The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1918-03-07
FARMERS URGED
RAISE MORE WHEAT
A. C. TownIey Tells Farmers to
Increase Production as Mat
ter of Patriotism.

Farmers Of the Northwest are urged
to plant more wheat this spring as a
patriotic war duty, in an appeal is.
sued by A. G. Townley. president of
the National Nonpartisan League. who
points out that at present prices rye.
corn and barley are more profitable
crops than wheat and That this may
result in larger acreage being sown
in these grains, and thus cause a
shortage in wheat unless the nations
urgent necessity for wheat Is empha
sized. Mr.. Townley requests all news
agencies and all patriotic publishers
to show the seriousness of the situa.
ton.
"The spring seeding season is close
at hand" said Mr.. Townley, land at
present prices corn. rye and barley
all will pay the farmer much better
than wheat. Rye is bringing s2.16 a
bushel and an acre of rye yields as
much or more than an acre of wheat,
and it is a much cheaper crop to pro.
dnce. Barley and corn produce from
two to three times as many bushels
to The acre as wheat and they are
selling respectively al Sl.SO and $1.75
a bushel.
'But the government and our Allies
nee,t wheat above all else Its in.
creased production is of paramount
Importance We must have more
wheat to win the war. Many farmers.
burdvned by pressing financial obllga-
tions and possibly unaware of the vi.
tai necessity for more wheat. may de.
eide 10 plant corn. barley or rye in.
stead of wheat. This is a very nat
ural thing for the individual farmer
to do, but If it is done generally it
will he a national calamity.
Urge Farmers to Plant Wheat.
therefore. | urge in the strongest
possible that all farmers pre-.
pare to plant more wheat, to the en-
clusion of other less needed crops.
purely as a matter OF patriotism. And
I know that the farmers will respond
to this plea. The farmers are pa.
triotic and are behind their country
There is no sacrifice they will not
make. feel sure that they will plant
wheat even when they know there is
more money in other less needed
crops.
But at the same time. I do not
think the farmer. and the farmer
alone. should be penalized for his pa.
triotism. ! think that the government
either should advance the price of
wheat or scale down the prices Of
commodities which the farmer is com
pellel to purchase. believe this will
be done. President Wilson has point.
I'd out the injustice Of reducing the
price of what the farmer sells, but
not reducing what he buys.
Regulate All Prices.
81 also think that the scale Of all
grains and other farm products should
be regulated-when that which the
farmer buys likewise is regulated. All
the farmer wants is justice. He is
perfectly willing to have the price of
his products reduced if what he buys
is correspondingly lowered, but he
cannot help feeling %resentful when the
price Of his principal farm product
is sharply cut down while unchecked
p%rofteering continues on all sides.
81 am confident that President Will
soli and Mr.. Hoover Will take steps
to adjust this condition. think the
farmers a depend upon this being
done. But in the meantime. seeding
time is approaching, the situation is
very, very serious. and | appeal to
all farmers to prepare to plant wheat
even if this seems to threaten a pc.
cuniary loss. J feel sure that this
loss will no! actually occur and tina:
the administration can he depended
upon to adjust conditions satisfac.
toriiy from the farmers standpoint