The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1918-02-19
SOUTH MUST RAISE HER
OWN FOOD THIS YEAR
Assistant Secretary OF. Agriculture
Says il She Fails to Do SO She
is Likely to Suffer Serious
Privati0n.

Washington, Feb 15.-"If the south
neglects this year to provide her own
food and feed, she is likely to suffer
serious privation, and she will put q
: burden upon the nation. which may
! prolong the war and even imperil our
victory" says Clarence Ousley, assist
ant SECRETARY of agriculture.
: 81 am aware that these are strong
words" continues Secretary Ousley.
''but they are none too strong. / am
not expressing an alarm1st personal
opinion. / am seeing through the
eyes of As agricultural colleges and
of county agents in nearly every agri-
cultural county. I have recently
crossed the continent from the At
lantic to the Pacific. I have studied
the reports gathered by the depart
ment's $4,000 representative and as
many more employees of the agricul-
tural colleges. I have considered the
conclusions of the International Insti-
tute of Agriculture at Rome, which
has reports from all the world.
The plain, hard truth IS that with
40 million people withdrawn from
productive industries and engaged in
the business of destruction, it is not
humanity possible for production on
the whole to exceed normal demand.
The question is whether production
; can equal necessitous demand.
England. France and Italy must be
sustained or their populations cannot
stand the strain. They have been on
scanty rations for more than three
years. The chief cause OF Russia's
! collapse was hunger. Soldiers cannot
fight when their wives and children
are starving.
Secretary McAdoo has given warn
ing that. transportation may be lack
ing in 1918, to haul food and feed to
States and communities that do not
provide for themselves. Many cattle
have been sacrificed in the drouth
regions of the northwest and the
southwest during the last few months.
: because railroad cars could not be OBJ
! tained as needed. Military move
ments must have first consideration.
and military movements will be
greater in 1918 than in 1917. The
prime question for the farmer is not
what product will bring the highest
nrice. but what products will insure
food for his family and feed for his
livestock. and the answer is: vege-
table Garden. milk cow. a brood sow,
A poultry flock, ample corn, oats, pea
nuts. etc. and then as much cotton
or tobacco as he can cultivate well.
. ''Tt is the highest demand Of pa
triotism-it is the first requirement
OF living-that in 1918 every state, ev-
cry county. every neignDorhood. ev-
cry farmer. be as nearly self-sustain-
ing as possible.
tfFor the south to plunge on cotton
or tobacco or any other speculative
crop and to depend upon the corn belt
for bread and meat will be for the
south to engage in gamble which
may cause privation to it's people and
disaster to the nation For any man
now to determine his business opera
tons from the standpoint of profit
alone, without regard to the nations
needs. is for him wilfully to prohteer
in the blood OF his fellows who are
fighting in France for the preserVa-
ton of the republic No man can be
excused for not taking his share Of
the responsibility.
"My whole life has been spent in
the south. know the southern farm
er. He will do his duty as he sees it.
am appealing to every man IN the
south to make known these facts-to
consider it his business to make them
known-and I,shall have no doubt OF
the results If they are not made
known in a way to impress the crisis
that confronts US, there may be hum
-, lrn
over yonder in Europe. where it will
spell ruin for all that is worth while
in America"
FOR SALE-Hereford Bull. To ore
! vent innreed 7 am goirt. to S.