Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1917-04-20

ing the great temptation of the pres.
ent price of cotton and helping
upon a great scale, to feed the ma.
tion and the peoples everywhere WAC
are fighting for their liberties and for
cur own. The variety of their crops
will bo the visible measure of their
comprehension Of their national duly;
The government OF the Units
States, and the governments CT the
several states stand ready to co-cper-
ate. They will do everything possible
10 assist farmers in s3tulinS an aIe'
quate supply Of seed, an adequate
force OF lab0rers when they are mcst
needed, at harvest time, and the means
of eXpedlting shipments OF fGltlllz RS
and farm machinery, as well as OF the
crops themselves wnen harvested. The
course OF trade shall be as unhamper.
ed as il is possible to make /. and
there shall be no unwarTanted manip'
ulation OF the nations food supply Dy
those who handle it Oh its way to the
consumer. This is our opportunity TO
demonstrate the efficiency. of a great
democracy, and we shall not fall
short Of ii!
This let me say to the middlsmen
of every sort, whether they are ha1dl.
ing our foodstuffs or our raw materi..
ais OF manufacture, or the products Il
our mills and factories: TQe eyes Ot
the country will be especially upon
you. This is you opportunity for sig.
na! service, efficient and disinterested
The country expects you, as 1t expects
all others, to forego unusual profits,
to organize and expedite shipments OF
supplies of every kind; but especially
are rendering and in the spirit of those
who enlist in the ranks, for their pao'
pie, not for themselves. | shall con.
fidently expect you to deserve and win
the confidence OF people OF every sort
and station.
To the men who run the railways
of the country, whether they be man
ayers or operative employees, let me
say that the railways are the arteries
of the nations life and that upon them
rests the immense responsibility :. OF
no obstruction Of any kind, no Ill nj
cheney or Slackened power.
To the merchant let me suggest J
motto: Small profits and quick So V,
thought th t that the life of the day de,
Dends upon him. The food and he
war supplies must be carried aero IS
the seas, 40 matter how many Elys
are sent to the bottom. The places OF
those that go down must be seppl.ed
and supplied at once. To the MI er,
farmer does. The work Of the world
waits on him. If he slackens or f2l.s,
armies and statesmen are helpless.
He also is enlisted in the great SerV-
ice army.
The manufacturer does not need to
be told. | hope, that the nation locks
to him to speed and perfect every
process and | want only to rem.Ld
his employees that their service Is aD.
solutely indispensable and is counted
on by every man who loves the eoun-
try and its liberties.
Let me suggest also that every one
who creates or cultivates a garden
helps, and helps greatly, to solve the
problem Of the feeding OF the nations;
and that every housewife who pIac'
tices strict economy puts herself in the
rank Of those WAC serve the na.i-n.
This is the time for America to cor.
rect her objectionable iault of waste.
fulness and extravaganza. Let every
man and every woman assume the du
ty of careful, proyidenC use and eX.
penditure as 4 public duty, as a die
tate OF patriotism which no one now
can expect ever to be excused or for
given for ignoring.
In the hope that this statement of
the needs Ot the nation and OF the
world in this hour of supreme crisis
may stimulate those to whom It comes
and remind al who need reminder OF
the solemn duties of time such as
the world has never seen before, |
beg that all editors and publ shers
everywhere will give as prominent
publication and as wide circulation as
possible to this appeal. | venture to
Suggest also to advertising agencies
that they would, perhaps, render a
the country if they would give it wide
spread repetition. And / hope that
ciergymen will net think the theme
Of it an unworthy or inappropriate sub
ject of comment and homlly frcm tle.r
pulpi.s.
The supreme test of the naticn has
come. We must all speak, act and
WOODROW WI, SON.