The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-05-04
CHIEF APPEAL TO MEN
WHO LIVE ON THE }

Mr.. E. H. Aull, Herald and News,
Newberry, S. G.
Dear Mr.. Aull
In this great time, when every cit1-
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 / mean is not
merely our safety and the safety OF
our allies in the matter of food. l
mean that the safety of the Uniteo
States against foreign invasion 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 star
vation will be Won or lost in Amerl-
ca. The kaiser cannot whip the
French and English armies and the
English navy while England has foot
But it is still possible that the Ger
man submarine may be able to Keep
food enough from reaching England
to starve her into submission.
If the submarines win, the hrst
item in the kaisers terms Oh peace
will the English feet. With the Eng
lish fleet in his possession, the kaiser
will be master of the world.
What will happen to us then? EV-
cry man who stops to think knows
the answer. We shall have money,
food, labor, land-everythins that IS
desirable in the world except the
power to protect what we have. Es-
perts estimate it will take us nine
months to get ready to meet Ger
man army of even 100000 men, with
modernartillery. Under such cir
cumstances, 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
power this summer, before the short
age of food can reach the point OF
want, the world would still need vast
quantities of American food. But II,
they do not, only one course can make
us safe, and that is to grow food en-
ough on our farms for ourselves and
our allies, and to put ships enough
on the sea to carry the food, IN spite
of the submarines, to the men VIVID
are fighting our fight.
II the war lasts beyond this sum-
mer, it will be the American farmer
who will win or loose the war, VINO
will overcome militarism and auto
cracy, or allow them to spread and
control the world, ourselves includ-
ed.
This is no fanciful picture, but
sober fact Many man Will make
dight of it. until he comes to think II
over. but I venture to say that few
will treat it lightly after careful
thought. 1t is no more Impossible
than the great war itself appeared
to be, only a, few days before 1t be-
gan.
1t is true that we can greatly in
crease the available food supply out
of grain now used in making liquors.
and bv reducing household waste.
But 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 TO
guarantee the farmers a fair price
for their crops when grown. and b
reasonable supply Of labor at harvest
The clear duty of the farmer is To
raise food enough to win this war for
democracy against kaiserism.
No such responsibility has even
rested on any class Of men since the
world began as rests today on the
farmers of America.
Sincerely yours,
!riTord pinnh0f