The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-02-09
Present Memorial Asking
for Definite Measures
TO Speed Production
PRESIDENT WILL
ANSWER IT LATER
ERecognize Your Utmost
Effort Not Dependent
Upon Acceptance"
(By Associated Press.J

washington, Feb. 9.-Spokesmen
of sixteen national farm organtza-
tions and many smaller ones, hold
ing a wartime conference here at
the call Of the federal board of farm
organizations. presented memorial
to President Wilson yesterday urg-
ing more definite measures py the
government in speeding up agricul-
tural production.
The delegation asked for the ap-
pointment Of a special commission
OF nine farmers to advise in agri-
cultural problems and represent the
farmers viewpoint; the furlough-
ing OF trained farm workers now IN
the army so long as their SERVICES
may be considered by the govern
ment more useful in productive agrt-
cultlIra than in the military ser
vice; that the draft regulations be
interpreted so as to stop the placing
of skilled farm workers, foremsn
and bona fide farmers-in Class
one; that provisions be made for
furnishing farmers seed. iced, fsrt-
tilizars and machinery; that
steps be taken to promote aggres-
Efyely short time loans to finance
the production Of crops, and that If
the policy OF price control is TO
prevail, 1t be applied to what a
farmer buys as well as TO what he
sells.
II cannot, OF course, offhand,
anawer SO important a memorial as
this. and need not tell you that
ii viii receive my most careful and
respectful attention Many Of the
questions that are raised here have
been matters of very deep and con
stant concern with us for months
past, and believe that many OF
them are approaching as successful
a solution as we can work out for
Them. but Just what those steps are
/ cannot now detail to you. You are
probably familiar with some of them.
II want to say that / fully recog-
nize that you gentlemen do not mean
that your utmost effort will depend
upon the acceptance of these sug-
gestions. I know you are going tol
do your level best in any circum-
stances, and count on you with the
utmost confidence in that. There
never has been a time which tested
the real quality of folks as this time
Is going to test il; because, we are
hghting for something bigger than
any mans imagination can grasp.
aThis Is a final tackle between
opposed to, and was organized to
tight, and the things that she stands
for. It Is the final contest and to
lose IL would set the world, not i'm
rnediately but eventually perhaps,
several hundred years back in the
development Of human life. The
thing cannot be exaggerated n its
Importance, and / know that you
men are ready, as / am, to spend
every ounce of energy we have got
an solving this thing.
Il am complimented by a visit OF
so large a representation, and III
thank you for the candid presenta-
ton Of this interesting memorial"
Permanent Commission.
In recommending the creation OF
q farmers commission to sit per-
nanently In Washington, with pro-
vision by the government for quar-
ters and expenses, the memorial
said:
"Such a commission is needed first
Of all to give to the farmers Of
America a sense Of partnership in |
the conduct Of the war, to which |
they have a right. The occasional
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