The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1918-02-06

great lenuaDle capltal Ol tHe CoulltI!
and it has become the duty both OF
! the men in charge of the federal re-
iserve banking system and or the tarm
loan banking system to see to 1t that
the farmers obtain the credit, both
short term and long term. to whicn
they are entitled not only, but which
it is imperatively necessary should
, be extended to them if the present
tasks of the country are to be ade-
quately performed. Both by direct
purchase of nitrates and by the estab'
lishment of plants to produce nitrates
the government is doing its utmost
to assist in the problem of fertiliza-
ton The department of agriculture
and other agencies are actively assist
ing the farmers to locate, safeguard
and secure at cost an adequate supply
of sound seed. The department has
81, ,500O 900 available for this purpose
now and has asked congress for &c.
100000 more.
Labor for the Farms. ~.
"The labor problem Is one Of great
difficulty and some of the best agen-
cieS of the nation are addressing them
selves to the task of solving it, so far
as it is possible to solve it. Farmers
have not been exempted from the
draft. | know that they would not
wish to be. 1t take it for granted they
would not wish to be put in class
by themselves in this respect. But the
attention OF the war department has
been seriously centered upon the task
of interfering with the labor of the
farms as little as possible, and under
the new draft regulations believe
that the farmers OF the country will
find that their supply of labor is very
much less seriously drawn upon than
it was under the first and initial draft,
made before we had our present full
experience in these perplexing mat
ters. The supply of labor in all in
dustries is a matter we must look to
and are looking to with diigent care.
And let me say that the stimula-
tiOn of the agencies | have enumerat
ed has been responded to by the farm
ers in splendid fashion. | dare say
that you are aware that he 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 or three or four times more per
man per unit of labor and capital than
the farmers Of any European country.
They are more alert and use more lab
or saving devices than any other
farmers in the world. And their re-
sponse to the demands of the present
emergency has Ieen in every way re.
n In nj NJ ty
exceeded by 12.O00,0O0 acres the larg-
est planting of any previous year and
the yields from the crops were record
breaking yields hi tile fan OF 1917 a
wheat acreage Of 42,17O, 900 was plant
ed, which was 100000 larger than
for any preceding year, 100000 great
er than the next largest and 1000 900
greater than, the preceding five year
average. ..z-
Calls for Sacrifice.
But ought to say to you that it is
not only necessary that these achieve
ments should be repeated, but that
they should be exceeded. know what
this advice involves. 1t involves not
only labor. but sacrifice, the painstak-
ing application of every bit of scien-
titic knowledge and every tested prac-
tice that is available. 1t means the
utmost economy, even to the point
where the pinch comes. 1t means that
kind Of concentration and self sacri-
flee which is involved in the field of
battle itself, where the object always
looms greater than the individual. And
yet, the government will help and help
in every way that it Is possible. The
impression which prevails in some
quarters that while the government
has sought to fix the price of food
stuffs it has not sought to fix other
prices which determine the expenses
of the farmer is mistaken one. AS
a matter OF fact, the government has
actively and successfully regulated the
prices of many fundamental materials
underlying all the industries of the
country and has regulated them not
only for the purchases of the govern
ment. but also for the purchases of
the general public, and l have every
reason to believe the congress will eX-
tend the powers of the government in
this important and even essential mat
ter so that the tendency of protiteer-
ing which is showing itself in too
many quarters may be effectively
checked. In fixing the prices of food
stuffs the government has sincerely
tried to keep the interests of the farm
er as much in mind as the interests
OF the communities which are to be
served, but it is serving mankind as
we'll as the farmer and everything in
these times of war takes on the rigid
aspect of duty.
Fortunes of Mankind at Stake.
Il will not appeal to you to con-
tinue and renew and increase your eff
forts. | do not believe that it is nee
essary to do so. believe that you
will do it without any, word or appeal
from me. because you understand as
we'll as | do the needs and opportuni-
ties Of this great hour, when theh for
tunes OF mankind everywhere seem
about to be determined and when
America has the greatest opportunity
she has ever had to make good her
own freedom and in making it good
to lend a helping hand to men strug-
Cling for their freedom everywhere.
You remember that it was farmers
from whom came the first shots at
Lexington, that set aflame the revO-
luton that made America free hope
and believe that the farmers OF Amer
20 will villipuI., opI .I,-