The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-02-23
From the Daily Item. Feb. 10.

ministration and the Farm Demon
stration and Home Demonstration
agents representing the Department
OF Agriculture. held a largely at
tended and very important meeting
today I'm the auditorium of the Girls
High School building. The meeting
was held at the call of Chairman ID.
II. Coker. of the State Council of De-
tense for the purpose of holding q
conference OF the members of the
Council of Defense. Food Administra-
tors. Farm Demonstration agents and
Home Demonstration agents for the
Southern and Eastern counties of the
state. Practically every county east
and south of Columbia was represent
ed by members of all the organza-
tions and agencies mentioned, and
the conference was In all respects the
most earnest and inspiring patriotic
win the war" meeting that has yet
been held in this section of the
State.
The meeting was called to order by
Mr.. A. c. Phelps. Chairman of the
Sumter County Council OF Defense
who extended u cordial welcome to
the gathering; Rev. w. T.. Porcher,
OF Darlington offered prayer, and
State Chairman ID. II. Coker was in
troduced. Mr.. Coker stated that the
morning session OF the conference
would be given up to addresses and
the afternoon session would be i'm the
nature OF an institute for developing
end explaining i'm detail the plans
that have been formulated for car
rying out an intensive, cooperative
campaign for the increased production
OF food crops. greater and more sys-
tematic conservation OF food and the
development of habits OF thrift among
all the people. He said that the
Tine and the circumstances that sur
%cund the nation make IL necessary
that n campaign or propaganda be
carried on to enlist the earnest
cooperption of the people in the pro-
ductiof OF food crops and in the
conservation and economical use of
the food supplies that we now have.
To give this campaign force and di-
rection the State Council OF Defense.
the State Food Administration. the
Farm Demonstration Agents and the
Home Demonstration Agents are
working in unison to carry the mes
sage to all the people and to secure
results commensurate with the great
emergency that confronts the nation
and the world.
DIR. Douglas Freeman, of Rich
mOnd. Va. was on the program for
an address. but he had been provi-
dentially prevented from keepine the
engagement. Mr.. Coker stated, and
Prof. 4. NJ. Rucker. OF the Univer-
sity OF South Carolina had been re-
quested to take his place. Prof.
kucker spoke on the general subject
Oh why the United States are i'm the
war. outlining the steps that Ger
many mad taken To force the world
into war for the purpose of obtaining
oy brute force and long preparation
world power and dominion over all
other nations. His address was along
similar lines to that delivered by him
here a short time ago.
The principal address of the ses-
sion was delivered by DIR. Clarence
Poe' OF Raleigh. n. c.. editot of The
Frogressive Farmer and representa-
tive OF DIR. Bradford Knapp. head of
inc Farm Extension work of the De-
partment on Agriculture. DR.. Poe out
hned and discussed the programme
that the Department of Agriculture
mas adopted as essential to the win
ming or the war and the prosperity
even the salvation--of the farmers of
the South. The programme briefly
stated Is as follows:
i. Maximum acreage of food
crops.
z. Maximum production to the
acreage.
d Maximum efficiency of all farm
workers TO compensate for the scar
city OF labor.
4. Maximum production OF meat
and dairy products.
o. Double the production from
gardens.
o. Ehhst the aid or women and
children.
:. Food conservation.
4. Wise marketing.
.. Practice thrift. save and lend
"a the p,ovcrpment bv ,,,rctaso az