Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1918-09-12

n
A.nr.s.lon which | and think. 9TH
ans nreaent experienced when Mr.
Hoover announced to Us tnat ne hsu
received communications from tne
food controllers OF the three great ma
tons allied with US that unless we
could Ruarantee at least q minimum
of 75 600 600 bushels more OF wheat
before the next harvest they could NOT
answer for the result. 1t required
that nnzch wheat-Wheat that We aid
not have-to save the line on the west
arm front. There was likewise deli
cit as fats and Of meats and OF sugar.
We had no surplus Of either. but Mr.
Hoover promised those 7b.oOO,OOV
bushels Of wheat; he pledged the nee
easaarv fats and meats and sugar, and
from the voluntary efforts, ths secn-
flee and the devotion Of the Americas
people. we were able 10 redeem every
pledge there made and ciVihEation
was saved. instead OF furnishing our
allies with q, 900 900 bushels OF wheat
-our normal surplus from = crop fail
ura-ge sent them before the harvest
hecome available $50 100000 bushels.
we shipped them 500, 900, 900 pounds
more of fats and meats than We ship
ped them the year before, and We nave
Voluntarily reduced our sugar ration
TO the ration OF our great ally, Great
Britain. We are going to eat at COM
mon table; we expect to share with
them when we have plenty; we expect
them to have their full share OF our
meager board. They have borne the
trunt OF this conflict; their property
has been destroyed; their women have
been ravished; their children have
been mutilated, and we assurediy can
do nothing less than share our last
crumb with mem and theirs
But because, my friends, we have
an apparent surplus OF wheat at this
time dc not get the idea that you can
indulge, without limit, your sopetite
for white bread. We must build up a
surplus against a possible crop Iali-
ure. The margin the past year was
too small The margin between star.
walton and defeat; between life and
victory was so close that one cannon
contemplate II without q shIddSr
Think OF It, when the new harvest De-
came available there were just TO-
600 900 bushels of wheat In America,
or roughly speaking, one per cent OF
this yeSr's yield-enough to furnish
each man, woman and child in Amer
lea, in Great Britain and France and
italy with two pounds OF wheat. 10
will never do TO tempt fate by stalking
civilization upon weeks supply OF
bread again.
"This war cannot be wen without
the wheat OF the American farmer. IL
Is Just as essential to our victory in
this awful conflict as is the powder
and the shot and shell with which we
are arming the forces Of destruction.
England and France, who alone, with.
out our aid, for nearly three long
ana soul.trying years, kept burning
the feeble flame OF human liberty in
Europe, would starve without the
wheat from American farms What
they have they must ultimately pay
for. We hold their solemn obligations
for every bushel that has been export.
ed to feed their gallant sons, whose
deathless valor against overwhelming
odds makes one Of the brightest pages
In all history. We have their prom
Use to pay for every grain that has
kept starvation from the orphaned
children and the widowed mothers
whose protectors have died that you
and | might continue to enjoy the
blessings of life, liberty and property.
Every cent added to the cost Of whsat
adds to the burden of these peoplo,
who held aloft the flaming torch Of
civilization.
81 am not underts ling to Justify the
arbitrary price fixi1c OF wheat as 3co-
nomically sound | am aot insisting
that the price fixed assures the farm
ers even a reasonable profit. For the
reasons stated, no o2e Is competent to
pass on that matter, but | do insist
that 1t was necessary, and do know
that although the average price re-
ceived by the farmers of America tor
their wheat last year was the highest
in thirty years, at the same time the
consumers paid an average Of S. q
barrel less for flour than they paid |
during the previous twelve months. |
The Food Administration has reduced |
the difference in the price paid the |
producer and the price paid by the
consume.
while not primarily a price fixing
body, the Food Administration has set
its face like flint against the profiteer.
No man with its knowledge or consent |
is going to make a dollar new that he
would not have made in times Of i
peace. 1t does not propose that the
war shall be the occasion for accumu-
lation Of unearned profits.
"The Food Administration insists
that the farmers shall have fair and |
just treatment; that they shall share
with all others alike in the blessings
OF government, and with all others
share alike In bearing its burdens.
More than that the self-respectinS, pa
sriotic farmers do not ask
without trying to excite your Gu
pidity, l am appealing to you In this
great crisis to redouDle your efforts to
produce all the nations essential food
stuffs. Work, my friends-work early
md late-work as you have never IA.
bored because the fate of civilization
hangs In the balance. depending l..Yge-
y upon yohr efforts. your devotion
and your sacrifice for the verdict. l
appeal to you not with the premise of
additional profits but because a world