Arizona republican., 1918-02-01

ficient as any other farmers in the world They do not produce more per acre than the farmers of Europe II It is not necessary that they should do so. It would, perhaps, be bad II economy for them to attempt it. But they do produce by two to three or four times more per man, per unit of labor and capital, than the farmers of any European country. They are the more alert and use more labor saving devices than any other farrE CTS in the world. and their response to the demands of the present emergency has been in every way re- markable Last spring their plant ings exceeded by twelve million acres | the largest planting of any previous | year, and the yields from the crops | were record breaking yields. In the | fall of 1917 a wheat acreage of 42,- | ITO. 600 was planted which was one | million larger than for any preceding year. thrtee millions greater than the | next largest, and seven milliobs l greater than the preceding five-year average. 1 But 1 ought to say to you that it is not only necessary that these achieve ments should be repeated, but that they should be exceeded. I know what | only labor. but sacrifice, the painstak- ing application of every bit of scientific knowledge and every tested practice that is available It means the utmost economy even to the point where the pinch comes. It means the kind of concentration and self-sacrifice which is involved in the field of battle itself, where the object always looms greater than the individual. And yet the gov ernment will help and help in every way that it is possible.
 The impression which prevails in some quarters that, while the govern ment has sought to fix the prices of foodstuffs, it has not sought to fix other prices which determine the ex- penses of the farmer, is a mistaken one, As matter of fact, the govern ment has actively and successfully regulated the prices of many funda- mental materials underlying all the in dustries of the country and has regu- lated them not only for the purchases of the government, but also for the purchases of the general public, and I have every reason to believe that the congress will extend the powers of the government in this important and even essential matter so that the ten dency to profiteer which is showing it.
 
 fectively checked.
 Tn fixing the prices of foodstuffs, the government has sincerely tried to keep the interests of the farmer as much in mind as the interests of the community 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.
 T will not appeal to you to continue and renew and increase our efforts. I do not believe that it is necessary to do so. I believe that you will do it without any word CT appeal from me. because you understand, as well as I do, the needs and opportunities of this great hour when the fortunes of man. kind everywhere seem about to be de- termlned and when America has the greatest opportunity she has ever had to make good her own freedom, and in making it good to lend helping hand to men struggling for their freedom everywhere.
 You remember that it was farmers from whom came the first shots at Lexington, that set aflame the revolu- tion that made America free. I hope and believe that the farmers of Amer ica will willingly and conspicuously SldIo py IO win iIlS war dlSO. Ine toll, the intelligence, the energy, the foresight, the self-sacrifice and devo- tion of the farmers of America will, I believe, bring to a triumphant conclu- sion this great last war for the eman- cipation of men from the control of arbitrary government and the selfish ness of class legislation and control, and then, when the end has come, we may look each other in the face and be glad that we are Americans and have had the privilege to play such a part