The Robesonian., 1917-04-30
WISDOM CRIETH ALOUD IN THE
STREETS

A prudent man forseeth the evil the
evil and hideth himself; the simple
pass on and are punished. Prov.
22:3.
Always, when a cry of warning is
raised, there are some who take it.
as their cue to wink the other eye,
assume an air of superior wisdom,
smile knowingly and pity the ignor-
ance of those who give heed. Plenty
of that kind of folks there were, no
doubt, when the late lamented Noah
worked on his ark and told the peo-
pie there was going to be a flood;
and after the downpour had been in
progress for quite a spell there were
some who winked and tilted the chin
and vowed there was not going to be
much of a shower and old man Noah
was a fool. ~.
And it has been even so all along
down the line until and during these
fearful times in which we live. A
writer from Fairmont who signs him
self "R. F. D." says that the farm
ers are not needing the plentiful
warnings to plant plenty of food and
feed, that many of them are still pin
ming their faith to cotton and tobac-
CO. And that is but sample, per-
haps, Of what may be observed all
over, not only in Robson but over the
South.
Those who lay the flattering unc-
tion to their souls that because they
have always been able to purchase
food and feed they will be able to
purchase right along, are living in
fools paradise. If the South does
not feed itself this year it stands in
great danger of suffering. All the
extra supplies other sections can raise
will be needed for the armies of the
Allies and for our own soldiers. The
South will not be able to buy what it
fails to raise this year.
The South has been sending money
away from. home to the tune of some
$6OO,OOO,O00 a year to purchase food
and feed. North Carolina has been
shining thus to the extent of some
$8O,COO, 900; and Robson county has
been doing likewise to the tune OF
some $2,OOO,O00 or $3,OOO,000 a year
Think of what it means for Robe
son county to produce food and feed
to the extent of two or three millions
OF dollars more than it has been pro
ducing!
Robeson county can raise enough
stuff to feed million folks, and in
stead of doing that it has been spend
ing millions to buy it away from
home. 80 '~--
No matter what price cotton AM
tobacco brings it will not profit
man to sell those products for fab
ulous prices if he has failed to rails,
plenty to, eat at home, both for hi
folks ard his stock. 1t may come t,
pass, there is great danger of it
coming to pass, that no amount o
money will enable man to buy foo
and feed. What will cotton and to
bacco money do for one then?
From every quarter warnings come
President Wilson has issued an an
peal to the American farmers to pro
duce plenty of food and feed. /Go1
Beckett has appointed a food com
mission and every county in the Stat
is to be organized in the effort to ir
crease the supplies OF food and fee
and take care of it after it is prc
duced. The committee for this cour
ty will hold meeting in Lumberto
Thursday of this week. Busy me
OF affairs are devoting their time t
this all-important matter.
In the face of all these warnings
is passing strange that any INTEL
gent people can fail to be aroused an
alarmed at the certain prospect {
suffering and want unless each ma
does his duty in the matter of raj!
ing home supplies.
AS per Usual, the simple will pas
on and be punished. The wise wi
serve their country and ward off til
evil day by doing their best to ad
to the sum total Of the necessary.