Republican farmer., 1918-02-01
STREET FIGHTING IN BERLIN:
100000 IN CITY ON STRIKE
1918 WILL DETERMINE
WAR ASSERTS WILSON

row and has asked the congress for
$6,000,000 more.
The labor problem is one of great
difficulty and some of the best agen-
cies of the nation are addressing
themselves to the task of solving it,
50 far as it is possible to solve it..
, Farmers have not been exempted
from the draft. l know they would
not wish to be. I take it for grant
ed that they would not wish to be
put in class by themselves in this re-
spect. But the attention of the war
department has been very seriously
centered Upon the task of interfering
with the labor of the farms as little
as possible and under the new draff
regulations I believe the farmers OF
the country will find their supply
labor is very much less seriously
drawn upon than it was under the
first and initial draft, made before
we had had our present full expert
ence in these perplexing matters. The
supply of labor in all industries is a
matter we must look to and are look
ing to with diligent care.
And let me say that the stimula-
ton of the agencies L have enumer-
ated has been responded to by the
farmers in splendid fashion. I dare
say you are aware that the farmers
of this country are as efficient as any
other farmers in the world. They do
not produce more per acre than the
farmers in Europe. 1t is not neces-
sary that they should do so. 1t would
perhaps be bad economy for them to
attempt it. But they do produce by
two to three or four times more per
man, per unit, of labor and capital
than the farmbers of any European
country.
"They are more alert and use more
labor saving devices than any other
farmers in the world. and their re-
sponse to the demands of the present
| emergency has hecn in every way re-
rnarkaple. Last cr'ng theit plant
| ing exceeded II 100000 acres. the
largest planting of any previous year
and the yields from the crops were
record breaking yields. In the fal
Of 1917 a wheat :-eage OF, 2.l7H .ht
was planted, which was 1,00o.e0(
larger than for any preceding year
5000, 900 greater than the next 1arg-
est, and 100000 greater than tht
preceding five year average.
But 1 ought to say to you that i
is not only necessary that thes'
achievements should be repeated, bu
that they should be exceeded. I know
what this advice involves. 1t involves
not only labor, but sacrifice, the pains
| o. of n
scientific knowledge and every testet
practice that is available. 1t mean
the utmost economy, even to the poin
where the pinch comes. 1t means th'
kind of concentration and self-sacri
flee which is involved in the field o
battle itself, where the object alway
looms greater than the individual
And yet the government will help ant
help in every way that it is possible
The impression which prevails in som
quarters that while the government
has sought to fix the prices of food
stuffs, it has not sought to fix othe
prices which determine the expense
of the farmer, is a mistaken one. A
matter of fact, the government ha
actively and successfully regulated tn
prices of many fundamental material
underlying all the industries of tn
country and has regulated them no
only for the purchases of the govern
ment, but also for the purchases G
. the general public, and I have ever
reason to believe congress will exten
the powers of the government in thi
important and even essential matte
e so that the tendency to prof1teerin
= which is showing itself in too man
e quarters may be effectively checked
E In fixing the prices of foodstuffs til
e government sincerely has tried to kee
p the interests of the farmer as muc
; in mind as the interests of the CON
! munities which are to be served. bl
= it is serving mankind as well as til
Y farmer and everything in these tim'
@ of war takes on the rigid aspect
e duty.
t II will not appeal to you to col
a tinue and renew and increase your e
II forts. l do not believe it is necessa1
= to do so, believe you will do it will
: out any word or appeal from me, b.
cause you understand as we'll as l {
q the needs and opportunities of tn
:. great hour, when the fortunes of mai
- kind everywhere seem about to
; determined and when America has Il
. greatest opportunity she has ever he
y to make good Ter own freedom and
!, making it good, to lend a helping hal
e to men struggling for their freedo
- everywhere. You remember that
- was farmers from whom came Il
first shots at Lexington, that S
ID aflame the revolution that ma
3" America free, I hope and believe tn
= the farmers of America will willing
IL and conspicuously. stand by to W
lie this war also. The toll, the intelligen
ri the energy, the foresight, the self sa
re rifice and devotion of the farmers
l. America will, l believe, bring to a Il
J. umphant conclusion this great Ia
lie war for the emancipation of men fro
r the control of arbitrary governme
of and the selfishness of class legislati
of and control and then, when the e
" has come. we may look each other
st the face and be glad that we a
le Americans and have had the pri'
er lege to play such a part"
ne
3 Boston, Jan. 31-The snoN stol
of predicted for New England for l;
as night and today passed out to s