The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1918-02-21

IF the south fails this year to pro-
vide her own food and feed, she is
likely to suffer serious privation, and
she win put a burden upon the ma
tion which may prOlong the war
and even imperil our victory" says
Clarence Ousley, assistant secretary
Of agriculture.
II am aware that these are strong
Words" continues Secretary 0usley,
but they are none too strong / am
not expressing an alarmist point Of
view, / am seeing through the eyes
of 48 agricultural colleges and of
county agents in nearly every agricul-
tural county. have recently crossed
the continent from the Atlantic to
the Pacific. / have studied the re-
ports gathered by the departments
$4,000 representatives and as many
more employees Of agricultural col
leges. ] have considered the concur
sions Of the International Institute
of Agriculture, at Rome, which has
reports from all the world.
"The plain, hard truth is that with
40 million people withdrawn from pro-
ductive industries and engaged in the
business Of destruction, it is not hui
manly possible for production on the
whole to exceed normal demand The
question is whether production can
equal necessitous demand.
England, France and Italy must
be sustained or their population can
not stand the strain. They have been
on scanty rations for more than three
years. The chief cause of Russia's
collapse. was hunger. Soldiers cannot
fight when their wives and children
are starving
"Secretaly McAdoo has given warn
ing that transportation may be lack
ing in 1918, to haul food and feed to
States and to communities that do not
provide for themselves. Many cattle
have been sacrificed in the drouth
regions Of the northwest and the
southwest during the last few months
because railroad cars could not be
obtained when needed Military move
ments must have first consideration,
and military movements will be great
err in 1918 than in 1917. The prime
question for the farmer is not what
product will bring the highest price,
but what product viii insure food
for his family and feed for his live
stock, and the answer is: A vegetable
garden, a mich COW, brood sow, a
poultry flock, ample corn, oats, pea
nuts, ETC., and then as much cotton or
tobacco as he can cultivate well.
1T is the highest demand of pa
triotism-it is the first requirement
Of vingthat in 1918 every State,
every county, every neighborhood, ev-
cry farmer be as nearly scfl-sustain-
ing as possible.
"For the south to plunge on cotton
or tobacco or any other speculative
crop and to depend upon the corn belt
for bread and meat will be for the
south to engage in a gamble which
may cause priyation to its people
and disaster to the nation For any
man now to determine his business
operations from the standpoint Of prof
it alone, without regard to the ma
tion's needs, is for him wilfully to
profiteer in the blood Of his fellows
who are fighting in France for the
preservation Of the republic. No
man can be excused for not taking
his share in the responsibility.
"My whole life has been spent in
the south. / know the southern farm.
er. He will do his duty as he sees
it. | am appealing to every man in
the south to make known these facts
Ito consider it his business to make
them known. Then shall have nc
doubt of the results. If they are moi
made known in way to impress the
crisis that confronts us, there may be
hunger in this bounteous land OF
hunger over yonder in Europe. where
it will spell ruin for all that is worth
whila in America -