The Glenwood post., 1917-05-05
PINCHOT'S VIEWS ON THE WAR
Milford, Pike County, Pa,
April 26, 1917.

Dear Mr.. Dickson:
In this great time, when every citi-
zen must do his part, the president has
made his chief appeal to the men who
live on the land. He is right in doing
SO, for the safety of our country just
now is in the hands of our farmers.
What l mean is not merely our safety
and the safety of our allies in the mat
ter of food. l mean that the safety OF
the United States against foreign in
vasion hangs on the decision of the
farmers of the forty-eight states.
The two great weapons in this war
are arms and starvation. The war
against German arms will be won or
lost in France-the war against starva-
tion will be won or lost in America.
The kaiser cannot whip the French and
English armies and the English navy
while England has food. But it is still
possible that the German submarines
may be able to keep food enough from
reaching England to starve her into
submission.
If the submarines win, the first item
in the kaiser's terms of peace will be
the English fleet. With the English
fleet in his possession, the kaiser will
be master Of the world.
What will happen to us then, Every
man who stops to think knows the an
swer. We shall have money, food, Ia
Dor, land-everything that is desirable
in the world except the power to protec.
what we have. Experts estimate that
it will take us nine. months to get
ready to meet German army of even
100000 men, with modern artillery.
Under such circumstances, would the
Germans treat us better than they have
already treated Belgium and France,
Even if the armies of our allies
should crush the German military pow
er this summer. before the shortage of
food can reach the point of want, the
world would still need vast quantities
Of American food. But if they do no.,
only one course can make us safe, and
that is to grow food enough on our
farms for ourselves and our allies, and
to put ships enough on the sea to
carry the food, in spite of the sub
marines. to the men who are fighting
our fight.
If the war lasts beyond this summer,
it will be the American farmer who
will win or lose the war, who will over
come militarism and autocracy, or al
low them to spread and control the
world, ourselves included.
This is no fanciful picture but So
ber fact. Many a man will make light
Of it until he comes to think it over
but I venture to say that few will
treat it lightly after careful thought.
It is no more impossible than the great
war itself appeared to be, only few
davs before it began.
It is true that we can greatly in.
crease the available food supply ont
Of grain now used in making liquors
and by reducing household waste. Bnt
when these two things are done, and
done thoroughly, they will not be
enough. The final decision will still
rest in the hands Of the men who raise
our food in the first place.
The clear duty Of the nation Is Il
guarantee. the farmers fair price fol
their crops whom grown, and = reason
able supply Of labor at harvest. IN,
clear duty Of the farmer is to rais'
food enough to win this war for dam
ocracy sgsinst kaiserism.
No such responsibility has ever rest
ed on any class Of men since the worlt
began rs rests today on the farmers Of
America.
Sincerely yours,