to the marketing con-
tention, President C. J. Lord Of the
Capital National bank declared that
cooperation In marketing and study
of market conditions would solve this
problem for the farmers. adding: IF
the farmers cannot get the proper
treatment here. It II up to them to
find their own markets. But believe
II the farmers will try to cooperate
with the merchants aud viii study In
which market conditions are best. the
problem will be easy to solve"
The meeting adopted the plan Of
organization proposed by the Seattle
conference. published elsewhere In
this issue, which was explained by
Mrs. Josephine Preston, state school
County Superintend-
ent o. c. Goss told of the work Of the
Boys and Girls clubs. AS result
of the meeting, the farmers generally
agreed to do their utmost to increase
the county's production of agricul-
tural products, as their share in the
general campaign advocated nation
ally by President Wilson and in this
state by Governor Lister.