The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-12-14
Goker's Trip Abroad
Summary of Agricultural Con-
ditions in Europe-Gives the
State Council of Defense
Graphic Description of Wars
Devastation.


American Agricultural COMMISSION
sent over by the government to study
farming in England, France and Italy.
b. r. Coker, of Hartsvllie, chairman
Of the State Council Of Defense, round
everywhere the hope that president
Wilson would visit the allied coun-
tries after the war, according to a
statement of Mr. Coker in q speech
delivered here last Thursday 1T the BIZ
nnonthly meeting of the council.
"I found among the French and
the British people with whom | assc-
ciased great feeling of gratitude to
America said Mr.. Coker They un-
derstood that we have saved Europe
and saved humanity. Everywhere
over there I heard the hope expressed
that our great president would go over
there after the war, and I was very
much gratifIed when he announced ne
was going. His visit will do more TO
cement and make permanent the
friendship between England, France
and the United States than ,>lytninS
that could have been done.
Mr.. Goker gave condensed de-
scription of the agricultural methods
he encountered IN England and
France and told of some of the bat
$lefeld scenes visualiZed by his party
in its trip through the war zone
At the outset of his speech MIR.
Goker told of the economic condition
: Of various allied countries and that
of the major central powers. In
commenting on the recent appeal OF
Herbert Hoover for continued food
conservation, that the needs Of starV-
ing Europe might be met, he said
that the part Of Europe needing food
the most is Northern Russia, which
is in the grip Of Bolshevism. The
people of this section, he claimed, are
starving, and, in addition, the red
terror of Bolshevisn is daily adding
hundreds Of the bourgeois and
the "intelligencia" to the list Of killed.
"a large section Of Russia" he
said, ''is in danger Of losing 10 per
cent Of it's most intelligent popula-
5 ton. In addition to that the entire
population of Northern Russia has in
sufficient food and the opinion is that
millions will die this winter from
starvation
The speaker said that devastated
areas of Europe would have to draft
everything from the United States.
particularly large supplies Of food.
These include Northern France. Bel
GUM and Northern Italy, and, In ad-
dition, help must be extended to Ser
via and Armenia. Added to this, ne
stated, consideration must be given to
the enemy countries. He said that he
had found no disposition anywhere to
do less than deal out to Austria ana
Germany full punishme ment-the opin-
ION being universal that the maxi
mum, penalty should be assessed. yet
there was feeling that the peoples
Of these countries should not be left
to starve America must shoulder
the burden, he thinks.
81 came back with the conviction
that the United States has the only
moral and economic forces in the
world" he stated. without reflection
on England and France, who have
boone the brunt up to now, they are
tired morally and physically. and
financially and they are looking to
us to bear the main burden, If it IS
borne at all This rich young nation
must bear the burden if millions are
to be relieved and if starvation is to
be averted from hundreds of millions
in devastated countries"
: Telling of the great work of or
ganization which faces the American
- ~ 1rt,
lieve the terrible conditions facing
Europe, Mr. Coker expressed the hope
that every South Carolinian, in the
forthcoming campaign for member
ship, will join the great organization
and he called on the personnel OF the
State Council Of Defense to assist in
the drive"
Dealing with the immediate objects
of his mission to Europe, Mr.. Coker
said that the coming Of peace has
complicated instead Of simplified the
problems of European agriculture.
because, he stated, there are open
ed larger areas to be supplied which
previously could not be supplied.
The American commission. averred
Mr. Coker found that farming in
England had not suffered on account
of the war as much as had boen eX-
pected The English government. he
said, had done a great deal to assist
the agriculture of that country. Plow-
ing is done by tractors, and. to a
large extent, men from the army are
assigned to run them; women are en-
couraged to volunteer for farm work.
and many women of rank and educa-
ton have accepted the call, and the
government has furnished German
prisoners to till the soil and harvest
the crops. More crops have been
gathered this year than for the last
: half century, on account OF an eXcep-
tionally good season, he said. and
because of the governments insist
ence that the farmers ploW in ali pas
lures and plant them to grain.
French agriculture suffered great
~ from this war" said Mr.. Coiler. ~
very much greater proportion o.:
French than English We're farmers
The French women and children haze
been accustomed to work in the
fields and have continued to do so