The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-20

ders, so that his organization could con- tribute it's effort and influence to the movement for more food crops. The mat ter of arranging mass meetings was as- signed to the Civic association, and they will get actively on the job immediately, stated Mir Babb.
 Senator Frank s. White reported that the educational committee was very act i've, and that the had held several meetings, and that he would speak at Irondale Friday night.
 Some difficulty is being experienced in getting the cooperation of the county schools, due to the fact that many of them have completed their terms for the year and disbanded, stated Senator White
 Wholesale merchants, according to John l.. Cox, chairman of the committee named to see the merchants, areA of one accord in stating that farmers will have no trou- ble in disposing of their products this year. Every one of them who attended the meeting which MT. Cox addressed pledged himself to buy foodstuffs brought to them by the farmers.
 w. l.. Walters of Alexander City, it was made known through Murray Brown. has mailed letter to every merchant in the Alabama Merchants association to urge them to do everything that they can for the farmer. in the way of ad- vancing him supplies, seed and imple- ments.
 The letter which will be mailed out 10 the members of the Alabama Merchants association by President w. l.. Waters of Alexander City reads as follows:
 My Fellow Merchant: The slogan has gone out, Alabama Must Feed Her self" Our country is at war, and the time for theorizing is past We must act. President Woodrow Wilson, in patriotic appeal issued this week, used the follow ing forceful language:
 T particularly appeal to the farmers of the south to plant abundant foodstuffs as well as cotton. They can show their pa triotism in no better or more convincing way than by resisting the great tempta- tion of the present price of cotton and helping, helping upon a great scale, to feed the natlon and the peoples every where who are fighting for their liberties and for our own, The variety of their crops will be the visible mea sure of their comprehension of their national duty"
 In view of these facts and conditions strongly urge every merchant in the state to impress upon his customers the importance and necessity of planting a food crop now. Insist upon their plant ing peas, beans (both garden and field), potatoes, Irish and sweet, sorghum and corn. The pinch is going to come this fall, after the gardenes are over, and this is one year that should you raise a surplus of these staples, it will be the same as cash. Birmingham is a large consumer of commodities of every char acter, and at this time vigorous action is being taken looking to a more efficient handling of farming products and to the securing of the fairest treatment of those who desire to sell on the Birmingham market
 See that you have seed. and that they are properly displayed in your store. Along this line. be moderate in your profits and liberal in your credits. for by proper aid now. many families can pro- duce sufficient for their own needs. who otherwise at the end of the year might become a charge on your community.
 I am enclosing herewith a copy of Gov ernor Henderson's proclamation, which I would thank you to post in a conspicuous place in your establishment
 Thanking you for your continued CO., operation believe me, faithfully yours,
 w, L. WATERS, President.