The Washington herald., 1917-04-16

trenches. The Industrial forces OF
the country, men. and women alike,
viii be n great national, n great
international, service army nota-
Bile and honored host engaged In the
service OF the nation and the world,
the efficient friends and saviors of
free men everywhere: Thousands,
nay, hundreds of thousands, of men
otherwise liable to military service
will of right and of necessity be ex-
cused from that service and as-
signed TO the fundamental, sustnin-
ing werk of the aeIds and factories
and mines, and they will be as much
part of the great patriotic forces
OF the nation as the men under hre.
I take the liberty. therefore, Of ad-
dressing this word to the farmers of
the country and to all who work on
the farms: The supreme need Of our
own nation and of the nations with
which We are cooperating is an
abundance OF supplies, and especially
OF foodstuffs. The importance of an
adequate food supply, especially for
the present year. is superlative. With
out abundant food, alike for the
armies and the peoples now at war.
the whole great enterprise upon
which we have embarked will break
down and fail. The worlds food
reserves are low. Not only during
the present emergency, but for some
time after peace shall have come
both our own people and a large
proportion Of the people of Europe
must rely upon the harvests in
America. Upon the farmers of this
country. therefore, in large measure,
rests the fate of the war and the
fate Of the nations. May the nation
not count upon them to omit no step
that will increase the production of
their land or that will bring about
the most effectual cooperation in the
sale and distribution Of their pro-
ducts? The time Is short It is of the
most imperative Importance that
everything possible be done and done
Immediately TO make sure of large
harvests. l 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
great matter.
particularly appeal TO the farmers
OF the South to plant abundant food
stuffs as well as cotton. They can
SHS" ehSii pdNIlOllSm IN no Dcller or
more convincing way than by resist
ing the great temptation OF the pres
ent price OF cotton and helping, help
ing upon a great scale. to feed the ma
ton and the peoples everywhere who
are fighting for their liberties and for
our own. The variety OF their crops
will be the visible measure of their
comprehension OF their national duty.
The government Of the United States
and the governments of the several
States stand ready to cooperate. They
viii do everything possible to assist
farmers in securing an adequate SUD
ply OF seed, an adequate force of labor
ers when they are most needed. at
harvest time, and the means of expe-
diting shipments of fertilizers and
farm machinery, as well as OF the
crops themselves when harvested.
The course Of trade shall be as un-
hampered as II is possible to make It
and there shall be no unwarranted
manipulation OF 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
a great democracy and we shall not
fall short Of il!
This let me say to the middIe-men
of every sort, whether they are hand