The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1921-09-23
FT-GRAIN PLEA
LAUNCHED FROM
HISTORIC FARM
EMERGENCY BOARD ORGANIZES
AT HOME OF WHITNEY WAT
KINs IN JACKSON COUNTY;
ISSUES NEAR EAST APPEAL.
100000 BUSHELS REQUIRED
TO RESCUE DYING Chill DREN

1
| Michigan-served as the meeting
place recently of a Statewide grouI
assembled to appeal to their fellow
| farmers as a class to contribute Of
their grain against want in a foreign
land.
Mr.. and Mrs. L, Whitney Watkins
OF Watkins Farms, in Jackson
County, were luncheon hosts Il
the Emergency Grain Board Of the
Michigan Committee of Near East
Relief, and Immediately after lunch
con the board formally organized
itself and named an executive
committee to launch and manage
campaign among the farmers
of the State for 100000 bushels OF
grain, or its equivalent, to be sent as
Michigan's share of Americas gift of
100000 bushels. now being collected,
to Armenia, Syria, Assyria and ad
jacent lands of Asia Minor. Resultant
of starvation and exposure there,
cholera and typhus have broken out,
and thousands of orphaned children
and destitute adults are dying in the
streets and by the roadsides.
Governor Phones Board.
Kept by official business from at
tending the meeting as honorary
chairman Of the Near East Commit
tee, Governor Groesbeck telephoned
his regret from Lansing to Watkins
Farms, and sent to James ]. Spillane,
State Director. letter backing the
campaign. .fN
Former Lieutenant Governor Luren
ID. Dickinson, chairman of the State
organization, presided as temporary
chairman, and these officers were
elected for the board: Chairman, Her.
man H. Halliday of Lansing, Com.
missioner of Agriculture; vice-chair-
man. Professor David Friday, presi-
dent-elect Of Michigan Agricultural
College: secretary, l.. Whitney Wat.
kins of Manchester; executive COM
mittee-Mr. Halliday; Professor Fri
day and Mr.. Watkins. Other men,
bers of the Emergency Grain Board
are: James Nicol of South Haven,
president of the Michigan Farm Blu
reau: Grant Slocum of Detroit, presi-
dent Of The Cleaners; A. b. Cook Of
Owosso, master Of the State Grange;
I. r. Waterbury of Detroit, manager
of the Michigan Farmer; Forrest
Lord of Mt. Clemens, editor of the
Michigan Business Farmer; Frank B.
Drees Of Lansing, secretary Of the
Michigan Bean Jobbers Association;
former State Senator Charles B.
Scully Of Almont; A. Edward Illen-
den Of Adrian, farmer, and Alfred AL
len, president Of the Michigan Asso-
citation of Farmers Clubs.
Under Historic Roof.
In welcoming his guests Mr.. Wat.
kins spoke feelingly Of the pride he
as a farmer took in having the first
meeting of such an organization as
the Emergency Grain Board on the
farm which his grandfather, coming
here from New Hampshire in 1892,
had selected, and under the roof
WulCu lOI VI COhIlhuOuo hdu
sheltered his parents-the home to
which the fourth generation, three
sons, will return as farmers when
they have finished their college terms.
II have the utmost faith" Mr.. Wat
kins concluded, "in the response the
farmers of Michigan will make to this
humane appeal for food for a starving
Christian people across the seas who
are tillers Of the soil too, for I know
the homely, kindly, sympathetic spirit
to help which is to be found every
where in the farmhouses Of this
State"
Mr.. Dickinson spoke briefly of his
complete confidence that the farmers |
as a class will ensure the success of
The campaign for grain.
Divine blessing on the appeal was |
invoked by the Rev. e. H. Huelster
IF Cleveland, Near East field work
,r recently returned from Asia Minor.
Halliday: up to U.s."
$ Chairman Halliday expressed vigor.
,usly the sentiment: This undertake.
ng OF mercy, here dedicated in this
historic farmhouse where sympathy
or suffering has abode through the
we must push forward,
md show that Michigan farms are
prepared to do their full share in the
lational undertaking"
Director Spillane outlined briefly
he immediate need for 100000
'ushels of grain from America
10000 bushels from Michigan.
Former Senator Scully likened
america in this undertaking to the
white ship of -mercy"--the hospital.
follows the fighting fleet
lie reminded the farmers of the. State
hat the charge often is heard against
hem in the cities that they in their
organizations never have put any.
hing big across because they never
ang together" and he said this was
n unequalled opportunity for them
o disprove that charge by. Joining
ands across the farms" and cooper
ting with the Farm Bureau, the State
range, The Cleaners, the farm clubs