Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1918-08-29
MESSAGE FROM SECRETARY OF.
AGRICULTURE TO FARMERS


To The Patriots on the Farms:
You are asked to undertake an
other offensive--to go lover the top
this fall for a great harvest of wheat
in 1919. 1 need give only few
figures and facts to impress you
with the increasing and urgent need
of our people, our enemies, the al
lied peoples and their armies for
large supplies of American wheat.
Our reserve supply or carry-over
from the 1917 crop is practically
exhausted and is the smallest on
record. The need of building up re-
serves of wheat is evident. Although
this country produced small crop
of this grain in 1917, the local ex-
ports of wheat in excess of imports,
including flour in terms of wheat,
amounted to approximately 1000,-
600. 900 bushels for the year ending
June 80, 1918. This comparison
with 17S, 100000 bushels exported
in 1917, 236,000,000 bushels in
1916, and 100000 bushels in
1915. 1t was possible for the
United States to export wheat in
large quantities in 1915 and 1916
only because of the large wheat
crops in 1912-13-14-15, which gave
this country an accumulation Of
stocks OF this grain. Both the 1916
and 1917 crops were smaller than
any crops since 1911 and besides
this there was a greater demand for
seed wheat and an increased popu-
lation to be fed.
Moreover, it must be born in
mind that the carry-over in all the
importing countries in Europe was
practically exhausted this year be-
fore the new harvest; that the nor
NAL requirements of the exporting
countries are increasing instead Of
diminishing; that some losses in
storage and transit may be expected
TO continue; and that it is highly
desirable that surplus should be
accumulated as insurance against
partial crop failure next year.
You have been asked to SOW win
ter wheat this fall not less than 49,
100000 acres--an increase of z per
ceHt over last years growing--and
,he department has suggested that
an even greater area. 47.500,000
acres is desirable. The increased
planting asked OF each State has
been carefully determined with re-
gard To its local conditions and its
reasonable capabilities. Your coun-
" agent can ten you the quota as
signed to your State and you can
apply the responsibility to your
case.
You have occupied and do occupy
the first line trenches of the food
army, You have to fight difficulties
too. l am not unmindful of these.
In the Department of Agriculture
We consider them daily. and daily
we give our best efforts to help you
meet them. You know of the diff
cultieS in your community, but I
know of them in many communities
and many States. and so seriously
do they impress mo that / might
able had not American farmers last
year and again this year, revealed
the true American fighting spirit and
ability to meet serious situations.
They will not let the war fail be-
cause OF deficient food production.
Let us SOW literally for big
harvest in 1919. 1t has been cal
led the Liberty Wheat Harvest. We
all hope it will be. But let us I'M
dertake the task with the deter
mination that we will sweat our
blood for many more If need be
before we yield one measure OF our
freedom to a Prussian domination.
Let us fight in the burrows