The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-04-14
FOOD SHORTAGE
is GRAVE DANGER
Farmers Cannot Get Help - Steps TAX
EN- by Vermont Committee to
Increase Crops.

Flour at $50 to $40 per barrel, pota
toes ut s. or more per bushcl and 9th
| u food at relative prices may be ex
! )ected within Il year unless the coun-
t!y wakes up to the urgent need Of
greatly increasing crop productions the
oming season.
/ At the meeting Of executive commit
tee OF the Vermont Committee Of Pub /
.ic Safety Monday evening at Montpe- I
ier the report presented from the \
hartman, Col. Ira L. Reeves, and en- 7
! phasized by others who have been in |
| correspondence with Washington, is |
the food situation OF the United States /
IS more matter for alarm than the
military condition.
With more than twenty million men
under arms the production OF food crops
IS more affected than any other busi
ness for the reason that when a young
man from the shop, factory or office
enlists his place is most often taken
by men and boys from the country.
Then there are also large numbers nt
enlistmcnts from the rural population
In many parts Of Europe about al the
farm labor for two years has been done
by women, old men and prisoners Of
war. The drain on the food products
Of the neutral nations has been cnor.
nous.
Now the United States has gone into
The war and has started to raise an
amy Of 100000 men. 1t is clear that
he farms VIII furnish a part of these
men and men to take the places Of Il
large part Of the others. The United
States, which has been the greatest
food supply country Of the world, can
lot keep up its production unless spc.
,al effort is made.
This country can furnish all the
oldiaIs it is asked for far easier than
. il can supply the farm workers that
: ire needed. It is evident that the
'slackers' ii there are any in this
COUNTRY will be the mgn who can raise
'rops and don't
The farmers will he banned, bu'
hey should not be. Practically every
lne OF them is planning to plant all the
| hops this wear he can possibly tax
are Of, but il is Just about impossible
or the farmers to pet extra help 10
cist oXtr: cGop,.
The responsibility falls back on the
)copl' in the villages and cities who
nave a little spare time and hitle SUI
1luS land 10 make up the deficiency
hundreds OF thousands oil gardens and
llots of land III the cites and villages
nav, remained implanted year after
,ear for one reason Ct another. but this
year it is important that they be care
ully cultivated.
At the suggestion OF Rev. Father y
!. Q Sullivan 81 81. Adams every p.i -
md minister in Vermont is asked an,
ngcd to place this matter clearly br
a o:c their CONGREGATIONS mex. Sunday
n, ind the Sundays following. The rails
ing Of crops is Just as much patriot
iutv IS enlistment.
Commissioner OF Education, Milo II
lillegas, suggested before the commit
&c, and later at q meeting OF tn
~ chool superintcudcntS OF the state
-, hat high school BOYS who arr willin
and able to work on farm, he release
from school the FIRST of May, and b
given the same school credits n thong
@ hey remained al their studies, t. max
m, ~ III part the shortage OF farm labor.
'F Commits Toner llillcgas also has a pla
80 to enlist the boys and girls Of tn
~, grades and lower classes OF tn hig
~ schools in raising potatoes, beans an
=, other vegetables on what land can /
81, found available. The gins will also /
"p given special Instructions in canain
ot and preserving 50 that all surplus croi
80 may he preserved for winter.
Through the generosity Of Mi
wv Emily Proctor Of Proctor special i
~. .truction in canning by expert instru
,"' tors will he given and these viii
ti.' aided by women familiar with the wol
-" he several communities.
~ The committee voted Commission
l"' Hillcgas fund of $4,000 20 buy SCI
l>'' and in each community citizens n
y asked TO see that the boys aad girls a
,,,' provided with seed IS it il certain tn
va" the $4,000 to he provided by the co
!, mittcc will not lie cnough.-Bennir
He' ton Banner.