The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1918-09-27

met TOE conference with Mr., Hoever
during the frat week of January.
y eaa h.yer tsrget the feeling Of
depression which |, and | think. 9TH
ers present experienced when Mr..
Hoover announced TO u that he had
received Communications from the
food controllers OF the three great NJ.
tons allied with us that hnlsss We
could guarantee at least . minipum
OF $4,000. 900 bushels more OF wheat
before the next harvest they coald net
answer for the result. II required
that much whsat--wheat that we did
not havs--to save the line on the west.
ern front. There was likewise q dett
oft OF fats and OF meats and OF sugar
We had no surplus OF either. but Mr..
Hoover promised those $4,000. eco
bushels Of wheat; he pledged the nee
esssary fats and meats and sugar. and
from the voluntary efforts, the sacrf
flee and the devotion Of the American
peepie, we were able 10 redeem every
pledge there made, and civilization
was saved, Instead OF furnishing our
allies with 10000. eae bushels of wheat
our normal surplus from Q crop fail.
ure-ws sent them before The harvest
become available $50 ooo,oet bushels.
We shipped them soo,ooo.60o pounds
more OF fats and meats than we ship
pad them the year before, and we have
voluntarily reduced our sugar ration
to the ration OF our great ally, Greet
Britain. We are going 10 eat 81 com.
mon table; we expect 10 share with
them when we have plenty; we expect
them to have their faii share OF our
meager board They have berns ths
brunt of this conflict; their property
has been destroyed; their women have
been ravished; their children have
been mutilatsd. and We assurediy can
do nothing less than share our last
crumb with them and theirs.
But because, my friends, We have
an apparent surplus OF wheat At this
time. do not get the idea that you can
indulge, without limit your appetite
for white bread. We must baild up Q
surplus against possible crop fail,
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 cannot
contemplate II without q shudder.
Think Of II, when the new harvest be-
came available there were just TO-
600, 900 bushels OF wheat In America,
or roughly speaking, one per cent Of
tbts vAor,s vtAIA-aunvrh 20 fwrolsk
each man, woman and child In Amer.
lea, In Great Britain and France and
Italy with two pounds Of wheat. Il
will never do to tempt fate by stalking
civilization upon q weeks supply Of
bread again.
This war cannot be won without
the wheat Of the American farmer 10
10 Just as essential to our victory In
this awful confitct - 10 the powder
and the shot and she'll with which We
are arming tho forces Of destruction.
England and France. who alone, With,
out our aid. Ter nearly three long
and seultrying 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.
cd to feed their gallant sons. whose
deathless valor against overwhelming
odds makes one OF the brightest pages
In all history. We have their prom.
ise to pay for every grain that has
kept starvation from the orphaned
children and the widowed mothe-d
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 wheat
adds to the burden OF these people,
who held aloft the flaming torch Of
civilization.
Il am not undertaking to Justify the
arbitrary price fixing Of wheat ~ oco-
nomically sound. am not insisting
that the price fixed assures the farm.
srs even q reasonable profit. For the
reasons stated, no one 10 competent TO
pass on that matter, but | do Insist
that II was necessary, and I do know
hat, although the average price 70
ceived BY the farmers OF America for
their wheat last year was the highest
In thirty years. at the same tims the
consumers paid an average Of %
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
consumer.
while not primarily = price fixing
body, the Food Administration has set
It's face like flint against the profitesr.
No man with It's knowledge or consent
is going>to make q dollar now that he
would not have made in times OF
peace. It does not propose that the
var shall be the occasion for accumu.
lation Of unearned profits.
THE. Food Administration insists |
that the fai ers shall have fair and
Just treatment; that they shall share
with all others alike In the blessings
Of government and with al others
share alike In bearing it, burdens.
More than that the self-rsspsctint, pa
triotic farmers DO not ask.
Without trying to excite your ca.
pidity, am appealing to you IN this
great crisis 10 rsdoubls your efforts to
produce all the nations essential food
stuffs. Work. my frisnds--work early
and late-work ~ you have never %.
bored, because the fate Of civilization
hangs In the balance. depending large
" upon your efforts, your devotion
and your sacrifice for the verdict.