Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1917-04-19

sity be excused ff0m tlint service and
assigned to the fundamental, sustain-
ing work Of the fields and factories,
and mines, and they will be az much
part of the great patriotic forces of
the nation as the men under fire.
II take the liberty, therefore, Of
addressing this word to the farmers
Of the country and to all who work
on the farms: The supreme need Of
our own nation and Of the nations
with which we are cooperating Is an
abundance Of supplies, and especially
of foodstuffs. The Importance OF an
adequate food supply, especially foi
the present year, Is superlative.
"WithOut abundant food, alike for
the armies and the peoples now at
war, the whole great enterprise upon
which we have embarked will break
down and fall.
Hold Fate Of Nations.
"The worlds food reserves are low.
Not only during the present emergency
but for some time after peace shall
have come both our own people and
large proportion of the people of Eu'
rope must rely on the harvests In
America.
"Upon the farmers of this country,
therefore, in large measure, rests the
fate of the war and the fate OF the
nations, May the nation not count
upon them to omit no step that Will
increase the production of their land
or that will bring about the most eff
fectual cooperation in the sale ana
distribution Of their products?
"The time Is short. 1t Is OF the most
imperative Importance that everything
possible be done and done immediate
" to make sure of large harvests. l
call upon young men and old alike ana
upon the able.bodled boys Of the land
10 accent and act upon this duty-to
turn In hosts 10 the farms and make
certain that no pains and no labor Is
lacking in this great matter.
Special Appeal to South.
1T particularly appeal to the farmers
OF the South to plant abundant food
stuffs as well as cotton.
"The government Of the United
States and the governments Of the
several states stand ready to. coop
crate. They will do everything pOssi-
BILE TO assist farmers In securing an
ADEQUATE supply Of seed, an adequate
force of laborers when they are most
needed at harvest time, and the means
of expedlting shipments OF fertilizers
and farm machinery as well as OF the
crops themselves when harvested.
"The course Of trade shall be as un-
hampered as 1t is possible to make IL,
and there shall be no unwarranteu
manipulation Of the nations food sup
ply by those who handle 1t on It's way
to the consumer.
"This let me say - the middlemen
of every sort, whether they are nan
ding our foodstuffs or our raw mate
terlals of manufacture or the products,
of our mills and factories: The eyes
of the country will be especially upon
YOU. This Is your opportunity Tor sig
nal service, efficient and dislnterested'
The country expects you, as 1t expects
all others, to fOrego unusual profits, to-
organize and expedite shipments OF
supplies Of every kind, but especially
of food, with an eye to the service you
are rendering and In the spirit or those
who enlist In the ranks, for their peo-
pie, not for themselves.
IT shall confidently expect you 10
deserve and win the confidence or peo-
pie of every sort and station.
Efficiency on Railroads.
"To the men who run the railways
Of the country, whether they be man.
ayers or operative employees, let me
say that the railways are the arteries
of the nations life, and that upon them
rests the immense responsibility OF
seeing to It that those arteries suffer
no obstruction Of any kind, no inefi-
cheney or slackened power.
"To the merchant let me suggest the
motto. Small profits and quick serv-
ice.' ana to the shlpbullder the thought
that the life Of the war depends upon
him. The food and the war supplies
must be carried across the seas no mat
ter how many ships are sent to the
bottom. The places Of those that 90
down must be supplied at once.
ITO the miner let me say that ne
stands where the farmer does: The
work of the world waits on him. II
he slackens or falls, armies and states
men are helpless. BE also Is enlisted
in the great Service army.
s.The manufacturer does not need to
Be told. I hope, that the nation looks
a 20 him 70 hpsod and psftect svefy pio-