Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-04-03
COURTHOUSE WAS
CROWDED T0D00RS
Government Representative Talk
ed to Farmers at Willmar
Last Wednesday.


That the farmers hold the destiny of
nations in their hands, and that the
United States government is going to
stand behind them, developing re.
sources of labor and other means to
aid them in fully meeting their great
responsibilities, was the message de.
livered by the government to the farm
ers Of central Minnesota at Willmar
on Wednesday, March a..
The bearer OF the message was A. ].
Glover, former Minnesota boy, now
national authority on agriculture,
who came almost directly from Wash
4nglon as special representative to
Minnesota. Mr.. Glover said:
The war has fastened the progress
OF agriculture and has revealed to the
world that the farmer holds within has
power the desllnles OF all nations. The
Aarnler is meeting this great respons,
ability, but it is an opportune time tor
aim to demonstrate this fact still fur
| tner. The government expecls every
man to do more than his blt;" it ex-
pecrs him to DO his best, and it. is 60
ing to stand behind the farmer to the
limit in helping him to do his best.
1.-The government recognizes that
| the war has increased the labor trou-
Dles OF the farm, and it is taking steps
| to provide the farmer with needed as
slstance. The United States depart
menu of agriculture and the depart
ment of labor have laid out plans to
locate and distribute labor to the far
mers who need it. On the other hand,
me farmer must make known his
needs-lo the county agent, to the
chairman OF his county safety COM
MISSION, or to his state labor bureau.
Inc government cannot help effective
| ~ unless it knows where help is need
| ed.
| The farmer may grow weary of his
heavy burdens, but he should not for
get that the boys in the trenches and
me nations who are fighting with us
may grow weary, too. He must not,
therefore, let himself become dlsc0ur-
| ased.
1T is not the purpose of the selec-
i've draft to tahe from the farm skill
Ell labor needed there. Ii any farm
BOY who is needed on the farm has
been placed in Glass la, his case
should be taken up with the local or
district board, and, if necessary, with
the office OF the provost general in
" ashington A statement, supported
NY responsible persons, will receive
prompt attention. l am authorized tc
say this.
The farmer, know, will do his full
share in the present hour of grave ma
tiOnal danger. The government know
equally we'll, will not fail the farmer
Carl w. Gay, livestock specialist o.
the Minnesota College of Agriculture
was also a speaker at Willmar HI
called attention to the fact that there
were ll5,00O,OO0 fewer head of live
. stock in the world than at beginning
of war, and 100000 fewer head il
the allied countries of Europe, while
Great Britain was slaughtering in ex
cess of production. The present, there
fore, called for special effort in live
stock production, and the future woult
r open market of wonderful possibi]
tiles.
= The immediate necessity, said DR.
: Gay, was wheat and pork. This mean
that livestock men were being callet
on to give up land usually allotted t.
3 the growing of corn, oats, and barle,
! AOA CAO 6AOW4u5 VI Wu0dI LUZ uuudl
!, food. Livestock men were meeting
}, this call, but to Offset this they woult
j. have to depend on other feeds suc]
! as silage and alfalfa. In pork produc
ton, the thing to do right now was tt
= take the best of care of farrowin,
!! sows in order to secure the creates
l possible number of live pigs; also t,
plan for the early weaving of pigs il
c order to breed for fall filters. A
/ means of meeting needs further, AM
/ also labor needs, he advised careful at
tention to pastures and self-feeders.
f Dr.. Gay expressed his faith in shee]
as a means of helping to meet the sit
), uation. Sheep, he said, are great TO
= making profits out of roughage, out o
q stubble, fence row growths, and wee'
q patches. He also emphasized the nee,
0 of stopping leaks in feeding, through
r unproductive females, and through an
2 imal diseases.