Sharp County record., 1918-05-17
TRANSPORTATION IS
HEAVILY OVERTAXED
SOUTH THIS YEAR FACES A ST.
uATloN MORE CRITICAL
SINCE CIVIL WAR.

By " C. Lassetter, Director Agricul-
tural Extension Division, University
OF Arkansas.
The South this year faces sitna'
ton more critical than any since the
Civil War Having for many years
depended upon other sections of the
country to furnish these food supplies
and having built up its system OF ag-
riculture on that as basis, the South
this year finds transportation facili-
ties of the country heavily over-tax-
ed and therefore faces threatened
shortage Of the facilities for bringing
into the South the food and feedstuf1S
needed to support itself under the old
system of agriculture.
For many years the agricultural
leaders iof the Southern States have
been urging the production OF home
supplies OF food and feed stufts as
matter of farm ecoGomy. Today the
production of home supplies OF food
and feed stuffs becomes imperative
rs matter Of necessity.
Something Of the seriousness of the
situation that now confronts the
South may be seen when We consider
he magnitude of our transportation
problems. The Extension Division ls
n receipt of information from the
War Department which shows that
merely to move an army Of $4,000
troops once required 6,2O9 cars or 566
trains pulled by 366 engines and
operated by 366 crews. Today
We have twenty times $4,000
men in the United States armies and
to move these troops one time would
require 1920 extra trains, extra en-.
gines and extra crews. These fig
ures refer only to railway equipment
required to move such an army one
time.
We are fully aware Of the fact that
food and feed are required to supper
dl HllSo anu lIltlI IL -
estimated by the Department Of Agri-
culture that S5,216 carloads Of food
will be required for the maintenance
Of the present army for one year, and
that 96,624 cars will be required TO
move the feed and for the transporta-
ton required for army animals for
one year.
Nearly $4,000 Cars Used For Trans
porting Farm Supplies To Be
Used For the Army,
Consider the transportation prob
lem required by the combined de-
mands of the army for food. feed and
troops. Note that this requires 1884,
425 cars and will require approximate
ly $4,000 extra trains, $4,000 extra en-
gines and $4,000 extra crews.
The demands Of the army are in
excess Of the regular demands Of the
United States, Shipping requirements
in many lines have increased mater
tally since the outbreak of the war
You will recall that ships we're un.
able to leave Atlantic ports because
Of the failure to deliver coal for their
bunkers. Hundreds Of cities went
partly cold this past winter because
Of the shortage Of transportation for
coal. Cars are needed to move the
lumber to the shipbuilding docks,
Cars must be had to carry the raw
materials TO the many Industrial
plants which are necessary to support
and equip our armies. Raw materials
must be had for the munition plants
Much Of this is in excess Of our nor
nal transportation needs,
Not a Sacrifice To Do Duty.
When the transportation facilities
of our country are taxed to the limit
IN conveying supplies to our troops,
raw materials to our munltlon facto-
ries and other war industries, can Ar
kansas ask that portion OF this
needed transportation be diverted to
bring food into the state when that
'ood may Just as well be grown with
in our own boundaries
Should we ask that corn be shipped
from Illinois into Arkansas where II
may be grown just az well7 Con We
ask that pork be shipped from Iowa
nto Arkansas where hogs thrive so
we'll and can be produced even more
'heaply than In our Northern states :
Ian we ask that transportation be
utilized for bringing into the state any
If these things which we can produce
economically at homer
All the agricultural agencies OF
Arkansas are backing the nationwide
campaign instituted by the United
states Department OF Agriculture TO
Increase food and feed production IN
Arkansas, We are not asked for any
aorlRce, We are merely called upon
provide our own food and feed