The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-13
State Board of Agriculture Re.
quests 1t Today.
Legislation To Help Wheat
Growers Is Imperative.
SEEK FEDERAL AID FIRST
If This Fails Kansas Must AS
sist Farmers.
Thousands in State Can't
Finance Full Acreage.

Members of the state board Of ag-
riculture today appealed to Governor
Capper for a special session of the
state legislature to aid western farm
ers In securing seed wheat. Unless
immediate aid can be secured from
the federal government-a program
now doubtful and uncertain in view
of the demand for immediate action
help can come only thru Legislative
enactments, the board told the gov
ernor. A delegation is to be sent to
Washington Immediately to tackle the
federal aid program.
Not to exceed 40 to so per cent of
the normal acreage of the extreme
western counties will be planted this
year under present conditions. Farm
ers west of the Tooth meridian have
suffered two failures. In two big mass
meetings they have declared they can
not finance their project.
Would Issue Bonds.
A state law Is asked which will
permit the distressed counties to issue
bonds and loan money to the farmers.
accepting lien on the 1919 crop. The
constitutionality of the proposed ac-
ton was discussed this afternoon with
representatives of the attorney gen.
erals office.
Governor Capper Indicated today
that he would acquiesce in a program
for special session il federal relief
cannot be secured. Members of the
board drove home the need of imme-
date action. Secretary J. C. Mofler
told the governor that a good yield
from the acreage which may be aban-
doned would provide food for the en-
tire American army for a period of
nine months. The counties in the
western third of the state are vitality
affected by the program which will
tufnlsh seed for a maximum wheat
acreage.
Appeal Is Insistent
The appeal from western Kansas is
lnslstenI. Big farmer meetings in
Dodge City and Colby brought scores,
OF farmers from all portions of the
wheat belt. Wheat growers in the
western counties said they had suf-
Tered two crop failures. Altho the
state will pre- duce 97,GOO,OO0 bushels
OF wheat his year, almost the entire
yield will coma from the eastern tuoe
thirds of the state
Banks In the western third of Kan
sas are now carrying a heavy load of
1arm paper. They cannot finance the
new crop. Hundreds of nonresident
land owners will not provide money
to renters. Appeals thru the Council
OF Defense are regarded as practically
useless. The plan was tried last wear
and fizzled. 1t, resulted only in the
use of much newspaper space, many
fervent speeches and frequent meet
ings. But there was little cash for
the purchase of seed wheat.
There is a ray of hope in a bill now
before the United States senate. 1t
originally provided aid for the 1918
crop production. 1t has passed the
f, house, but is buried in the senate COM
| mittee room. Amendments are needed
and at best it must be revived. given
the most ardent and insistent admin
| istration support, altered to meet new
conditions and ratified both by the
house and senate. And that in a very
! few weeks.
Enlist Presidents Aid.
| 1t is to enlist the support of Presi-
| dent Wilson and Herbert Hoover. fed
| eral food administrator, that a special
| delegation is going to Washington.
| Unless virtual assurance is given that
the bill can be rushed to early pass
| age, relief for the wheat growers in
western Kansas can seemingly come
| only thru special session of the state
| legislature.
Senator Henry NJ. Laing> of Russell
attended today's meeting. Ten years
| in the legislature has instilled in Sen
ator Laing an opposition to special ses-
sions. But he told Governor Capper
/ today that he believed the present sit
| uation justified action.
| o. O. Wolf of Ottawa, president
of the state board and former sena-
a special session unless assurances OF
federal aid could be received. w. H.
Avery of Wakefield, former senator
from Clay county. said he believed
special session would be justified un-
less congress acted at once
! Congress is an uncertain body,
I said E. E. Frizzell of Larned. enc OF
the biggest wheat growers in Kansas
"a special session of the legislature
would start the preparation of soil In
every one of these counties the first
day the session opened. 1t would
mean that the soil would be ready
when the seed came. Congress might
act in the next month or six weeks II
it waited until September, it would be
too late
Mohler Gives Figures.
| Secretary Mohler escorted Governor
Capper to the meeting He was told
of the demand of the farmers
Ford county alone has 100000 idle
acres of wheat land" said Mohler
Some of the western counties viii
not plant more than 40 per cent OF
their normal acreage next fall unless
they receive aid from some source
| CONTINUED on Page Two.'