Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-02-25
ute avoidance of anything un-American

lutte avoidance of anything un-American
or miitaristic.
| 'We won't call it compulsory military
training, but training for national service
which will combine vocational, industrial
and citizenship training. They all go
| together in the making of the American
citizen"
As for dealing with other nations, Cen
| cral Wood declared: eve should have
| a strong but conservative foreign policy,
not an aggressive or bullying policy, but
the foreign policy Indicated in the words
of Theodore Roosevelt, Speak softly
but carry big stick He believed in n
foreign policy which assured the safety
of American citizens who are living within
the laws of the land of their abode, no
matter where. You remember when an
American was captured by some North
African bandit the words of Roosevelt,
'Perdicaris alive of Raisul dead That
has the American ring and means safety
to Americans and American interests.
I'VE must have a well-trained consular
and diplomatic service. This latter is
our first line of defense"
NEEDS OF TUE FARMER.
The General urged the adoption of n
budget system in the interest of national
economy, and then dwelt upon the farmer
and American agriculture.
Agriculture, said he, ''is tho prin-
cipal source of our wealth. The farmers
are the stable. conservative element.
They stand for good government, for the
rights of property and the rights of men.
The red flag never flies over farm house.
The decrease IN agricultural produc-
ton compared with the increase in the
population of the country and the number
of people who live and work on the farms
is disastrous and should not continue.
In other words, the food supply should
never be allowed TO fall below the coun-
try's requirements. We ought always
to be self-sustainlng.
Education for farm children, General
Wood held should be universally aeces-
sible, and rural schools should be fully
up TO the standard of city schools.
Eve must keep constantly In mind,
he continued, ''one most important fact,
which is that nothing must be permitted
to interfere with ample production.
There must be no fixing of prices which
will result to the detriment of the farmer,
Indeed. price hxing, especially minimum
price fixing. should be entered into most
cautiously, and only when it is certain
that good, and not harm, will result.
Il believe in far larger measure of
direct dealing between producers and
consumers of food. Today altogether
too small a portion of the consumer S
dollar gets back to the farmer The
farmer feels that he has a right TO sell
directly to the consumer wherever he
can. Means should be furnished him
for greatly amplifying his opportunity
in this direction.
TOO MUCH SPECULATION
II believe, and | think most persons
who have given the matter thought will
agree with me, that we have permitted
too much of speculation 10 grow mp in
the handling of life necessities think
there can be no question that the number
of middlemen in trade can be reduced
with advantage to our economic life, to
both producer and consumer While
the storage of food supplies is absolutely
necessary to feed our people, since crops
are not produced throughout the year,
the boarding Of food supplies should be
severely punished and vigorously sup
pressed.
II believe that cooperative organiza-
tions of farmers should be given the same
consideration as to other organizations
under similar circumstances
Secure provision should be made to
enable farmers to obtain adequate credit,
so as to develop and improve their land.
Steps should be taken to increase the
production OF necessary fertilizers so
that the farmer may never be without
an adequate supply. Steps should be
taken, looking 10 the increased produc-
tion of nitrates"
General Wood paid a warm tribute to
the work of American women during the
war, and urged that their organizations
M -binb uraro apl 81 aQS
in that work should be kept up now "to
settle and clean up our own plague spots"
He saw also for women great future
in politics and for the exercise Of their
political power in bettering conditions
The General spoke earnestly for
broader moral training of children in
the schools, and in this connection he
urged the need of better pay for teachers
TO BAR uNpEsIRsBLEs.
Turning TO the subject of immigration,