The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1918-03-08


can substantially increase their pro
duction Of foodstuffs to feed or
allies and the people Of our own
country But we are faced with
the certainty Of 2 reduction instead
Of an increase unless present cOndi-
tions are promptly and radically
changed
The farmers Of the United States
are anxious 70 do their full duty IN
growing more food. Their leaders
have been active IN rms matter for
months past But they are ham
pered BY conditions which they
. themselves cannot control Farmers
generally are now facing the most
urfavorahle condition Of farm labor
they have ever known. IN par be
cause more than One-quarter Of the
men who have been taken for the
national army are farmers They
are short Of seed. agricultural sup
plies. and credit. and they declare
that 3 crop smaller than last years
Is certain unless these conditions are
changed for the better.
Shortage n production At the
coming harvest cannot be met from
any surplus held in reserve Only
three crops Of our six principal
grains have ever been as large As
rhe amount BY which our reserve Of
these grains was reduced between
March. 1915. and March. 1917.
Since then our resrve mas been still
further diminished. and it has been
said that We have nov reached the
bottom Of the gra1ary.
/ Business confidence plays as
large 3 part IN the production Of
food as II does IN the production Of
any other commodity Nothing Is
so fatal TO production as uncertain
". Il Is z matter OF national sign
fcance that the great majority OF
farmers are to-day uncertain as TO
their business outlook
4 year ago our farmers produced
abundantly IN patriotic response to
the request Of the government but
II harvest labor was wanting Many
fields of potatoes Were frozen IN
the ground and much corn remained
unczrhs-sd- There are farmers
{ - - - - ,s-.~,-,
was still In the field ii February
for want Of hands To men Of small
resources such blows are s-zEger-
inE. The prosecution Of milk pro
dueers. Z very numerous class Of
farmers, for seeking prices high
enough 70 meet the rising cost of
production. hive also mad their
share N rObbIne the farmers OF
confidence IL the future
Food Is the first condition Of
prosperity II home and success n
the war abroad The food problem
Is first of al > question Of prudue-
ziou- The attention Of the whole
nation Is II this moment directed
ito the question Of building ships
but food Is prior u shIps "a czrry
IT. So also food Is more essential
than munitions for without L ulu-
nftious can neither be uznufac-
tursd nor used N fighting
What we uzed most l. 81 increase
IN wheat and pork But the coming
crup Of winter wheat : more than
five million acres below The g-sa
officially recommended 10 produces
the crop desired and its condition
on December Isl was the Lowest
ever known. The British food adj
rrllr.is-rzt0r has warned Us 0-clally
thzr III now lies v-i5h America 20
decide whether or not -he allies III
Europe sinai hzvs bread enough tC
hold Ou- until ths United States
Is able To throw It's forces INTO the
field Yet because Of It's lOv price
in relation "a corn wheat 50 W
gently needed abroad L even now
being fed 10 livestock IN America
A "a pork zaa outlook for pruduc-
tiou Is AT hest uucsrra-- because a
( the present. TINA and frr some time
past the price Of hogs mas not been
hIEh enough 70 cUvar the prl-s Of
1hs cDrn fed 70 them
As Z nation we hzva Directed our
attention mainly 70 saving E00d Al
ready produced instead Of mainly 10
producing mare f0OG-w-hieh EOuld
make rigid e0Essrvz1igE unnscassa-
Erv- Surely II Is bette 10 pguCucs
m plenty than 10 consume our snar-
~ IN IRE difficult task Of stretch
E 5ug 2 short supply II Europe con
serv.-zi1n measures have been dlEl-
euIt 10 apply dzngsruus 20 Ens mo
rzls Of the people. ard lszarr OF
actual ra1Iou1uEl ineffective II pro-
iueTug results They are properly
the LAST usasurs a-z1Hsr f0oc
shortage ProSiuc-ioz Is the first
How Some Of 1ne steps which zrs
necessary ia mcrsase p-udue-IuE
NAV b. eaEar wES iuEt-z-eG ~ Ets