Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-04-30
OMAHA JOINS IN FOOD.
MOBILIZATION PLAN
International Harvester Com
pany Responds to Appeal of
President Wilson.
POINTS OUT THE WAY

+. w. Lewis, general agent of the
International Harvester company in
Omaha, has sounded the prepared
ness slogan OF increasing food supply
to avert shortage OF crops and per-
haps a worldwide famine.
Mr.. Lewis has started the move
mcnt among Nebraska, Iowa and
South Dakota farmers. pointing the
way by which they may be better
prepared for the demands that will
be made upon them.
He has sent letters to all agents
OF the company throughout this ter
ritory, urging them TO Immediately
get in touch with the farmers and
urge upon them the necessity of in
creasing the acreage OF corn. These
agents are instructed to give all pos
sible aid to the farmers.
Since the winter wheat of Nebraska
and Iowa has been damaged by cold
weather OF last winter, Mr.. Lewis
is urging the planting of corn. If
later in the season there is shortage
OF help the crop can be cut for fod-
der, or put into silos and fed to hogs
and cattle next winter
Save Wherever Possible.
Mr.. Lewis impresses upon his
agents the necessity of saving wher-
ever possible, doing away with waste
and thus making the farms earn up
to their full capacity this year. He
declared that in this way an ample
supply of foodstufs for home con-
sumption and to meet the commercial
demand will be assured.
Omaha Offices OF the harvester
company are laboring to combat the
possibility of a crop shortage, under
instructions from the home office in
Chicago.
IN response to the appeal Of Pres
ident Wilson, Cyrus Mccormick,
president OF the company has caused
to be sent to farm implement deal
ers throughout the United States and
Canada 10000 letters urging them to
get in touch with the people of their
respective communities and impress
uoon them the importance of cult
waiting as large an acreage as possible
t. avert the threatened danger of a
short crop.
President Mccormick does not at
tempt to give advice, but he urges
upoI the women of the country the
necessity of doing their bit in the
matter of helping with home eco
Monies.
Important portions of the letter
follow:
Must Profit by Mistakes.
From the latest reports of our
representatives in many countries, we
are satisfied that the presidents
statement as to the crop situation is
most conservative. The whole world
IS now facing shortage of crops.
Tear the situation is even more seri-
GUS than we realize. Strenuous. eff
forts must be made to lessen--and if
possible to avoid-the disaster which
would be worldwide if our present
tears regarding the crop shortage be-
comes reality.
The United States should avoid
the mistakes made by the European
countries now at war. In some coun-
tries the necessity for preserving the
herds and the breeding of cattle was
overlooked, The result was failure
in the supply of meat and butter. In
other countries, as the war pro-
crossed, owing to the scarcity of
labor, much land was left untitled, re-
sulting in shortage of crops.
| Farmers should not let the high
price of beef, pork and mutton tempt
them to sell their breeding stock for
slaughter, Every dairy COW will pro-
duce in milk and butter each season
lar more value in food products than
she is worth for beef purposes and
this will be produced largely from
forage crops not otherwise available
for human food.
Urge the growing OF gardens
and grow one yourself.
Raise more poultry. This is a
quick way of increasing the food sup.
ply.