The Elk Mountain pilot., 1917-04-19
COLORADO FOOD SUPPLY
RAISE CROP ON EVERY POSSIBLE
ACRE THIS YEAR.
Proclamation From the Committee on
Ways and Means Appointed by
Governor Gunter.
Newspaper Union New. Service.


Room 20. State Capitol. Denver. April
II, 1S17.-To The People Of the State OF
Colorado: Hon julius C. Gunter. Gov
srnor of the State Of Colorado, has ap-
tee on ways and means to devise plans
to meet the conditions regarding our
food supply. That a serious food situ-
alton exists no one can question. The
situation. which would have been Sc
rtous in any event. has been greatly
aggravated by reason OF the war, ana
as 1t exists today threatens national
calamity unless every effort Is made
by all of the people to avert 1t.
In many parts Of the great wheat
and Nebraska the winter wheat crop
Ia almost total failure. According
to present Indications Kansas, which
produced 160.000.000 bushels in 1915.
will not produce above 30.000,00Q BUSH
els from the coming harvest. The con-
dition of other staple food products
alarming. For instance, the potato
crop of last year was close to 100000
900 bushels short of normal The av-
erage for the past five years Is 344.-
100000 bushels and the indications are
that owing to the high cost of seed and
fertilizer the potato crop this year Will
be short fsom twenty to forty per cent.
of normal. Reserve stocks have been
almost depleted. Seed of all kinds Is
scarce and high in price and unless
States will. in the course of a year.
find itself unable to supply our SOL
diery and sailors with food products
aside from the normal requirements OF
our population. We VAIL be unable to
assist those in the factories and on
the battlefields of Europe who are
necessary food supply. Let our people
also heed the fact that many will be
withdrawn from all of our food pro-
lnS ~ our s' army ana idiISFs navy. 'A'
The greatest contribution which
Colorado can make to the country at
fort to the end that the last acre cap
able of cultivation may be made to
produce some kind of a crop. The time
IL short; the situation Is critical.
This committee has been appointed
by the Governor of Colorado and his
Advisory War Council and asked to as
oume the duty of ,s securing eomple,e hn,n
about the cultivation of every available
acre. We earnestly urge that the peo-
pie of every community and county in
the state be Immediately organized for
the purpose of assisting In this crisis.
We ask the banks in every locality
to Immediately call mass meeting OF
the people of their communities and at
such meeting to appoint committee
on ways and means; that committee to
open Headquarters. secure clerical as
sistance and appoint sub-committees
for the following .purposes:
First-A committee to investigate
the condition as regards the seed sup.
ply in that locality; whether or not
there Is sufficient seed to plant full
acreage and whether there Is a surplus
that can. be spared for use in other
parts of the state.
Second-A committee to Investigate
the financial condition of the farmers
in that locality and discover II finan-
cial assistance Is needed by any
worthy Individual in the purchase of
seed.
Third-A committee to organize the
of devising, plans for conserving the
present food supply in every possible
way. ahd putting an absolute end to
In increasing the food production.
We ask that es soon as organized.
the chairman Of the local committee
Msans Committee. Room 30. State Capt.
tol Building. Denver.
We urge upon the banks to extend
financial assistance to worthy farmers
who from = lack of funds are unable
to plant lands which they would other
wise cultivate. This committee will
undertake to assist In this matter when
The time is short. In few weeks
the planting season will be over: What
perasiv. ns:d Of Of tSs dSHs mo%sn. s local
organization; and we urge that tho
banks. merchants. business men, COM
tions and bureaus. county commission
ers and all patriotic citizens unite in
perfecting local organisations at the
veg Condition. 1S,s PGe .1eh Se sSnt high price.
are certain to prevail for some years
to come, and the pecuniary reward to
win undoubtedly be great; but this is
wholly secondary to the consideration
that in this crisis Colorado owes the
h her every ~ effort Sd and @ utiiI.ins IN "s her eve
eSy resource for the purpose of con-
tributing her last possible bushei to
the nations food supply.
Other recommendations are under
consideration and will be submitted
later. Our food supply Is the supreme
question of the hour. and we desire to
care and the elimination of waste in
consumption Is equivalent to an in
crease In production.
This committee has opened headquar-
tiers in the Capitol Building at Denver
and VIII undertake to assist In every
possible posi- i.,,, way ~ Every resource Of the
cal committees in their WORK.
The State Agricultural College. the
Experimental Station, the State Agri-
cultural Extension Service and ali of
the local bureaus of the Department of
Agriculture have rendered their serv-
Ices to assist and may be called upon
by every local committee.
In counties where agricultural agents
are maintained the county agents are
INSTRUCTED to assist in every possible
tions.
To sum up. we. citizens of Colorado,
whose chief concern is to bring home
to our people the imperative necessity
in this grave hour of increasing all
food products of our state and thereby
averting what in the course of months
will be dire calamity to our people,
most earnestly call upon our citizen
ship throughout the state to bring to
the attention of all of our citizens the
condition of our state; address our
selves to relieving this condition. and
in every public-spirited way assist our
farmers in increasing their agricultu-
raj areas and the production therefrom.
We ask of the press and clergy of
this state. aid in carrying this message
to our people.
By order of the Governor:
j. K MULLEN, Chairman.
c. A. KENDRICK.
CHAS. A. LORY.
]. C. MITCHELL,
C. C. HAMIIN
H. ]. ALEXANDER,
GEO. B. BERGER