South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-03-24
SOUTH MUST FEED
SELF HENCEFORTH
War Conditions Impose Upon
Dixie Necessity of More
SeIf-Support.

IF the south neglects this year
10 provide her own food and feed.
she is likely 10 suffer serious priva-
ton. AMI she will put a burden
upon the nation which may prolong
the war and even imperil our VIC
tory" says Clarence Ousley. assist
ant secretary of agriculture.
II am aware that these are
strong words" continues Sec'y GUS
ley, but they are none too strong.
i am not expressing an alarInIst
personal opinion. 1 am seeing
through the eyes of As agricultural
COLLEGES and OF county agents in
nearly every agricultural county. 1
have recently crossed the continent
from the Atlantic TO the Pacific. I
have studied the reports gathered
by the departments $4,000 repre-
sentatives and as many more en-
ployes Of the agricultural colleges.
/ have considered the conclusions
of the International Institute of Az
riculture at Rome, which has re-
ports from all the world.
Impossible TO Exceed Demand
The plain. hard truth is that
with 100000 people withdrawn
from productive industries and en-
gagged in The business of destruction.
il is not humanity possible for pro-
duction on the whole TO exceed nor
nal demand. The question is
whether production can equal ne
cessitous demand.
England. France and Italy must
be sustained or their populations
cannot stand the strain. They have
been on scanty rations for more
than three years. The chief cause
of Russia's collapse was hunger.
Soldiers can not fight when their
wives and children are starving.
Transportation May BE Lacking.
"Sec'y McAdoo has given warning
that transportation may be lacking
in 1918, 10 haul food and feed 10
states and communities that do not
provide for themselves. Many cattle
have been sacrificed in the drought
regions Of the northwest and the
southwest during the last few
months, because railroad cars could
not be obtained as needed Military
movements must have first consid-
Grafton. and military movements
will be greater in 1918 than in 1917.
| The prime question for the farmer
is not what product will bring the
highest price. but what produces
will insure food for his family ana
feed for his livestock, and the an
swer as: a vegetable garden, a
milk COW. a brood SOW, a poultry
flock. ample corn. oats. peanuts
etc, and then as much cotton or
tobacco as he can cultivate well.
at is the highest demand of IA
triotism-it is the first requirement
OF living-that in 1918 every state,
every county. every neighborhOod,
every farmer. be as nearly self-sus-
tanning as possible.
No Time TO Gamble.
For the south to plunge on cot
ton or tobacco or any other specu-
lative crop and to depend upon the
corn belt for bread and meat will
be for the south TO engage in a
gamble which may cause privatlo1
to its people and disaster TO the ma
mine his business operations from
! the standpoint of profit alone. with
out regard to the nations needs, is
for him willfully to profiteer in the
blood OF his fellows who are fighting
in France for the preservation %
the republic. No man can be ex-
cused for not taking his share of
/ the responsibility.
My whole life has been spent i'm
the south. I know the southern
farmer He will do his duty as he
sees it. I am appealing to every
man in the south TO make known
these facts-to consider it his bust q
ness to make them known-and 1
shall have no doubt of the results
II they are not made known in "A
way 10 impress the crisis that con-
| fronts us, there may be hunger in
this bounteous land or hunger over
| yonder in Europe, where il Will
spell ruin for all that is worth
while in America"