Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-05-08
The Farmers Responsibility.

hA0ND, Agricultural Editor Oxford Dem
ocrss. Paris. He.
The Farmers Responsibility.
Extracts from the address issued BY the re
cent conference Of agricultural Representatives
OF thirty 1.-TWO states.)
Upon the farmer rests in large meas.
ure the final responsibility of winning
the war in which We are now involved.
The Importance to the Nation of an ade-
quate food supply, especially for the
present year, can not be emphasized.
The worlds food reserve is very low.
Not only our own consumers, but much
Of the world at large, must rely more
completely than ever before upon the
American farmer. Therefore, the man
Who tills the soil and supports the sol.
dier In the field and the family at home
is rendering as noble and patriotic SER
vice ss is the man who bears the bruut
of battle.
The American farmer has long shown
bis ability to produce more food per man
and at lower cost per unit than any other
farmer In the world, but be has never
had to do his best. he needs to do his
best now. This is not the time in which
to experiment with new and untried
crops and processes. 1t is very impor-
tant that the farmer devote his principal
efforts to the production of such crops
and the employment of such methods as
are well established in bis community
and as are likely to yield the maximum
return in food and clothing material.
Within the next 90 days the final
measure of crop acreage and food pro-
duction for this year will have been es-
tablished. We urge the importance OF
the immediate mobilization OF all avail
able service of the Federal and State De-
psrtments of Agriculture and the COL
leges of Agriculture in cooperation with
the press, the banks, the commercial or.
the religious and the social
societies, that all may heartily join 10
with the farmer in performing the patri-
otic duty of providing and conserving
food
Because of the world shortage Of food,
it is scarcely possible that the produc-
ton of staple crops BY the farmers Of
the United States can be too great this
year. There 10 every reason to believe
that generous price will be paid for the
harvest of their fields.
THE cHILDREN's PART
We appeal to the youth Of the Nation
to put forth every effort TO produce food
stuffs in gardens and fields. There
could be no better expression of true
patriotic devotion to the country. It
has been demonstrated through the boys
and girls clubs that 1t ia possible for the
farm family to supply itself with much
Of the food required, thereby releasing
the commercial product of the country
for the needs of the people In the cities
and in foreign lands.
In normal season II is certain that
there will be large quantities of perish
able products which can not be properly
preserved in the home. To meet this
emergency 1t is recommended that local
and municipal drying and canning estab-
lishments be improvised to conserve this
material.
INCREASED HOME ECONOMY
We are the most wasteful people In the
world in our ways of living. Our tastes
and desires have been educated beyond
our incomes.
Almost as great saving may be made
the more economical manufac-
ture, purchase, and use of food as can be
made through processes of production
which are Immediately feasible.
Our bresdstuff supply may be increas.
ed by one-rwelfth, or 1S,000,0O0 barrels
of -four year, by milling our wheat go
as to make 81 percent of the kernel into
-four, instead of Is percent as at present
This -four would have as high nutritive
value as that which we now use.
An important saving may be effected
by making the diet as largely vegetarian
as possible, without lowering food effi-
cheney, BY q partial substitution of such
foods as beans and peas and of milk and
it's products, including skinned milk,
for the more expensive meats.
At present prices larger use OF corn
and rice products as partial substitutes
for the more expensive wheat products
is suggested.
The substitution of the homegrown
and bome-prepared grain products for
the much more expensive refined COM
msrcial foods, known as breakfast foods,
will make large saving. Adequate gar
dens should provide the home supply OF
which are expensive foods
when purchased at existing prices. The
home storage and preservation of foods.
such as eggs, vegetables, fruits, and
meats, should be Increased.
The serious food wastes that OCCUR in
many households through lack OF culi-
nary knowledge and skill may be mini
mized through instruction In better
methods.
The situation which now confronts
our country is q great emergency-the
greatest, perhaps, In its history. Emer-
geucy measures are needed to meet un-
usual conditions. The recommendations
made in this statement have been formu-
lated because 1t Is believed they are
necessary In order to meet present coudi.
tions. They are war measures. 1t is
strongly urged that Congress and State
legislatures, in passing laws or In MAX
ing appropriations intended to carry out
these or other plans for assuring an ade'
ouats food and clothing supply, should,
80 far as possible, be governed by the
principle that when the emergency
ceases much permanent reconstruction
in agricultural policies and plans may be