The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-02-28

reserve banking system and of the
! farm-loan banking system to see to
! it that the farmers obtain the credit
both short term and long term, to
! which they are entitled not only,
! but which it is imperatiyely neces-
sary should be extended to them if
| the present tasks of the country are
! to be adequately performed. Both
! by direct purchase of nitrateS and by
| the establishment of plants to pro-
| duce nitrateS, the Government is do
! ing its utmost to assist in the prob
! lem of fertilization: The Depart
ment of Agriculture and other agen-
cies are actively assiStin gthe farm
ers 10 locate, safeguard and secure
at cost an adequate supply of sound
seed. The department has $3.50 %
600 available for this purpose now
and has asked the Congress for So
000,000 more.
The labor problem is one of great
difficulty, and some of the best agen-
cies of the Nation are addressing
themselves to the task of solving it,
so far as it is possible to solve it.
Farmers have not been exempted
from the draft. l know that they
would not wish to be. l take it for
granted they would not wish to be
put in class by themselves in this
respect. But the attention of the
War Department has been very seri-
ously centered upon the task of in
terfering with the labor OF the farms
as little as possible, and under the
new draft regulations l believe that
the farmers of the country will find
that their supply of labor is very
much less seriously draw nupon than
it was under the first and initial
draft, made before we had had our
present full experience in these per
picking matters. The supply of la
Dor in all industries is a matter we
must look to and are looking to with
diIigeut care,
HAnd let me say that the stimula-
ton of the agencies ] have enumer-
ated has been responded TO by the
farmers in splendid fashion. l dare
say that you are aware that the far
mers of this country are as efficient
as any other farmers in the world.
They do not produce more per acre
than the farmers in Europe. 1t is
not necessary that they should do so.
1t would perhaps be bad economy for
IhSLA " eiIIClllPt IL DuI lhSS uO
produce by two to three or four
times more per man, per unit of la
Dor and capital, than the farmers of
any European country. They are
more alert and use more labor-say-
ing devices than any other farmers
in the world. And their response to
the demands of the present emer
gency has been in every way remark
able. Last spring their planting ex-
ceeded by 100000 acres the lar
gest plantin gof any previous year,
and the yields from the crops were
record-breaking yields. In the fall
of 1917 d wheat acreage of 42,170,
900 was planted, which was 1,000,-
600 larger than for any preceding
year, 100000 greater than the
next largest. and 100000 greater
than the preceding five-year average.
But l ought to say to you that
it is not only necessary that these
achievements should be repeated, but
that they should be exceeded. know
what this advice involves. 1t invol-
ySG1 1t only labor, but sacrifice, the
80 akin application of every bit
ONfyentitiC knowledge anu every
tes ed practice that is available. 1t
means the utmost economy, even to
the point where the pinch comes. 1t
means the find of concentration and
self-sacrifice which is involved in
the field of battle itself, where the
object always looms greater than the
individual. And yet the Govern
ment will help, and help in every
way that is possible. The impress
sion which prevails in some quarters
that while the Government has SOU
ght to fix the prices of foodstuffs, it
has not sought to fix other prices
which determine the expenses of the
farmer, is a mistaken one. AS a
matter of fact, the Government has
actively and successfully regulated
the prices of many fundamental ma
terials underlying all the industries
of the country, and has regulated
them not only for the purchases of
the Government, but also for the
purchases of the general public ,and
| have every reason to believe that
the Congress will extend the powers
of the Government in this important,
and even essential, matter so that
the tendency to profiteering which is
showing itself in too many quarters
may be effectively checked. In fix
ing the prices of foodstuffs the Gov
ernment has sincerely tried to keep
the interests of the farmer as much
in mind as the interests of the COM
munities which are to be served, but
it is serving mankind as well as the
farmer, and everything in these times
of war takes on the rigid aspect of
duty.
4 will not appeal to you to con-
tinue and renew and increase your
efforts. l do not believe that it is
necessary to do so. l believe that
yen will do it without any word or
albeal from me, because you under
sttnd as well as l do the needs and
bortunities of this great hour when
Il fortunes of mankind everywhere
S, km about to be determined and
Then America has the greatest op
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