The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1918-02-13
farm CENSUS
UNDER Way
wv ~ "
Government Plans to Assist in lncreas-
inq Production Of Products-WiI
Supply Four Essentials.
BUYER AND SELLER TOGETHER
Effort Will Be Made to Furnish Mon-
ey, Seed, Transportation and La
hor for Cause Of Democracy.


harvest of foodstuffs in the United
States must be even greater than the
bumper crops of 1917 if the war is to
be won for democracy, according to
views of agricultural experts of the
federal government. To bring this
about, the United States will endeav-
or to supply the farmers with four es-
sentials-money, seed, transportation
and labor.
President Wilson has stated that the
food problem is the most vital now
facing the allies. 1t is a problem that
is intimately interlaced with ships.
The food question is particularly diff
cult because Of the limitation in the
varieties of food stutfs that can be
shipped abroad Wheat and meat are
the two commodities of which the al
lies are shortest and these are the food
commodities that can be most easily
shipped. Hence America must pro
duce more and eat, less wheat ana
meat in 1918. Corn, potatoes, beans
and like products must be produced
to supply the home demand while
wheat and meat are sent abroad.
To Take Farm Census.
To get complete line OF what the
farmers of the country can produce
and what federal assistance will be
necessary, an agricultural census is to
be taken. The work already has begun
in many localities, perhaps IN iowa.
The QUESTIONABLE, which Will De car
ried from farm house to farm house,
is prepared by the department OF az
riculture. The information Will be
collected under the direction OF the
county agents OF the department ana
the actual tabulation will be done by
teachers and advanced pupils in the
states. Many Of the questions asked
farmers are important, but the follow
ing are essential:
/. How many laborers are you now
employing? How many do you desire
to employ during the year?
2. What acreage of crops did you
plant last year (giying details as to
4eeae.1 CROP IL; Hoy Many acress illeynn.
plant this year?
3. What livestock have you? What
livestock do you desire?
4. What seed have you? What SEED
do you desire to buy or sell?
In the first place the information
will be used by the county agent. he
finds for example that John smith
has 100 bushels of seed corn to SELL
while John Jones, ten miles away.
wants to buy this corn. He brings
Smith and Jones together. In the
same way he matches the supply and
demand of livestock and becomes
local employment agent, with full
list of available places for men seek
ing work as farm laboers. Where the
county agent finds there is an lnsulh-
cient supply of labor. seed and live
stock he takes the matter up with the
state authority, centering usually III
the agricultural college and the state
council of national defense.
Buyer and Seller Brought Together
These state authorities learn from
the county agents in each state which
localities have. an over supply OF live
stock, seed and farm labor and just as
the county agent brings buyer and
seller together at home, they bring
the buyers and sellers Of the entire
state together. In cases where the
state as a whole is short of labor,
seed or livestock, the federal depart
ment of agriculture is to be communi-
Gated with for the purpose OF getting
aid from other states we'll supplied.
It is admitted here that the most
serious phases of the farm problem
are labor and transportation. The
difficulty is that neither men nor rail-
road cars in sufficient number are
available. To remedy the labor situa-
ton, it has been practically decided to
exempt all farmers from any army SER
vice. The farmers now in camp are
to be given furloughs during the plant
ing and harvest season, and no addi-
tional farmers are to be called to the
colors in subsequent drafts. unless it
is absolutely necessary. The war de-
partment believes under the new sys-
TEN to be put into effect with. the next
draft army, sufficient men will be pro-
durable without taking farmers, ship
builders and other occupations neces-
sary to the industrial and agricultural
life of the nation. The transportation
question is expected to become better
as the harvest season approaches, al
though it is admitted now that the
government can do little except give
priority to goods needed for the ar
mics abroad ard in the field training
in this country.
HE'LL HELD FOR ESPIONAGE
= FORT DODGE-John He'll, of Man
A So nr11 lHNyy