Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-02-07
GOVERNMENT PLANS TO ASSIST
IN INCREASED PRODUCTION
OF PRODUCTS
WILL SUPPLY FARMERS b.
With FOUR ESSENTIALS
Seed, Transportation and Labor
Every Owner or Tenant to Answer
Questionnaire-5uy and Seller to
Be Brought Tcsethtr.
[By z. G. Dougherty.1

IBy z. G. Dougherty.1
Washington, Feb. S.-The 1918 har-
vest OF foodstutfs in the United States
| must be even greater than the bumper
crops Of 1917 il the war is TO be won
! for democracy, according to views OF
agricultural experts Of the federal gov
eminent To bring this about, the
United States wiz endeavor to supply
the farmers with four essentials
money. seed, transportation and labor.
President Wilson has stated that the
food problem is the most vital now
facing the allies. 1t is problem which
is intimately interlaced with ships.
The food question is particularly diff
cult because Of the Limitation in the
varieties OF food stuTs 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 pru-
duce more and eat less wheat and meat
in 1918. Corn, potatoes, beans and like
products must be produced 10 supply
the home demand while wheat and
meat are sen. abroad.
To Take Farm Census.
To get a complete line of what the
farmers OF the country can produce
and wha. federal assistance Will De
nee ssary, an AGRICULTURAL census is TO
be taken. The work already has begun
in many localities. perhaps in Iowa
The QUESTIONABLE, which Will be car
lied from farm house TO farm house.
IS prepared by the department Of a-gr.-
culture. The Information VIII De col
lected under the direction of the coun-
- agents OF the department and the
actual tabrIation will be done by
teachers ard advanced pupils in the
states. Many of the questions asked
farmers are important, but the follow
ing are essential:
I-How many laborers are you noH
employing? How many do you desire
20 employ during the year.
What acreage OF crops did you
plant last year tgiving details as 10
each CROP? How many acres will you
plant this yea-?
S.-What live stock have you? VIVA,
live stock do you desire?
4-What seed have you? What seed
do you desire to t'uy 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 AMI demand OF live stock
and becomes 4 local employment agent,
with a full list of available places for
men seeking work as farm laboreTs.
Where :he county agent finds there is
an insufficient supply Of labor, seeo.
and live stock, he takes the matter up
with the state authority. centerins
usually in 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 al over supply OF live
stock. seed and farm labor. and just as
the county agent brings buyer and sell
Ter 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 live
stock. the federal department OF agri-
culture is 10 De communicated with for
the purpose Of getting aid from other
states well supplied.
II is admitted here that the most
serious phases Of the farm problem are
labor and trar sportation. The diff
Guilty is that neither men nor railroad
cars in suficien. number are available.
To remedy the labor situation. it has
been practically decided TO exempt all
farmers from any army service. The
farmers now in camp are to be given
burroughs during the planting and har-
gest season. and no additional farmers
are TO be called 20 the colors in subse-
Quent drafts, unless ii is absolutely
necessary. The war department be-
i.eves under the new system 10 be put
into effect with the next draft army,
sufficient men will be procurable with
oJt taking farmers, shipbuilders and
other occupations necessary TO the in
dustrial and agricultural life OF the ma
ton. The transportation question is
expected to become better as the har-
vest season approaches, although it Is
admitted now that the government can
do little except give priority to goods
needed for the armies abroad and in
the field training in this country.