The Pulaskian., 1917-04-20
FOOD ARMY FIRST
 IMPORTANCE kON
AUTHORIZED STATEMENT OF CAR, vRoOMAN. ASSISTANT sECpE
 FAIRY OF AGRICULTURE.

The South needs to be agric,i1t,,na,,- prepared and nobilized at this critidty, 5lly moment in our history, because tIi igai South is dependent on the rest op tn tae country for her food supply The so,,l' me must develop her food resources outn etn her system of food distribution to ana tIa highest point of efficiency. The So,,ne at this crisis must lead the wa1r Usn ti feeding herself. thus releasing Sens 000,000 or $1,000,000,000 worth of yFoO' foos to those who are fighting with ne oo Fo democracy and human liberty. WI or means that the present serious sbomt age of freight cars will become a,-as more serious, and the South will s1ffon because of it's dependence on the Nortb west for meat and flour.
 It is essential that every possih,o food resource of the Southern Statas he developed to its fullest capacity tbjo summer, and that reliance be not placed on the cotton crop alone. [, may be that substitutes for sfania foods will have to become a part of IF Southern diet Soy beans and cowneaS for example, would ease up the raea. situation, for both are excellent nro' tefn sources for human food, and if wheat flour Is difficult to get. bread can be made in conjunction with nota1 toes. corn meal, rice, peanut meal sov bean meal. etc.
 Under normal conditions there won1d be at this time enough food in fba
 
 and do a big export business in addfl tion But war is not a normal condi- ton. Our allies are hungry, and we must feed them. Our winter wheat crop Is small, and the world wheat oror is likewise small There is every req son for the strictest economy in fbe use of food. the strictest efficiency ,n the distribution of food and the nt- most use of scientific principles in the production of food.
 The responsibility for adequate fond production lies with the individual cit- izen. Any planter or farmer who in this national crisis. fails to put a large percentage of his land in food crone is lacking both in patriotism and in com mon prudence. We can not win fhiq war if we permit the boys at the front to supply all the self-sacrifce Today the first duty of the South and the na- ton is to get food. Every loyal man woman and child must share in this common burden and privilege. am myself a landowner as we'll as a public official, and want to say per sonal word to the landowners of the South.
 Allalandowners in the South who live In the cities and rent their lands to tenants owe a duty to their country in this time of war necessity for food stuffs. They should give their tenants every facility for growing not only the supplies needed on their farms, but. also. they should urge every tenant to grow surplus of food crops Local forces should be organized to furnish a market at reasonable prices for these food crops, and thus insure a profit on the crops produced.
 Any landowner who, by exorbitant rents or by pressure of any sort, causes his tenants to plant on his lands a large crop of cotton at the expense of | food production is not doing his part, 1 and has signally failed to measure up | to the requirements of a good citizen I have said before, and say again, l that the South can and must feed her | self. and this can only be done when | our city landowners and those who con- | trol lands actively support and use all their influence to secure the production of food.
 Contracts for rents and for methods of cropping may already be made, but no landowner true to his country will 1 stand In the way of production of food stuffs because of selfish considerations. Even from the selfish financial point of | view. to put all your land in cotton | this year is poor business judgment Tn | all likelihood food crops will be more l in demand In the South than even cot | ton Much larger acreages must be de- voted to corn. soy and velvet beans, po- tatoes, forage, home gardens. and this 1 fall the grains=all of which is impos- 1 sible if the land is in cotton l The responsibility of this crisis on l the individual landowner is as great as "'y' l.ie lhulNliu2t farmer, the lhul- vidual barker. the individual merchant | or the individual soldier in the trenches. | If our nation is to exert her full might | in her splendid crusade for democracy and liberty, the same invincible spirit | of patriotism must animate alike all | classes of our citizens. Landowners of l Tennessee, the time has come for you | 10 sign your pledges and "do your bit' l for the South, for the nation, and for the successful termination of this war
 Carl Vrooman.