Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1918-02-15
SHOULD EXEMPT FARM HELP.
Frazer Metzger States His Idea Of Duty
of District Boards-Great Need for
Food Production.

Food Production.
Frazer Metzger, member OF the
committee on food production and con
scrvation of the Vermont committee OF
public safety, has sent The Phoenix
the following communication on The
Sinews of War:
The sinews of war are flesh AND blood
evidence of which is found on every
| battlefield of Europe today. 1T must
be good blood and good flesh, In receoe'
milton of which we are sending to the
front men with healthy bodies. we
need to understand that flesh and blood
at home must be brought into greater
action. Much as we need brains, the
lack of which is all too evident; much
as we need money, of which there seems
to be plenty; the fact is that the deter
mining factor of this war is to be the
preponderance of physical labor The
shortage of coal can be traced to lack
of labor; the difficulties of Transports
tion are more largely due to labor short
age than to any other cause.
The present shortage of food may be
largely caused by extravaganza and
waste, but the coming shortage of food
will be due to non-produchon. The
demand for the elimination of waste
and extravaganza is good, but it is high
time that we woke up to the fact that
mere negation is never going to get us
anywhere. Getting along on two meals
instead of three may yet be necessary
and we will do it if we must, but we
ought to get busy and provide those
three meals If we don t we will admit
a great weakness and put ourselves into
line for defeat because of the consc.
quent LIBERALIZATION.
The responsibility for any situation
that may arise in the matter of food
supply does not lie with the farmer
contradictory as that may seem. The
farmer is doing all that lies in his
power and intends to do all that he
can. A large part of the blame must be
laid at the door Of the government in
its deplorable policy of drafting cx.
perienced farm help for army service
Our district boards should See to il
that men from the farms are exempted
in order that they may render n scrv.
ice tenfold greater than they can pos
sibly render in the army. We have
even reached the point where farm Ia
Dor should be procured by CONSUMPTION
but there exists not the slightest RAJ
of hope that such a policy will be adopt.
ed.
The only means whereby this need
can even be partially met is volunteer
labor from vocations not absolutely es-
sential for winning the war The pro
fessions, with the possible exception
of medicine, from which heavy draft,
have been made, must help to fill up tho
gap.
The coming summer will find hun
dreds of teachers and scholars released
for at least three months service
These people must get next to the sol
on the farms. The men in the ministry
can easily devote at least four DAYS
in the week to farm labor. These mel
are next door to the farms and there
fore readily accessible. In the opinion
of at least one minister, the spiritua
life of our communities would get :
big impetus if our ministers deserted
their books for hoes during these fouI
days of the week. Most of our LAWYER!
and editors could be spared for hall
of each week, and their profession,
would undoubtedly be materially bene
fitted by the experience Aside from
these, there are many others now oc
cupicd III various activities not cssentia
to the winning of the war, who SHOULD
be making plans to help in production
this year.
We have had enough of words; WI
have come to the day of deeds. Let
us show our faith by our works.
FRAZER METZGER.