The Washington herald., 1918-04-22

Congress has a chance to take a
real interest in stimulation of pro-
duction of food in the nation.
Jimmy" Johnson. well known
travelling man of San Jose. Cal.
suggests in letters to a number of
leaders. that a farm foreman. to
serve on the county event plan.
should be chosen for each district
of the nation by the representative
OF that district. and then a super
visor by the Senator for the State
in which the district is located.
The plan may not be workable in
the way Mr.. Johnston develops 1t,
but he does go rather deeply into
the question of encouraging pro-
duction. He shows q rather inti-
mate knowledge of farm conditions.
and moreover reflects very accur-
ately the feeling the farmers them
selves apparently possess at this
time. He says to several members
of Congress:
ITO you, i will say, farmers need
your help. l have covered some
twenty-five or thirty States since
the war began, prior to that time
did business in several and have
more or less experience In judg-
likewise distribution and values.
and to a certain extent realize
conditions in each State. Also
know fairly well the yield and va
riety in each. and 1 say farmers.
as class. are doing all they can.
am sure they Will not produce
what is needed unless you encour-
age and help them. Specula tors
need regulating. if not that. then
prohibited. but farmers need help,
and a guarantee which can only
come from you.
1T would be we'll for everybody
in the world. if you will. in some
way, fix a fair price to farmers
for 1918 and 1919 yield of wheat,
barley, rice. beans. corn. cotton and
wool, maybe eggs Then send a
man from your Agricultural Com
mittee to every Congressional dis
trict to coach farmers to produce
the stuff. Farmers look to you,
not the Food Administrator. A few
minutes study in your office and
a couple of hours on the floor will
solve the problem.
Reading the newspapers, going
to church and hearing prayers and
compliments will not help, as they
lead you to believe it is being done
without your help. We say to you,
what Uncle Sam needs, what he
must have. is something that comes
from the ground. The burning
question with officers in the United
States is. Will the people realize
what is to be done in time to do
it" We say. Maybe and to you
lawmakers we say. do not depend
on the Food Administrator. He is
to you just what a shipping clerk
is to wholesale house, and can
only handle what you produce"
Some phases of this very inter-
esting situation were brought up
in the two and a half dollar wheat
debate the other day in the Lower
House. Members from the agri-
cultural districts, those who depend
upon pleasing the agricultural
classes, did not hesitate to vote
for the higher wheat guarantee.
Those who felt less responsive to
the agricultural interests opposed
it for one reason and another
and enough votes were cast against
il to bring defeat. The step. doubt
less, will be inspiring to opponents
Of the plan. but the farmers of
America will not give up. Just
because the matter is settled In the
Lower House is no sign that it will
be settled for all time. The farm
ers will have to see some new prin-
ciple recognized-and as we stated
some time ago, in this column. the
change is coming most certainly.
Americas well-wishers simply must
take cognizance of a few principles
which are basic, and which must CON
tribute to victory If We are to have it
and justice to all classes must be
worked into our war program as the
little leaven which leaventh the whole
loaf.
1t may be, after the adjournment Of
Congress, that the matter will reach
fruition but certainly the members
will not forget it when they return
next December to begin again their
labors.
We have sometimes wondered II Mr..
John Skelton Williams work Is being
watched by the country at large-and
we sometimes wonder, too, IL the
people see the same things that are
very patent from this angle. We
know of a very large producer of rail-
road necessities who Is now unable to
collect his money from a well-paying,
solvent railroad because of some in
explicable reason which finds root in
the department which Mr.. Williams
heads. The road admits 1t Is hard up
while paying profits-and the manu-
facturer cannot collect money for ar
ucles he sold the road months ago