Cleveland County herald., 1918-04-18
SOUTH FACES MOST
 CRITICAL SITUATION
EVERY FARMER IN ARkANeAS WILL BE GIVEN CHANCE TO
 SHOW HIS PATRIOTISM.
Fayetteville

Fayettsville.- 'The South during the next twelve months will face a situation more crt- tical than any since the Civil War, and, if necessary, most drastic meas ures are to be employed to insure the Nation that Arkansas will not be drag upon our resources" according to w. c. Lassetter, Director of the Ag- ricultural Extension Division, who says further:
 Having for many years depended upon other sections of the country to furnish it's food supplies, and having built up system of agriculture upon that as basis, the South this year finds transportation facilities of the country heavily overtaxed, and, for this reason, faces threatened short ! age of food and feedstuffs needed to supply itself unuer the old system Of | agriculture.
 "In order to be sure that the farm CTS of the state recognize the neces- sity of not becoming a drag upon others who will produce food and feed. and, in turn, to insure the Nation that the State will not be dependent upon supplies from the North, plan for | placing the situation before everyone | in Arkansas, and for finding out just exactly where each one stands, was worked out at conference of agrtcul- tural experts held In the Old State | house.
 "The County Agent, the County l Food Administrator, and the Chair man of the County Council of Defense, wearing a badge of authority, and backed up by the State and National organizations, will constitute the Board of Inspectors for food and feed production in each county in the state. On Monday, April 8, they will hold a big rally in the county seat towns, and at that time select a committee from representative citizens to visit every school district in their county. There will be three inspectors in each school district and these men, with Food Pledge" cards, will canvass their districts thoroughly, and visit every farmer, who will be given an oportunity to sign the food pledges, stating the amount of food and feed he will endeavor to produce this year in an effort to at least make himself independent of all others, so far as J these Supplies are concerned. Eversr@ man that signs the Food Pledge, upon the recommendation of the commit tee, will be given an Honor Card, which will designate his patriotic stand upon this question and may be displayed at his home. Men who re- fuse to thus assist themselves and tho | State, in this crisis, will also be re- ported; and the action of the Coun- ty, State and National Boards, in each case, will be decided upon at a later time.
 "This plan is undoubtedly the most far-reaching and thorough ever adopt ed in order to show our people the necessity of increased food production. However, with the demands of the Ma tional Food Administrator, the Nation al Council of Defense, and the U. S. Department of Agriculture, 1t remains 1 for our people to do their best, and to fall into line quickly. There is no es- cape. We must raise our own SUD- plies. All business and professional men are urged to cooperate with the County Boards of Inspectors, and any one who is farming does not need to have any fear for any reason in sign ing the pledge, if they are willing to support the Government, since no one expects any person to do more than he Is capable and in a position to do, with the equipment on hand. and ne cessity requires for his own safety. Of course, the plan will undoubtedly re- veal the names of individuals who are not patriotic; however. 1t is not our purpose to ask our people to do some thing they do not want to do, but the main object is to urge Arkansas peo- pie to depend upon no one for food and feed during the coming year, and to be sure that they are safe from any crisis that might arise because of the overtaxed condition of transportation.
 q am sure they will realize the se- riousness of the situation and respond to the call of the Nation as they have in the past. Our people will un- doubtediy, once they see the necessity of taking care of themselves, provide for the needs of their farms with a de- termination which will make success assured. Certainly the farmers and business men everywhere are to be congratulated upon the start which they have made, and they are to be given credit for the success of the campaign for Increased Food Production" which closed recently Let everyone get behind this new movement which means so much to