The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1917-03-10
LAND CONFERENCE POSTPONED
Scope of Meeting Enlarged and Ce-
Iebrities Expected to Attend.

The cut-over land conference O.
the south called by the Southern Pin.
Association of New Orleans. tn.
Southern Settlement and Develop
ment Organization of Baltimore, anc
the New Orleans Association of Com
meree for March 10, 20 and 21 has
been postponed until April IT, Is
and 10.
The very great interest evinced b,
President Wilson, Vice President
Marshall and a large number of high
federal officials caused the program
committee to definitely decide on the
postponement, as it was found there
is greater likelihood of securing the
attendance of such officials later on
when it is hoped the tenseness of the
| international situation will be less
acute.
The president received the commit
tee designated to invite him to ad-
! dress the conference on "The Need
for Adequate Production of Food
Supplies and Raw Materials" After
the purposes and scope Of the con-
ference were presented to him he ex-
pressed his approval and appreciation
of the Importance of the movement
to the entire south and the country at
large, but held out little hope that the
international situation would permit
his being present.
The committee desires to perfect
program which will make the con-
ference the greatest that has ever
been held on the subject Of the south S
development. h'Te present beneici-
al use of the millions of acres of the
south's idle lands bears decided re-
lation to the question of an adequate
national food supply, which in turn
should effect a reduction in the in
creasingly high cost of living.
Every effort is being made to Sc
cure the attendance of Vice President
Marshall, Secretary of Agriculture
Houston, Senator Gore, chairman of
the senate committee on agriculture; +;
Congressman Lever, chairman of the
house agricultural committee, and
Hon. Will H. Parry, OF the Federal
Trade Commission, who Is deeply in
terested in the problem presented by
idle cut-over lands.
The question Of soils, drainage, live
stock and forage will be handled by
speakers from the respective bureaus
of the U. S. Department of Agricul-
ture. The matter of reforestation
will be discussed by speakers from
the u. S. Forest Service. The State
Relations Service will tell what the
federal government is doing to extend
farm demonstration work, and follow
ing each federal speaker representa-
tives from the various state agricul-
tural colleges and experiment stations
will be called upon to outline what is
being accomplished in their states on
the various subjects, or divisions
thereof
The Federal Farm Loan Conlnis-
sion has been asked to delegate q
speaker to handle the important sub
ject of farm loan banks and banking.
The subject of colonization will be
handled by eminently qualified speak
ers, also the most approved methods
of removing stumps.
The general theme of the confer
ence aside from the national food
supply will deal with the possibilities
of evolving present practical bene-
fetal use of cut-over lands by methods
not only of colonization but of cattle,
hog and sheep raising by the present
owners. The conference will en-
deavor to prove that it is practicable
to make these lands largely self-sus-
tanning and simultaneously effect
practical reforestation and conserva-
ton. Out of the conference will be
evolved a permanent organization to
work out the problem along definite
and permanent lines.