The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-05-16
The Farmer and Patriotism.

1t is cheering news to know that TO-,
i 600 acres have been planted to wheat
in Vermont. The crop will help greatly
in providing food, and it is hoped that
the experiment will be so successful that
the farmers viii be encouraged to great
ly increase this acreage another year
Brattleboro Reformer.
There has been a good deal of talk
about the farmer being a profteer in
this matter of raising war crops, but
there are two sides to the question.
Take the matter of potatoes, for eX-
ample;
Urged by the government to increase
their potato output, farmers and war
gardeners made worlds record last
year, only to find that owing to lack
of transportation, failure of government
plans and unexpected developments in
the meat and wheat situation, they are
now expected to dispose OF them at un.
profitable prices.
| Speakers at the war convention in
Montpelier told of numerous farmers
who had gone bankrupt in attempting
to comply with the requests of the food
administrator, yet who are willing to try
again under a promise of certain fiat
prices for produce.
Speaking of upset prices, there are in
stances of potato farmers whose produce
was selected as prime stock for seed
and who were requested to hold for
government use during the severest win
ter of a half century. Then, after
storing and keeping the potatoes from
frost at considerable expense, they are
confronted with a potato glut and are
expected to dispose of their old potatoes
at market prices, with new potatoes al
ready coming in from the south.
Even these conditions have not dis
couraged the farmers, and help permit
ting, they are willing to try again.
As to wheat, it will be great day
for Vermont if the 10000 acres of wheat
turn out well and such material con-
tribution is made to the worlds supply.
The newspapers, the county agents and
the various agencies involved have in
deed done we'll if the farmers have been
brought to see that Vermont wheat can
not only be grown but grown at profit. |
As corollary of the proposition, there |
are authentic stories of the erection of |
Touring mills in various parts of the |
state, solid indication OF the fact that /!
Vermont has made definite and material |
progress toward the goal of raising |
enough foodstuffs at least TO support her
own population.
There are other details of food pro /
duction in the state Just as important
in their way as the production of wheat
and potatoes. Canning factories are be-
ing asked to increase their pack of sweet H
corn, peas, beans and other foods high n
in sustaining value. yet, when they go n
to their natural fields for material. they Il
ind much difficulty in getting sufficient
acreage soWn to supply their needs,
farmers holding that they cannot afford
10 take a chance in year when the la
Dor market is so uncertain.
Taking chances is part Of the war sit
nation. The soldier at the front is con-
.inudlly taking the chance of his life.
The manufacturer faces losses il
Iudden change Of war plans comes and
inds him with stock which he cannot
Utilize.
The merchant il continually hampered
With changing price conditions and /
hitting of credits and customers. 10 say
Iothing Of the uncertainty of renewing
took
The whole business and industrial
rorld s taking chances. vet what are
heir chances compared with the chances
aiken BY the boys Of the L. :. A. and
ur allies. facing the most desperate
menace Of the ages across the shell-swept
Iains Of France snd Flanders
II IL up 70 the farmer 10 do his part
nd take his share II chances. without
Npecting the government 10 guarantee
i'm a sure thing. The best Of u Il that
lost farmers are rallying strongly and
, increasing numbers 10 the call 81 food
reduction.
Nov Is the time for the Wayerer 80
AXE good. He who hesitates nav help
, lose the uar--Rutlsnd Herald