River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1918-02-07
WILSON URGES
GREATER CROPS
Address BY President, Read at
Urbana, Asks Supreme
Effort BY Farmers.
MARK MUST PASS 1917
Crisis Has Come, Says Executive, and
War Will End This Year, but
Farmers Must Make Rec
ord Production.


Washington, Feb. 1.-The achieve
ments Of this year, on one side or
the other, must determine the issue.
The eliminating crisis of the strug-
gle has come"
Thus President Wilson warned the
farmers OF the country. The message
was delivered by President James of
the University of Illinois in the alb
sence of Secretary of Agriculture D.
Z. Houston, who was to have repre-
sented the president at the farmers
conference at Urbana. The president
had expected to attend, but indisposi-
ton made it impossible and he dele
gated Mr.. Houston, who was prevented
from participating by the railroad
tieup. The presidents message said:
II am sorry indeed that | cannot be
present in person at the Urbana con-
ference. | should like to enjoy the
benefit Of the inspiration and eX-
change of counsel which [ know |
should obtain but in the circumstances
it has seemed impossible for me to
be present and therefore | only can
send you a very earnest message ex-
pressing my interest and the thoughts
which such a conference must bring
prominently U1to every mind.
Facing Great Task.
Il need not tell you for | am sure
you realize as keen1y as [ do that we
are as a nation in the presence of a
great task which demands supreme
sacrifice and endeavor of everyone of
us. We can give evrything that is
needed with the greater willingness
and even satisfaction because the OBJ
ject CT the war in which we are en-
gagged is the greatest that free men
have ever undertaken.
War Cause 10 Righteous.
You will not need to be convinced
that it was necessary for us as free
people to take part in the war. 1t had
raised it's evil hand against us. The
rulers of Germany had sought to exer-
else their power in such way as to
shut off our economic life so far as
our intercourse with Europe was con-
cerned and to confine our people with
III the Western hemisphere while they
accomplished purposes which would
have permanently impaired and I'M
peded every process Of our national
life and have put the fortunes OF
America at the mercy of the Imperial
government Of Germany.
Whole Future at Stake.
eve are fighting, therefore, as truly
for the liberty and self-government OF
the United States as if the war OF our
own revolution had to be fought over
again. and every man in every business
IN the United States must know by
this time that his whole future lot
time lies in the balance. Our natlonal
1ifo and our whole economic develop
mani will pass under the sinister IN
auence of foreign control IL we do not
win We must win, therefore, ana we
eha1l vim. / need not aesk you 10
n1ndpe your lives and fortunes with
toose of the rest Of the nation TO the
accomplishment of that great war.
ThIe Year Will Decide War.
"you will realize as I think states
NON IN both sides of the water rea-
7iga that the eliminating crisis OF the
s+r,,oo1e mas come and that the
achieyements of this year on the one
side or the other must determine tne
issue. It has turned out that the
forces that fight for freedom OF men
over the world as we'll as our own de
pend upon US in an extraordinary anu
11nexnected degree for sustenance for
the supply OF the materials by when
men are TO live and to fight ana II VIII
be our glory when the war is over thal
we have supplied those materials anu
sunplied them abundantly and it Will
be all the more glory because in sup
nlylng them we have made our SUI
irene effort and sacrifice.
Farmers Paramount Factors.
"Tn the field of agriculture we have
agencies and instrumentalities, fortu'
nate1v. such as no other government
in the world can show. The depart
ment of agriculture is undoubtedly
fine greatest practical and sclenlt1c ag
ricultural organization in the world
The banking legislation of the last
two or three years has given the farm
ers access to the great lendaDle cap
ita1 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
tn see to it that the farmers obtain
tht, credit. both short term and long
fern. to which they are entitled not
only. but which it is imperatively nee.
essary should be extended to them II
the present tasks of the country are to
be adequately performed. Both direct
purchase of nitrates and by the estab
lisnnlent of plants to produce nitrates
the government is doing it's utmost to
assist in the problem of fertilization
Giving Farmers Every Aid.
.The department of agriculture and
other agencies are actively ASSISTING
the farmers to locate, safeguard and
secure at cost an adequate supply OF
sound seed. The department has 81,