Evening star., 1918-02-10
is NOT PESS|M|ST.|C
lover I CROP OUTLOOK
:. Chairman Lever Relies on Con-
-, servation and Increased
.
Efficiency.
,gE-
PLANS TO AID FARMERS

.sS-, Chairman Lever of the House COM
mittee on agriculture does not take
.pessimistic view of the crop and food
outlook for next season. He and his
- colleagues on the committee realize,
se.however, that the prospective situation
lis serious and will demand attention.
Interest in the general subject was
.s-ssimuIated by the activities In Wash
.s.Ington last week of representatives OF
s.farmers' organizations. They discussed
remedial measures for agriculturalists
,, with President Wilson, the Secretary OF
seAgriculrure and congressman.
Elm the opinion of Chairman Lever
s.conservation and increased efficiency
4GaRiii solve the problems of the next
crop season and obviate national DIS
aster He holds that 1t will be neces-
sary for the consumers to do their part
ST by reducing the consumption OF 1000
land elimination of waste; and Ior the
sZs.producers to increase their einclehcS
n Through utilization of every ounce OF
man power to the full and the employ
sment of labor-saving machinery upon
q more extensive scale than ever be-
fore.
So. Problem May Work Itself Out.
a. The labor problem which confronts
the farmers, he thinks, will work itself
out He does not believe it would be
practicable even if deemed necessary to
does he think that the farmers as
Glass will demand immunity from mill
tary service to go back to the SOIL.
The fighting in this war IS not 70
be confined to any one class, he sald,
s..'nor is any one class likely to seek TO
be relieved from its share OF the mill
=, tary burden Mr.. Lever thinks that
the War Department will work out a
-.vplan to postpone the drafting OF high
class farming men-that is to say, men
with actual technical knowledge and
In he sya n m
.-~taking them last. Such plan is now
, under way. in fact But he does not
expect to see the rank and file Of men
es-.drawn from the soil returned thereto
y.aJust because they came of the farms.
.-.. Seed at Cost for Farmers.
One practical measure which Con-
E. sEress will provide at once to help the
,ss1bs sold at cost to them. The agricul-
.tural appropriation bill will propose
an appropriation of s6,o0O.0o0 to enable
Ethe Department of Agriculture to pur-
chase seed and sell it to the farmers for
cash at cost. 1t is thought this is as
= .fas as the government will go in this
s.North Dakota, however. has a bill be-
x.t7fore the agricultural committee pro-
"a posing to buy $50. 900 worth of seed
TO sell to the farmers on credit.
Congress has already taken action to
eeaease up the financial conditions of
farmers who have to borrow money by
a-sPoSaluS tuc act Dy WHICH tne govern
Ment is to take annually in 1918 and
1913 farm loan bonds to the amount of
ssa3l0e 900. 900, this money to be available
eS"to the farm loan board. That organiza-
tion recently reported that applications
AsAad been iled for 5000. 900. 900 of farm
loans and about s2s,o00,O0O actually
loaned The interest rate to borrowers
o.uhas. been raised to 5n per cent
AT the meeting in this city last week
OF representatives Of 5000, 900 farmers
..ssne nesds OF the agriculturists in the
-
se.forth In a report to the President
dr. Obstacles Confronting Farmers.
49, The chief obstacles which must be re-
Poved before the farmers of America
can equal or surpass this year the crop
a OF is17 were said to be:
Shortage of farm labor; shortage of
seed. feed, fertilizers, farm implements
ana other agricultural supplies; lack of
reasonable credit. prices often below the
s-.cost Of production; the belief of the
.1ermer that he is not regarded as
paftner In the great enterprise of win
I ining the war.
The report suggested iOhe parole of
~se9raineo farm workers back to the farm
= 20 remain there SO long as their services
zr1aTe considered by the government to be
more useful in productive agriculture
sssAhan in the Army" and for such inter
pfetatton of the selectiye draft as will
secure to the nation the services of all
y OF Its citizenship where those services
are OF most value to the nation. ana for
N.paadtng instructions to be issued to ali
boards to that effect" The report asked
- 'sS-eepectally that tns definition of a skill
ed farm laborer be man who is actual
y ehgaged IN productive agriculture. and
gard to college or university training"