The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1917-11-12
iBy Richard H. Edmunds.)

by Richard H. Edmunds.) /,
MANY people prefer to avoid facing
realities, apparently believing that If
they can fool themselves and the pub
lie long enough some change may take
Mace which will obviate the necessity
Of facing facts when these facts are
unpalataole.
This country faces very serious
food situation, but the United States
Department of Agriculture has misled
the nation, and in doing so misled the
administration itself. In President i
wilson's appeal for sacrifice in order
70 conserve food for our allies he said:
"Our country, however, is blessed |
with an abundance of foodstuffs, and |
Il our people will economic in their |
To the quantities required for the |
maintenance of health and strength"
etc.
President Wilson was thoroughly
honest in his own belief as to the cor
rectnesS of this statement, or he would
not have made it. But unfortunately
Il is incorrect. The country is not
abundantly supplied with foodstuffs,
and it is a serious mistake, viewed
from every angle, to have this impress
sion created. If the country should
ne convinced that there was an abund-
aace Of foodstuffs for our own needs,
there would be less realization of the
necessity of increased food production
and increased food conservation, and
no justification could be found for
the high prices prevailing. If these
high prices were due entirely to spec
and spectators should be hung or
shot. But unfortunately the facts are
such as to demand the most serious
consideration of the nation. We must
face the issue with exactly the same
spirit that we must face the realities
Of the war, and prepare to meet the
food question with exactly the same
degree of self-sacrifice with which the
soldier offers his life.
Are Food "Slackers"
The man who wastes food, who con-
sumes more of wheat bread, beef, pork
and mutton than is actually needed
for his sustenance, is Stacker in this
hour of world tragedy. He is infin-
iJely more of a Stacker than the man
Wno because of cowardice seeks to
escape the war. The latter from cow
ardice may try to save his life The
former, from selfish gluttony is un-
widing TO sacrifice even some of his
appetite. The hotel or the social club
which furnishes on it's bill of fare
larger supply of foodstuffs thar
should be demanded at this hour, Of
which wastes by giving too large {
portion, is worse than a Stacker.
co-operates with the Stacker merely
because it does not want heroicall,
to stand for what is right, and there
fore it seeks to appease the glutton
Gus appetite of the food Stacker TIL
time has long since passed for mine
ing words in the discussion of thes
problems. Let us face the facts Ii
to the food question.
Thi, years wheat crop is 10000
COO bushels less than the averag
yield Of the last five years. II is ov
er S0,000,000 bushels short of the GRO
of 1901, OF Is years ago, though a
that time we had a population of a
least 100000 less than we hav
today. At the average rate of cor
sumption, based on an increase of 25
100000 people, we need at least 125
100000 bushels more Of wheat tina
we then needed for our domestic Con
sumption alone. But instead of thu
we nave decrease Of 100000 busl
els short of that years yield.
This years wheat crop is 10000 OF
bushels short of the yield CT 1912.
is 103 100000 bushels short of that
1913. It is 100000 bushels ie
than that of 1915.
If this years yield of corn al
wheat had been increased in propo
ton to population as compared wi
the yield of 1906, we would have 81:
100000 bushels more than the aggr
gate yield of these two crops in tn
year.
Grain Millions of Bushels Short.
The totalproduction of wheat a.
corn for the last two years is 49,
100000 bushels short of the total pr
duction for 1914 and 1915.
1t is true we have had large
crease in corn and oats and in fl
other things this year, but it seel
Impossible to get government autho
ties to recognize that this increa
will not be sufficient to fill up
vacuum created by last years sho
age of nearly 100000, 900 bushels
grain, potatoes and other foodstuf
as compared with 1915, making |;
year the most disastrous crop year
the history of the country.
We have 15,500,000 head of she
less than we mad in 1908, a decres