The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1918-02-26
BIG MEETINGS AT GREENWOOD
AND SUMTER TO STIMULATE
FOOD PRODUCTION.

and 18TH respectively, 1or tne pur-
pose of discussing plans whereby
campaigns could be carried on in
every county in the state urging
our farmers to put every available
acre of land in food stuff in 1918,
and to conserve all the food they
can. Members of the Council of
Defense, food administrator, farm
ers, farm and home demonstration
agents, and members of the Exterior
Division of Clemson and Winthrop
Colleges, were present. Addresses
were made by D. R. Coker, Chair
man, State Council of Defense; Will
liam Elliott, State Food Administra-
tor; Clarence Poe, editor Progressive
Farmer; W. w. Long, Director of
Extension Department, Clemson
College, and Miss Edith L. Parrot,
Head of Home Demonstration De-
partment at Winthrop College. All
of these talks were inspirational and
very instructive and enjoyed by all
those present.
AS stated above the purpose of
these meetings was to discuss plans
whereby campaigns could be car
ried on in every county of the state
for stimulating food production.
These campaigns are to be planned
and conducted by the Council of De-
fense and Food Administrator Of
each county assisted by the Farm
and Home Demonstration agents.
After these meetings in Greenwood
and Sumter the Council Of Defense
and Food Administrator of each
county will call a meeting of the
farm and home demonstration
agents, business men and ministers
and arrange for the campaign and
appoint speakers. 1t is desired to
have meetings in every part of the
county as possible so as to reach
the most farmers. In some of the
cities special garden campaigns are
|
to be conducted.
With the world facing food short
age due to the millions of men that
have been drawn from the field Of
production t. engage in the busi-
ness of destruction it is very neces-
sary that these campaigns be held
| in every county in the state. Amer
| lea is the storehouse now for food
for our allies and our soldiers. 1t
| is up to the farmers Of America to
furnish the necessary food for our
allies to win this war and stop the
suffering that has been going on for
the last three and a half years. We
all cannot fight in the trenches but
there is; work for US to perform
equally, as important and just as
patriotic as the work of the SOL
diers. America today is shipping
three times as much food to the al
lies as she did before war, for ex-
ample, 100000 lbs. Of perk were
shipped before the war and 1,50O,-
100000 lbs. of pork and lard were
shipped in 1917. The south imports
large quantities of food and food
stuff from the north and west every
year; South Carolina alone imports
more than s1OO,OOO,O0O worth Of
food from the North and West an
nually. The government is now only
asking the south to provide food for
her people and foodstuff for her live
stock in order that the surplus food
produced in the North and West
might be shipped abroad. Secretary
McAdoo says that transportation
might be lacking in 1918 to ship
food and foodstuff to those states
and communities that do not pro-
vide for themselves. Surely the
south will not plunge in cotton this
year without providing ample food
and foodstuffs first; surelyt the
South will not ask for food from the
North and West that should and will
go to feed the hungry people in Eu-
rope and our soldiers that are sac
riicing their lives that we might live
and breathe the atmosphere of free
dom. w. A. ROWELL,
| To,1ntv oant