Atlanta semi-weekly journal., 1918-02-01
CRISIS OF STRUGGLE
Is HERE; RESULTS OF
1918 WILL DECIDE IT
Continued from Page II

and assisting them. The number of ex-
tension workers under the Smith-LeVer
act and under the recent emergency leg
islatiOn has grown to $500 men and
women working regularly in the various
communities and taking to the farmer
the latest scientific and practical in
formation. Alongside these great public
agencies stand the very effective vol
untary organization among the farmers
themselves which are more and more
learning the best methods of co-opera-
ton and the best methods of putting
TO practical use the assistance derived
from governmental sources.
The banking Legislation of the last
two or three years has given the farm
ers access to the great lendable capital
of the country and it has become the
duty both of the men in charge of the
federal reserve banking system and of
the farm loan banking system to see to
it that the farmers obtain the credit
both short term and long term, to which
they are entitled not only, but which At
is imperatively necessary should be ex-
tended to them if the present tasks of
the country are to be adequately per-
formed. Both by direct purchase of nj
trates and by the establishment of
plants to produce nitrates, the govern
ment is doing its utmost to assist in
the problem of fertilization. The de-
partment of agriculture and other agen-
cies are actively assisting the farmers
TO locate, safeguard and secure at cost
an adequate supply of sound seed. The
department has s2.5O0,o0O available for
this purpose now and has asked the
congress for s6,Oo0,ooO more.
Dimcult Labor Problem
THE labor problem is one of great
difficulty and some of the best agencies
nf
to the task of solving it, so far as 1t is
possible to solve it. Farmers have not
been exempted from service. I know
that they would not wish to be. I take
ii for granted they would not wish to
be put in a class by themselves in this
respect But the attention of the war
department has been very seriously CEN
tered upon the task of interfering with
the labor Of the farms as little as pos
sible, and under the new regulations I
believe that the farmers of the coun-
try will find that their supply of labor
is very much less seriously drawn upon
than it was under the first and initial
call. made before we had had our pres
ent full experience in these perplexing
matters.
The supply of labor in all industries
is a matter we must look to and are
looking to with diligent care.
"And let me say that the stimulation
of the agencies I have enumerated has
been responded to by the farmers in
splendid fashion. I dare say that you
are aware that the farmers of this
country are as efficient as any other
farmers in the world. They do not
produce more per acre than the farmers
in Europe. 1t is not necessary that
they should do so. 1t would perhaps be
bad economy for them to attempt it. But
they do produce by two or three or four
times more per man, per unit of labor
and capital, than the farmers of any
European country. They are more alert
and use more labor-saving devices than
any other farmer in the world And
their response to the demands of the
present emergency has been in every
way remarkable. Last spring their
planting exceeded by twelve million
acres the largest planting of any pre-
Vious year, and the yields from the
crops were d-breaking yields. In
the fall of 1917 a wheat acreage of
42170,000 was planted, which was one
million larger than for any preceding
year, three millions greater than the
next largest, and seven millions greater
than the preceding five year average.
But ] ought to say to you that it is
not only necessary that these achieve
should be exceeded, 1 know what this
advice involves. 1t involves not only
labor but sacrifice, the painstaking ap-
plication of every bit of scientific
knowledge and every tested practice
that is available.
at means the utmost economy, even
to the point where the pinch comes 1t
means the kind of concentration an0
self-sacrifce which is involved in the
field of battle itself, where the object
always looms greater than the individ
ual. And yet the government will help
and help in every way that is possible.
The impression which prevails in some
quarters that while the government has
sought to fix the prices of foodstufs, IL
has not sought to fix other prices which
determine the expenses of the farmer. Is
a mistaken one. AS a matter of fact.
the government has actively and sue
cessfully regulated the prices of many
fundamental materials underlying ali
the industries of the country, and has
regulated them not only for the pur-
chases of the government, but also for
purchases of the general public, and
have every reason to believe that the
congress will extend the powers of the
government in this important, andaeVen
essential, matter so that the tendency of
profteerjng which is showing itself In
too many quarters may be effectively
checked. In fixing the prices of food
Stuffs the government has since tried
to keepthe interests of the farmer as
much in my mind as the interest OF the
communities which are to be served
but it is serving mankind as well as the
farmer and everything in these times OF
war takes on the rigid aspect of duty.