New-York tribune., 1917-07-14
Bv THEODORE M. KNAPPEN

i doe the thermal nnctics the Kansas State Council of
defence sat in conference the Governors office. The
ors Capitol quiet and peaceful 1t stands in great
oark where the only sign OF Mars is OF
c mr. Spanish-Amcrcan Fond mothers wheeled their
. along its winding paths and heawcary lay stretched
s Grass in the shade Nothing could be further from
5ais long way from Kansas Flanders Even New York
- tr distance in a military sense.
Nevertheless the Council Of Defence Just nteny bent
work as if it had been General Pcrshngs staff 1t
% the campaign OF 1917 and planning the campaign OF 1913
~ high consciousness OF its role in the for dcmoc
No T. fp1v believes that the being fought the plains
kansas as much the plains OF Pcardy Nowhere has the
M war fought by everybody much by civilian soldier
much bv agricultural implements by guns been
,uv eraspcd and acted on.
Kansas fights democraticay asked clerk where could
ID ,be Secretary Of the Department of Agriculture
@Oh YOU want lake N1ohler He's up in the Governors
Office"
~1Nhen can I see him.
orgst 90 right to the Governors office"
knew was back in the West more. i
Without moments hesitation a clerk walked straight into
- Council and in a minute Mr. Mohler I explained
nv erand An appointment made without delay.
little later lake four five other members Of the
c1 met me in "Takes office This is newspaper man., he
explained who to find out il there IS any patriotism among
The farmers Of Kansas.
st as much and lust as little there among the people
ohere said ardne OF the State College OF Agriculture
c here can tell how the farmers feel What do YOU say
Mac"
NIsc" is Mr. McAulife president Of Kansas Farmers
Union
people are not excited about the It's far away
farmer in the western part OF the said to me the other
iav The Kaiser hasn't invented yet that will shoot from
New York 10 Sa1na Our people won't get stirred up TIL they
BEGIN to read the lists OF dead and wounded They'll know then
hat we are at war That's why there great rush OF the
Young men to enlist We're patriotic though Wen be more
rrc if President Wilson will fix the minimum price OF wheat
as2othe farmer At go we would be wildly patriotic
Having had his little Joke Mr. McAulie conceded that the
% Kansas RECOGNIZED that one OF the greatest battles OF the
WI lost on the wheat fields OF Kansas last winter Six mil
g acres f wheat were nterked Kansas winter wheat
arv and the seed is in the late summer or fall The
M wheat section Of the state the middle western part was
completely beaten in the battle for bread for the Allies
The Kaiser himself did hardly better job OF destruction IN
Northern than his ally uniavorable weather. dd o e
Western Kansas wheat fields
Two-tbrds Of the wheat army OF Kansas destroyed
More than nine million went into the batte-ony three
million came out
catastrophe comparable to the loss OF 100000 men on
the sore Americas hope OF large surplus OF export wheat
died then and there.
Had the farmer prevailed Kansas alone could have sent lO
VO bushels OF Turkey red the Allies and provided another
hundred million for home consumption Two huhofed lo m
bushels was the aim to-day 45000OO0 beng harvested Inc
m was wheat bread for year for population equal to Itays
When the disaster was fully realized there was marvellous
rany ral in which patriotism played great part lhe lost
six million acres were replaced with other crops planted IN the
png In the ordinary certain proportion would nave
been replaned but the motive OF patriotism drove the FARMERS "
he limit OF their energy time and power capacity TO plant W '
5a,e6d ,,b co-n the various soghums and other crops
Beaten in February the farmers OF Kansas are victorious IN
july Beaten in the wheat centre the corn and sorghum WHY'S
the Kansas agricultural army have retrieved the day.
Already the great drive Of 1913 being planned win as %
re and foresight as any military campaign the war zones 0i
Europe
The Kansas Council Of Defence is on the job