New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-11-07
MORE FOOD NEEDED
EVEN IF WAR ENDS
Clarence 0usIey Warns America
Not to Reduce Production

New York, Nov. 7.-Whether we
year or whether we have peace,
America. must produce still more food
in 1919, declared Clarence Ousley,
Assistant Secretary of Agriculture, In
an address before the New York
Humanitarian Society last night
Mr.. Ousley warmed that unless the
people of the cities go to the farms
in increasing numbe in 1919 it can
not reasonably be expected that the
necessary crops will be planted or
harvested. He cited instances Of the
heroism of farmers and their wives
who have labored under great diff
culties this year that the world might
not go hungry.
1--WE shall need more food in peace
than in war;" Mr.. Ousley said, for
the moment we conclude peace with
the Central Powers they will be in the
market for our food and they and
half the world around them are
hungry after four years Of privation.
I'VE may we'll begin to inquire now
what will be the agricultural status
following the restoration OF peace"
Mr.. Ousley continued. We must re-
member that several years will be re-
quired to bring about a. read juStlnent
of economic and industrial conditions.
Many whole countries have been de-
vastated; their labor has been more
or less decimated and the demand for
physical reconstruction of the cities,
of roads and of public works will be
SO great and wages proba bly, so high
that 1t may come to pass that few
people comparatively will be inclined
to go back to the farm.
Danger of SIacxened Production.
TT is altogether possible, therefore,
that for a few years following the
complete restoration of peace there
will be a lack of normal production.
Farmers and their families who have
exerted them selves to an unusual ex-
tent to produce for war purposes may
not be so much inclined to exert
themselves to an unusual extent in
peace times. The impulse or the mo-
tive of patriotism will have been re-
moved or at least will be no more
than the ordinary human concern for
the welfare of the whole brotherhood
of man. That is a, very beautiful
to the stimulation of extraordinary
energy.
City people, therefore, may we'll
begin to inquire what will happen to
them in the contingency of reduced
production for the post bellum
period" the Assistant Secretary said.
Under normal conditions. the price
or the prospective profit OF an under
ia ri ic 10 n 0f
With continuing high wages and with
unabated attractions in the city places
it may be a long time before full pro-
duction is restored In the rural places
Indeed, it is by no means impossible,
that only the slim ulation of extraordi-
nary high prices for food will bring
about the necessary prouction. 1t may
coma to pass that farming will become
so profitable that city people will be
induced to undertake it as a liveli-
hood In spite of it's disadvantages and
its isolation; in fact that is the surest
means Of restoring the equilibrium be-
tween country and city, the distur-
bance of which has caused so much
lamentation among idealists and So
Geological leaders.
City People May Seek Country For
Profits.
I'VE have been talking q long time
about stopping the flow of the people
from the country to the city. Possibly
high prices for food may cause a,
reversal of the tide Of movement and
city people will seek the country for
its profits as heretofore country people
have sought the city for the excep-
tional and spectacular profits and the