The Robesonian., 1918-02-28
SOUTH MUST RAISE IT'S OWN
FOOD

FOOD.
In statement issued the other day
in which he discusses the food sltua-
ton and productive prospects for the
coming year, Assistant Secretary OF
Agriculture Clarence Ousley warns
the South that if it neglects this year
to provide its own food and feed 1t IS
likely to suffer serious privatlon and
will put burden upon the nation
which may prolong the war ::nd even
imperil victory.
81 am not expressing an alarmlst
personal opinion" he said, but "am
seeing through the eyes Of 40 agrl-
cultural colleges and of county agents
in nearly every agricultural county.
He says he has recently crossed the
continent, has studied reports gath
cred from the departments 18,0OO
representatives and as many more en-
ployes of the agricultural colleges, and
has considered the conclusions OF the
international institute of agriculture
at Rome, which has reports from all
the world, and this opinion is forced
upon him:
"The plain hard truth is that with
| forty million people withdrawn from
| productive industries and engaged IN
| the business of destruction, it IS not
| humanity possible for production on
the whole to exceed normal demand
| The question is whether production
| can equal necessitous demand.
ENGLAND, France and Italy must be
sustained or their populations caanot
stand the strain. The chief cause Of
Russia's collapse was hunger.
Secretary McAdoo has given warn
| ing that transportation may be lack
| ing in 1918 to haul food and feed tt
states and communities that do mo-
provide for themselves. Military
movements must have first consider
alton and military movement will be
greater in 1918 than in 1917. The
prime question for the farmer is MOI
what products will bring the highes'
price, but what products will insure
food for his family and feed for hi:
livestock, and the answer is 'vege
table garden, a milk cow, brood sow
a poultry flock, ample corn, oats, pea
nuts ETC., and then as much cotton Of
tobacco as he can cultivate we'll.
ut is the highest demand Of patri
otism-it is the first requirement 0:
living-that in 1918 every State, ever!
county, every neighborhood, ever.
| farmer be as nearly self-sustainint
as possible.
"For the South to plunge on cottol
/ x@I al lot
crop and to depend upon the corn bel
for bread and meat will be for tn.
! South to engage in a gamble whicl
may cause privation to it's people AM
disaster to the nation. For any mai
tions from the standpoint cf prof
alone, without regard to the nation
needs, is for him wilfully to rrofitee
in the blood Of his fellows who ar
fighting in France for the preserva
tion Of the republic.
| "My whole life has been spent i
the South. know the Southern farm
er. He will do his duty as be see
the.ASnuth to make known these, fact
Ito consider it his business to max
them known-and ! shall have n
doubt Of the results"
That is a message not to farmer
alone but to every man in bushes:
"For any man now to determine hi
business operations from the stand
point of profit alone, without regar
to the nations needs, is for him wi
fully to profiteer in the blood of hi
fellows who are fighting in Franc
for the preservation Of the republic
The first consideration Of all of L
should be how we can help win th
war. If profit comes it should com
as a mere incident and should /
turned back to the Government t
help win.
Robson county has been dependin
upon other sections for about $4,000
900 worth of food and feed If tt
! county fails to raise all the food an
: feed it requires this year it may hay
q to go without. Which fact ought |
r put every man in the county on h
e metal. We cannot afford to call c
n other sections for food and feed "
q should have raised when every bit
4 surplus any section produces must g
= to sections that cannot raise the
i own supplies.
--O-
NOTHING TO IT.
: The Robesenian's Boardman corr
spondent adds to his news letter tt
following inquiry: