Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-27
GOVERNOR NAMES
DEFENSE COUNCIL
General Nichols Heads Import
ant State BODY to Cooperate
With National Council.
APPOINTS WELL-KNOWN MEN
Will Coordinate Work Of Agri-
cultural and Industrial Coun-
ellis of Safety.
APPOINTS WELL-KNOWN MEN

created executive bodies for tho solv-
ing Of their war problems. Governor
Stuart yesterday appointed Virginia
Council of Defense. whose task it will
be to coordinate the work OF all or
carnations and patriotic agencies
working for the general welfare
TO this work. the Governor has called
twelve OF the most distinguished mon
Of the Commonwcaith-mc whose SER
vice in, the past insurcs tho most ef-
1cient and patriotic service to the State
in the time OF national peril The list
fessions. legislators and heads OF big
industries.
General Edward W. Nichols. Of Lex
ington. superintendent cf the Virginia
Military Institute. has been named
cha irman Of the council His CO.
workers will be l.. L. johnson. of Roa-
nokc. president Of the Norfolk and
Western Railway Company: T. Walton
Moore. of Fairfax. distinguished at
torney and member OF the Virginia
Constitutional Convention of 1907
Homer l.. Ferguson of Newport News.
president Of the Newport News Ship
building and Dry Dock Company: COL
onel T.. B. White. of Lecsburg, stock
raiser: James Q. Winston. of Richmond
well-Enown contractor: Dr. Ennion
81. Williams, OF Richmond. State Health
Commissioner: Richard Evelyn Byrd
Of Winchester. United States attorney
for the Western District. and formerly
Speaker OF the House OF DeleEates:
Right Rev. Collins Denny. y. d. OF
Richmond Bishop of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. South: u. Lawrence
Groncr OF Norfolk, former United
States district attorney: former State
Senator George B. keezel. OF kcezlc-
town, and John II. Crockett. of wythe-
vile. member of the House OF Dele
gates
WILL COOPERATE WITH
NATIONAICOU OF DEFENsE
Besides acting as clearing house
Tor thc minor patriotic agencies
throughout the State. the Council OF
Defense will coordinate the work of
the two major organizations recently
appointed by the Governor TO meet the
war emergency-the Virginia AEricul-
tural Council of Safety and the Vir-
ginia Industrial Council of Safety-and
Will provide means of direct COM
munication with the National Council
Of Defense.
The efforts OF the Governor 10 nut
Virginia on war basis by bringing to
a state Of maximum efficiency all her
agricultural. educational and industrial
f""ces have met with instant response
from every Quarter. and the States in
dustral and agricultural forces are
being rapidly mobiliZed into "A great
and efficient army.
The Virginia Agricultural Council of
Safety is headed by Jesse NJ Jones
director of farm extension wori, at
the Virginia Polytechnic Institute. and
VIII bring into play for the increased
production and the economical distribu-
ton OF fos,d supplies every force in the
State which has to do in any way with
farm products. Through it's county
councils and through the farm and
home demonstration agents. it will
reach every farmer and every housewife
in the State with the gospel OF greater
FOOD production and greater home
economy. The extension forces OF the
virginia Polytechnic Institute also will
give individual instruction in farming
and economic housek coping.
The Virginia Council of Industrial
Safety. the head of which is United
States District Attorney Richard
Evelyn Byrd. of Winchester. will un-
dertake to mobilize the industrial forces
Of the State and to effect an economic
distribution of the labor supply It's
work will have to do especially with
keeping in Virginia the limited supply
of laborers. who are being enticed to
foreign fields by alluring prospects held
out by labor agents.
SUGGESTS LARGER CROPS
At STATE REFORMATOUY
The scarcity of farm labor in Vir-
Sinia is one of the most pressing prob
lens of the moment. The utilization Of
all available labor is imperative. The
Governor yesterday wrote to G. p Card
well. chairman OF the executive com
mittee of the Negro Reformatory in
Hanover suggesting a larger crop on
the rcformaiory's farm holdings, to be
raised by the inmates
The text OF the letter was as follows:
Confirming our conversation OF this
date, feel it obligatory upon Virginia.
as we'll all other States. to in
crease our food plant production by
every means possible. To this end all
available labor should be utilized. The
inmates OF the Negro Reformation
represent an available labor supply
which can be most admirably used on
the farm holdings of that institution.
4 larger acreage than heretofore must
be put under cultivation AS promptly
as possible. The superintendent tells
me he can add TO his normal crops 200
acres in cowpcas. and seems to think
this is the best outlook for incrca scd
production. I, therefore. suggest that
your board proceed at once TO purchase
the necessary seed and fertilizer also
fertilizer to be drilled in with the corn
crop, and any other things necessary
to carry out the plans above mentioned.
"I will make special recomm enda- :
tion to the General Assembly that the
expenses be taken care Of by any ap-
propriation necessary. or course, the
crop itself should be profitable, and tho
State> would not hesitate to recognize
this fact in tho consideration of tho
question of an appropriation, 10 ncces-
sary."