Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-05-22
Editors Letter Box
The Food Problem

10 one problem looms bigger today
before the average consumer than
that of prospective food supply
Those familiar with the agricultural
situation have for months been
preaching what was inevitable, and
been called "cranks' "kickers." EN-
emies of America etc, etc, but
they told only what was the truth,
realized by all today The lure Of
the city with all the attractions
manufacturers have offered. coupled
with the abnormaily high wage and
constantly reducing hours of labor
has completely stripped the country
so that today, outside Of Aroostook.
! the average age of the men on the
farms. is not as Mr. Adams says
about 81, but 10. This means that
the age for extension, under natural
conditions has heen passed and re-
trenchment must be the rule In
addition, the action of the fertilizer
manufacturers in Withdrawing from
Maine when the State and the agri-
cultural department wisely attempted
to protect the farmers from the con-
ditions which prevailed .last year,
through the presence of borax in
quantity sufficient 10 kill crops. fol-
lowed as il was by the embargo
! which prevented all shipment. leaves
the growers without fertilizer 10 use
Going still further it has been and
still is impossible to get implements.
sprayers, seed. or feed stuff into the
State and there is no promise of re-
lief. in season for planting or spray
ing All this means the selling off OF
the herds, the cutting down Of ali
crop plans more than fifty per cent
and the certainty of a shortage next
! winter of alarming proportions
Authorities in New Hampshire say
that 1t is either the halving of the
crop area or the quitting of the
! farm. Not in the history of the
State has there been so many farms
forced on the market, or so many
herds broken up. as during the past
few months. All this il not pleasant
reading for any one, surely not for
the town and city Inhabitants, but
/ il is fact 10 be absorbed in the hope
! that a remedy may be found. There
| is still time foB much to be accom-
/ plished to save next winter and |
! want 10 urge every man who can do
| so to use his own land. or go out ard
/ hire an eighth or quarter of an acre.
! fitted for planting, and then put in
! the essentials for next winter, pota-
! toes. beans. sweet corn. beets. car
| rots, cabbagesy turnips and peas.
| those crops most easily grown and
| most certain to mature. The break
must come in present inflated wages
! and the lesson must be learned that
! for the wage received a fair days
| work must be given. Not until then
| can there be hope for better condi-
lions anywhere. Farms cannot be
run on an eight hour basis. Animals
! function in regular order and for pro-
I duct TO be possible milking and feed
ing must be at regular hours. The
( laws of nature cannot be set one side
! by any edict of the union and with
out the product of nature there can
be no food. Those who are SO prompt
( TO apply the power of might may
we'll absorb the lesson of might
Meanwhile grow all you can of the
food stuff most necessary for sub
sistence next winter. II is not a mat
ter of patriotism today but of duty
The shortage is inevitable.
G. NJ. TWITCHELL.
Monmouth. May IS.