The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1917-04-20

can show their patriotism in nO bet
ter 0r more convincing way than by
resisting TIM great temptation Of the
present price of cotton and helping,
helping upon a great scale, tO feed
the nation and the peoples every
where who are fighting f0E their
liberties and for our own. The Va
riety of their crops will be the visible
measure of their comprehension of
their national duty.
The Government of the United States
and thu Governors -0f the several
states stand ready to cooperate. They
will do everything possible to assist
farmers in securing an adequate sup
ply Of seed, an adequate force of
labOrers when they are most needed,
at harvest time, and the means fOr
eXpediting shipments Of fertilizers
and farm machinery as well as the
crops themselves when harvested.
The course of trade shall he as un-
Fhampered as iii I'D possible to make it
and there shall he no lnwarranted
manipulation Df the nations food sup
ply by those who handle it on itS way
tO the consumer This is our OppOr-
tunity to demonstrate the efficiency
of great democracy, and W. shall
mot fall short oR it
This let me Say to the middlemen
Of every sort, whether they are hand
ling our EOOdEtunfs or our raw mater
ials Of manufacture Or Cine products o1
our mills and factories. The eyes ot
the country will u especially upon
you. This AID your opportunity for
signal service, efficient and diginter-
ested. The country expects you, - it
profits, tO organize and expedite ship
ments of supplies of every kind, but
especially food, with an eye I'D the
service YOU are rendering and in the
spirit of those who enlist ln the ranks
for their people, not fOT themselves
I shall confidently expect you to de-
serve and win the confidence Of peo-
ple of every sort and station.
To the men who rum the railways
Of the country, whether they IT, man
ayers Or operative employees, let me
say that the railways are the arteries
of Tho nations life and that upon them
rests Tine immense responsibility Oi
seeing tO it that these arteries suffer
nO obstruction Of any kind, no lnefi-
cheney Or slackened power. To TIN
merchant, Tt me suggest the motto.
Small profits and quick service |;
and to the Shipbuilder, the thought
that the life Of the war depends upon
him. The food and tn war supplies
must be carried across the seas, nC
matter how many ships are sent To
the bottom The places Of those that
~ down must be supplied and sup
piled at once. TO the miner, Tit me
SaY that he stands where THE farmer
does: The work of the world waits
Ion him. If he slackens or rails
armies and statesmen are helpless
He also iS enlisted in the great ser
vice army The manufacturer does
not need tO be told, At hope, that the
rStion looks tO him to speed and per
fecl every process; andNI want only
tO reMind hiS employees that their
services absolutely Indispensable and
is counted ca by every man who loves
the country and its liberties.
let me suggest also that everyone
who creates Or cultivates "a garden
helps greatly IT'D solve the problem of
the feeding Of the nations; and that
every housewife who practices strict
economy puts herself in the ranks Of
those who serve the nation. This III
the time for America to correct her
objectionable fault of Wastefulness
and extravaganza. let every man and
every woman assume the duty of care
ful, provident uSe and expenditure aa
q public duty, a. dictate OF ia
triotism which nO one can now expect
ever to IT, excused or forgiven for f.
noring.
In the hope that this statement of tn
needs of the nation and of thu world in
this hour of supreme crisis may stimu-
late those tO whom it comes and remind
all who need reminder of the solemn
duties Of q time such as the world has
never seen before, I bee that I'll edi-
tors and publishers everywhere will
give a. prominent publication and as
wide circulation a. possible to this
appeal Az venture to suggest also To
all advertising agencies that they
would perhaps render very substan-
tial and timely service to the country
if they would give it widespread e.
petition, And I hope that clerEymen
will not think the theme or ii an un-
worthy Or inappropriate subject OF
comment and hOmily from their pull
pits.
The supreme test of the nation has
come W. must all speak, act and
serve together!
WOODROW WILSON.