Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-02-25
THE GOAL OF 1919


What should we undertake to pro-
duce in the way of field crops this
year? There is no more important
question requiring our careful con-
sideration ard wise solution than
this. For uron the determination
reached relative to this matter de-
ponds the prosperity of the state IN
1919. 1t is not a matter to be
lightly considered. or passed over
Briefly. II is Fundamental, eco
uomic question and we should bring
to its solution the best knowledge
at our command. 1t should not rep
resent the idea of one individual but
states most capable producers, edu-
Gators and business men. In order
that we may solve this question most
acceptably it may be we'll to review
briefly the worlds food situation.
A ver;table cataclysm overlook
productioa in many parts OF europe
during 1915-1916-1917 and the greater
part of 1918. The lives of millions
Of men were sacrificed and vast num-
bers of animals destroyed Fields
that produced forty bushels of wheat
per acre were completely devastated.
From this one might conclude there
was A. vast deficiency of food OF
every character. On the other hand,
the wheat ratloning of the European
populations, the great stimulus to
production in America, the cutting
off from European markets OF Ihe
supplies produced in Australia, IN
dia. South Africa and Argentine APP
near now in the, final, outcome to
have left the world not with a sur
plus of any particular food MATERIAL
but with a sufficient supply to go,
around until next harvest pToVlgeu
the food can be brought to Market
with sufficient promptness to meet
,0f eli a
would appear, therefore, that we shalf
probably enter the harvest year OF
1919 without any surplus OIL 1oou
crops On hand, and that the manner
in which the world shall be Ted ana
nourished in 1920 will therefore pc
determined primarily by the harVeSc
Of 1919. Two things are evident IL
This conclusion is correct. First,
that we should emphasize production
in 1919 as matter of national
safety, and in order that we may
be able 10 support such proportions
of short-ra toned populations as may
be necessary. We should, Of course,
produce as abundant crops as pos
sible in 1913, because OF the eco
nomic question involved, and we
should enGeaVor to raise an. album
dance of food crops so that rea-
sOnabIe reserve of the most essen
tial ones may be again built up.
our C1Nl1lZdlIOn 10 VI SuSlA q y pS5
and the demands for .SuStenance in
proportion to the world output so
great that We cannot afford to live
without wide safety margins of food
in reserve to meet great, 'emergen-
cies which can easily arise in any
country in a short period of time.
Thirty days of bad weather may
destroy the prospective harvest Of
one of the greatest wheat crops
ever grown in America. The same
may apply with equal force to corn
Future Plans
Taking all these things into con-
sideration and mindful of what the
state accompl' shed in I917, when we
were preparing for war, and what
we achieved in 1918, it seems to me
wise and proper that we might set
up or establish the following out
turn of staple crops as the goal
which we should strive TO attain IN
1919. If we do this we Will pc
providing for the world and for our
selves a peace offering and we Will
be measuring up to that high ideal
ism of democracy and ChrlStlanlIy'
which we have set UP for ourselves
and which has now become our most
priceless heritage and therefore must
he maintained no matter what the
sacrifice involved. 1 cannot see that
any sacrifice however, will be CALI
ed for as it seems to me there
Should be a legitimate market at. re-
munerative PRICES for all the out
put we are likely to, obtain from our u!
soil, considering the: various 'handl-'
caps by whiqh we are now IVY oeset:'
In this respect 7. referstor the' ha lsfl
cost of labor, to the relatively SLOW
marketing Of various crops which is
now going forward. to the high price
of fertilizers and the seasonal con
ditions which have prevailed UP to
the present time, thereby preventing
the pIowrag and preparation OF any
considerable acreage OF land Tor
Of corn we should. undertake to
raise 100, 000,8 eco bushels We have
never. raised more than 100000
bushels in any one year. as yet. The
prospects for a record crop were fine
in 1918. but the drouth. interfered