Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1918-02-09
FARMERS
MUST Do
THEIR BIT
IRepublican A. p. Leased wirel

L
WASHINGTON, Feb. S.-Spokesmen
of sixteen national farm organizations
and many smaller ones, holding war
time conference here at the call Of the
federal board of farm loans, presented
a memorial to President Wilson today
urging definite governmental meas
urcs speeding up agricultural pro-
duction.
The delegation asked for the ap-
pointment of special commission OF
nine farmers to advise on agricultural
problems and represent the farming
viewpoint; for the furloushinS OF
trained farm workers now in the army
80 long as their services may be con-
sidcrcd more useful in productive agri-
cultural than the military service; that
the draft regulations be interpreted so
as to stop the placing of skilled farm
workers, foremen and bona fide farm
ers in class one, that provision be made
for furnishing farmers seed, feed, fer
tilizers and machinery; that steps be
taken to promote short time loans to
finance the production of crops and
that If the policy Of price control is to
prevail it be applied to what farmer
buys as well as to what he sells.
After listening to the memorial,
President Wilson made this reply:
Il cannot of course, answer off hand,
SO important a memorial as this and
need not tell you that it will receive my
most careful and respectful attention.
Many of the questions that are raised
here have been matters of very deep
and constant concern with us for
months past and | believe that many of
them are approaching as successful a
solution as we can work out for them
hu Cfa 20 7 nft
now detail to you. You are probably
familiar with some of them.
Il want to say that | fully recognize
that you gentlemen do not mean that
your utmost effort will be dependent
upon the acceptance of these sugges-
tiOns. | know you are going to do your
level best in any circumstances, and |
count on you with the utmost conf
dcnce i'm that. There has never been a
time, gentlemen, which tested the real
quality of folks as this time is going to
test it; because we are fighting for
something bigger than any mans
imagination can grant.
This is a final tackle between the
things that America has always been
opposed to, and was obliged to fight,
and the things that she stands for. 1t is
the final contest and to lose it would
perhaps several hundred-years in the
development of human life This thing
cannot be exaggerated in its import
ance and | know that you men are
ready. as | am, to spend every ounce of
energy we have got i'm solving this
thing. If we cannot solve it in the best
way, we will solve it in the next best
way and if the next best way is not
available. we will solve it in the way
next best to that, but we will tackle it
in some way and do it as well as we
can.
Il am complimented by a visit of so
large a representation and | thank you
for the candid presentation of this in
tcresting memorial"
In recommending the creation of a
farmers commission to sit perma
ncntly in Washington with provision
by the government for quarters anc
expenses, the memorial said:
such a commission is needed frs
os all to give the farmers of America {
sense of partnership i'll the conduct OF
the war, to which they have right
The occasional consultation with farm,
ers called TO Washington or the occa.
sional appointment of u farmer to
subordinate place does not amount t
fitting participation in the conduct o
the war on the part of one third of tn,
population Of the United States and al
the re VIII \ that third PRODUCES tn,
one e. = IF supplies which is the mos
essential.
This plan would be in harmony Will
the procedure already adopted by tn
government in other essential indus
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