The Pulaskian., 1917-04-13
FOOD ARMY FIRST
 IMPORTANCE NOW
AUTHORIZED STATEMENT OF CARL SRooMAN, ASSISTANT sECRE-
 TARY OF AGRICULTURE.

The South needs to be agriculturally prepared and mobilized at this critical moment in our history, because the South is dependent on the rest of the country for her food suppfy. The South must develop her food resources and her system of food distribution to the highest point of efficiency. The South at this crisis must lead the way by feeding herself, thus releasing $600,- 000,000 or $1,000 0O0 900 worth of food to those who are fighting with us for democracy and human liberty. War means that the present serious short age of freight ears will become even more serious, and the South will suffer because of it's dependence on the North west for meat and flour.
 It is essential that every possible food resource of the Southern States be developed to it's fullest capacity this summer. and that reliance be not placed on the cotton crop alone. It may be that substitutes for staple foods will have to become a part of the Southern diet. Soy beans and cowpeas, Tor example. would ease up the meat situation, for both are excellent pro tein sources for human food, and if wheat flour is difficult to get, bread can be made in conjunction with pota- toes' corn meal, rice, peanut meal, soy bean meal, etc
 Under normal conditions there would be at this time enough food in the country to feed the entire population
 
 tton. But war is not a normal condi- t1on. Our allies are hungry, and we must feed them Our winter wheat crop is small, and the world wheat crop is likewise small. There is every req son for the strictest economy in the use of food, the strictest efficiency in the distribution of food and the ut most use of scientific principles in the production of food,
 The responsibility for adequate food production lies with the individual lscit- izen. Any planter or farmer who fff this national crisis, fails to put large percentage of his land in food crops is lacking both in patriotism and in com war if we permit the boys at the front to supply all the self-sacrifice. Today the first duty of the South and the na- tion is to get food Every loyal man, woman and child must share in this common burden and privilege. I am myself landowner as well as a public official. and I want to say per sonal word to the landowners of the South.
 All landowners in the South who live in the cities and rent their lands to tenants owe a duty to their country in this time of war necessity for food stuffS, They should give their tenants every facility for growing not only the supplies needed on their farms but also. they should urge every tenant to grow surplus of food crops. Local lOTCeS SnOulu De organized to IuFnlSH u market at reasonable prices for these food crops, and thus insure profit on the crops produced.
 Any landowner who. by exorbitant rents or by pressure of any sort, causes his tenants to plant on his lands a large crop of cotton at the expense of food production is not doing his part, and has signally failed to measure up to the requirements of a good citizen have said before, and I say again. that the South can and must feed her self, and this can only be done when our city landowners and those who con-