Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1918-03-29
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Q FARM AGENTS COLUMN 4
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(By c. W. Brown and Sarah r.
Clarke.)

Safe Farming.
The object of this article is to
again call attention to one very
great danger. FOOD is absolutely
essential in order to win this war;
everyone from President Wilson
down has made this stateemnt. In
the past the South has drawn heovily
upon the northern States for its
food supply. II should cease to do
this. II the South should reduce its
rood production this year and there
fore draw more heavily upon the
North, the result will be little short
OF disaster. Indeed there Is a pos
sibility that II might be fatal to the
cause of this country in this awful
crisis. 1t Is necessary that we fur
nish part of the food for the civil
population and for the armies of
England. France and Italy, as well
as to feed ourselves. II We fail In
this these countries will go down
under the sword of the saber .ratt!es
OF Berlin, and the war will be trans
ferred to our own shores with all
tn, horrible consequences which he
fell dear little Belgium. When this
country is staggering under such q
heavy load reduced food produc
ton In the South would ne a nation
al disaster.
To fail to produce our own food
means not only drawing upon the
stores cf the Moth and Wes: to feed
the South. when these stores are
needed for other purposes. but means
a p faf m
facilities which no patriotic citizen
OF the South should for moment
tolerate.
Let us figure for moment what
1t will take to transport the troops
and their equipment: For an army
of 100000 men 1t takes 12d,5sO
cars to transport the troops and the
equipment. The food for such an
army. amountin gto 1.70f32O tons.
will take S5.216 railroad cars at 90
tons to the car To feed the live
stock OF the army II takes oS.SS3
tons per month. or 1.545,} }96 tons
per year. which at the rate of $4,000
pounds per car. will take 1924
cars. making a grand total of "06.-
42O cars. These items alone put our
transportation facilities t. n tre:ncn-
dOus task. and should convince the
most skeptical that we should take
into consideration the enormous
amount Of equipment and munitions
needed for the navy and the great
amount of material needed for our
/ shipbuilding program and airplane
manufacture. and material needed
for cantOnments. that il the South
does not produce its food 1t cannot
' he shipped in to us. because Uncl"
Sam will and should look after his
boys over there before ne pays very
, much attention to us who can pro
ducc our own living A home. where
poison gas and bombs do not mOlest
us.
Fhe only safe course for us to
pursue as business men and farmers
Is to produce our own food and feel
upon the farms of the South and
the landlord who requires his tenant
to plant cotton and not provide for
the production of food and feed Is
an enemy to the cause of democra-
cy. DO not be misled by people say
ing that cotton is food. Shut your
self up in n room with bale of cot
ton and ton Of COttOnseod and soc
how long you will exist.
1t is folly to imperil our safety.
so let us be on the safe side and
produce a living at home and n sur
plus for our brothers and sons who
have responded to our cOuntry's s
call and placed their lives on the