Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1918-02-28

tu0 loyalty VIII WHICH, Luey WILL az
cept the present decision. The fall
wheat planting which furnishes two
thirds of our wheat production, took
place with no other assurance than
this, and the farmers confidence was
demonstrated by the fact that they
planted an acreage larger than the
record of any preceding year, larger
by 100000 acres than the second
largest record year, and 100000
acres more than the average of the
five years before the outbreak of the
European war.
Explains Reason For Act.
1T seems not to be generally un-
derstood why wheat is picked out for
price determination, and only wheat,
among the cereals. The answer is
that, while normal distribution of all
our farm products has been subject
to great disturbances during the last
three years because of war condi-
tions, only two commodities, namely
wheat and sugar, have been SO seri-
ously affected as to require govern
mental Intervention
To Prevent speculation.
"The disturbances which affect
these products (and others in less
degree), arise from the fact that all
of the overseas shipping in the
world is under government control,
and that the government is obliged
to assign tonnage to each commodity
that enters into commercial overseas
traffic. 1t has, consequently, been
necessary to establish single agen-
cies for the purchase of the food sup
plies which must go abroad. The
purchase of wheat in the United
States for foreign use is of so great
volume in comparison with the avail
able domestic supply that the price
of wheat has been materially dis
turbed, and 1t became necessary, in
order to protect both the producer
and consumer, to prevent specula-
tion. 1t was necessary, therefore,
for the government to exercise a
measure of direct supervision as far
as possible to control purchases of
wheat and the processes of its exp0r-
tation. This supervision necessarily
amounted to price-fixing, and I,
therefore, thought it fair and wise
that there should be price stated
that should be at once LIBERAL and
'These circumstances, governing
the handling and consumption of
wheat, put the farmer at the very
center of war service. Next to the
soldier himself, he is serving the
country and the world, and serving
1t In q way that is absolutely funda-
mental to his own future safety and
prosperity. He sees this and can be
relied upon as the soldier can.
''The farmer is also contributing
men to the army, and am keenly
alive to the sacrifices involved. Out
of 13,8O0,O00 men engaged in farm
industries, 205,000 have been draft
ed or about 1.48 per cent of the
whole number. In addition to these
there have been volunteers and the
farmers have lost considerable
of laborers because the wage
paid in industrial pursuits. drew
them away. In order to relieve the
farming industry as far as possible
from further drains of labor, the
new draft regulations have been
drawn with q view to taking from
the farms an even smaller proper
tion of men and it is my hope that
the local board will make the new
with view to light
ening the load upon the farmers to
the utmost extent. The secretary of
war has asked for authority to fur
Tough soldiers of the national army
II conditions permit It., so that they
may be returned to their farms
when assistance is necessary in the
planting and harvesting of crops.
National and local agencies are act
lively at work, besides, in organic
ing community help for the more
efficient distribution OF available la
Dor and the drawing upon new sourc-
es Of labor. While there will be
difficulties and very serious ones,
they will be difhculties which are
among the stern necessities of war.
!, THE federal railway administra-
tion is cooperating IN the most act
I've, intelligent and efllcient way with
the food administration to remove
the difficulties Of transportation and
Of the active movement Of the crops.
Their marketing is to be facilitated
and the farmers given the oppor-
tunity to realize promptly upon their
work. ,. M 81
THE department Of agriculture
and the food administration will con-
tinue to cooperate as heretofore to
assist the farmers In every way pos
Of the citing OF farm products
pf the marketing OF far mprodu ucts,
pf conserYation4i I'm the course Of pro
i1uctfCns md 4 flf h a 1ffclllttlra / 5S In boz