The Pulaskian., 1918-04-19
CRITICAL SITUATION
FACING THE SOUTH
TO EMPLOY DRASTIC MEASURES
TO INSURE NATION THAT Ar
KANSAS WILL NOT DRAG.
Fayetteville

The South during the next Twelve
months will face a situation more cri-
tical than any since the Civil War,
and, if necessary, most drastic meas
ures are to be employed to insure the
Nation that Arkansas will not be
drag upon our resources" according
to w. G. Lassetter Director of the Ag-
ricultural Extension Division, who
says further:
Having for many years depended
upon other sections of the country to
furnish it's food supplies, and having
built up a system Of agriculture upon
that as basis, the South this year
finds transportation facilities of the
country heavily overtaxed, and, for
this reason, faces a threatened short
age of food and feedstuffs needed 10
supply itself under the old system OF
agriculture.
"In order to be sure that the farm
ers of the state recognize the neces-
sity of not becoming a drag upon
others who will produce food and feed,
and, in turn, to insure the Nation that
the State will not be dependent upon
supplies from the North, a plan for
placing the situation before everyone
in Arkansas. and for finding out just
exactly where each one stands, was
worked out at conference of agricul-
tural experts held in the Old State
house.
"The County Agent, the County
Food Administrator, and the Chair
man of the County Council of Defense.
wearing a badge of authority, and
backed up by the State and National
organizations, will constitute the
Board of Inspectors for food and feed
production in each county In the state.
On Monday. April s, they will hold
big rally in the county seat towns,
and at that time select committee
from representative citizens to visit
every school district in their county.
There will be three inspectors in each
school district, and these men, with
FOOD Pledge" cards, will canvass
their districts thoroughly, and visit
every farmer who will be given an
opportunity to sign the food pledges,
stating the amount of food and feed
he will endeavor to produce this year
in an effort to at least make himself
Independent of all others, SO far as
these supplies are concerned. Every
man that signs the Food Pledge, upon
the recommendation of the commit
tee, will be given an Honor Card,
which will designate his patriotic
stand upon this question and may be
displayed at his home. Men who re-
fuse to thus assist themselves and the
State, In this crisis, will also be re-
ported; and the action of the Coun-
ty, State and National Boards, in each
case, will be decided upon at later
time.
This plan is undoubtedly the most
faF-reaching and thorough ever adopt
necessity of increased food production.
However, with the demands of the Ma
tional Food Administrator, the Nation
al Council of Defense, and the u. S.
Department of Agriculture, 1t remains
for our people to do their best, and to
fall into line quickly. There is no es.
cape. We must raise our own sup
plies. All business and professional
men are urged to cooperate with the
County Boards of Inspectors, and any
one who is farming does not need to
have any fear for any reason in sign.
ing the pledge, if they are willing to
support the Government, since no one
expects any person to do more than
he is capable and in a position to do,
with the equipment ON hand, and ne
cessity requires for his own safety. OF
course, the plan will undoubtedly re-
veal the names of individuals who are
not patriotic; however, it is not our
purpose to ask our people to do some
thing they do not want to do, but the
main object is to urge Arkansas peo-
pie to depend upon no one for food and
feed during the coming year, and to
be sure that they are safe from any
crisis that might arise because of the
overtaxed condition of transportation,
II am sure they will realize the Sc
riousness of the situation and respond
to the call Of the Nation as they have
in the past. Our people will un-
doubtedly, once they see the necessity
of taking care of themselves, provide
for the needs of their farms with a DE-
termination which will make success
assured. Certainly the farmers and
business men everywhere are to
be congratulated upon the start
which they have made, and they
are to be given credit for the success
of the campaign for Increased Food
Production which closed recently.
Lei everyone get behind this new
movement, which means so much to
Arkansas, and to the Nationi"
Cautious Spectator.
It is announced that the eggs of the
q