Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-04-19

| time Is short. It Is of the most impera-
tive importance that everything possible
be done and done Immediately to make
sure OF large harvests. call upon young
men and old alike and upon the able
bodied boys Of the land to accept and act
upon this duty-to turn in hosts to the
farms and make certain that no pains
and no labor is lacking in this matter.
Il particularly appeal to the farmers
OF the South to plant abundant foodstuffs
as well as cotton. They can show their
patriotism in no better or more convinc-
ing way than by resisting the great temp
tation Of the present price Of cotton and
helping, helping upon q great scale. to
reed the nation and the peoples every
where who are fighting for their liber-
ties and for our own.
The variety Of their crops will be the
visible measure of their comprehension
Of their national duty.
GOVERNMENT WILL HELP.
THE government Of the United States
and the governments of the several States
stand ready to cooperate They will do
everything possible to assist farmers in
securing an adequate supply Of seed. an
adequate force of laborers when they are
most needed. at harvest time. and the
means of expediting shipments Of fer
tilizers and farm machinery. as we'll as
of the crops themselves when harvested.
The course of trade shall be as unhamp-
cred as 1t Is possible to make it and there
shall be no unwarranted manipulation of
the nations food supply by those who
handle 1t on it's way to the consumer.
This is our opportunity to demonstrate
the efficiency of a great democracy and
we shall not fall short Of it.
MIDDLEMEN WARMED.
This let me say to the middlemen of
every sort, whether they are handling
our foodstuffs or our raw materials of
manufacture or the products Of our mills
and factories: The eyes of the country
Will be especially upon you. This is your
opportunity for signal service. efficient
and disinterested. The country expects
you. as 1t expects all others, to forego
unusual profits. to organize and expedite
shipments Of supplies Of every kind. but
especially OF food. with an eye to the serv-
ice you are rendering and in the spirit of
those who enlist In the ranks for their
people, not for themselves shall conf
IDENTIFY expect you to deserve and win the
condolences Of people of every sort and
station.
RAILWAYS. NATIONS ARTERIES.
ITO the men who run the railways of
the country, whether they be managers
or operative employees. let me say that the
railways are the arteries Of the nation
life and that upon them rests the i'm
mense responsibility of seeing to 1t that
those arteries suffer no obstruction of any
kind. no ineffbciency or slackened power.
To the merchant let me suggest the motto:
Small profits and quick service and to
to rlvH, xLo
Of the war depends upon him. Tho food
and the war supplies bust he carried
across the seas no matter how many ships
are sent to the bottom. The places of
those that go down must be supplied and
supplied at once To the miner let me say
that he stands where the farmer does:
The work of the world waits on him. u
he slackens or fails. armies and states
men are helpless. He also is enlisted in
the great service army. The manufac-
turer does not need to be told. I hope,
that the nation looks to him to speed and
perfect every process: and l want only
to remind his employees that their serv-
ice is absolutely indispensable and is
counted on by every man who loves the
country and it's liberties.
THE HOUSEWIFE. ALSO.
let me suggest also that every one
who creates or cultivates garden
helps and helps greatly to solve the
problem of the nation, and that
every housewife who practices strict
economy puts herself in the ranks OF
those who serve the nation. This il
the time for America to correct heI
objectionable fault Of wastefulness and
| eNtravagance. Let every man and ~.
cry woman assume the duty Of care.
full. provident use and expenditure as q
public duy. as a dictate of patriotism
which no one can now expect ever tc
be excused or forgiven for ignoring.
"In the hope that this statement OF
| the needs OF the nation and OF the
! " orld in this hour of supreme crisis
may stimulate those to whom 1t comes
and remind all who need reminders OF
the solemn dutieS Of time such az
the world has never seen before. ! beg
| that all editors and publishers every
where will give as prominent publica'
| ton and as wide circulation as posi-.
BILE to this appeal. venture to sug-
gest also. to all advertising agencies
that they would perhaps render a very
substantial and timely service to the
country II they would give 1t wide
spread REPETITION. And I hope that
clergymen will not think the theme
OF II an unworthy or inappropriate
subject of comment and homily from
their pulpits.
The supreme test Of the nation has
come. We must all speak. act and
serve together.
(Signed)
WOODROW WILSON"
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