Evening star., 1923-02-21
CALLSb0LL WEEV|L
. NATIONAL MENACE
President Proposes Affected
States Seek Treaty to
Combat Evil.
PROSPERITY At STAKE
Harding Letter Points Out Danger
Not Only to Growers, But to
., Fabric Industry.
PROSPERITY At STAKE

President Harding yesterday declared
the boil weevil menace involved "our
national prosperity. threatened such
a shortage Of textile fabrics through
out the world "as would constitute an
universal calamity" and proposed that
the states affected take up the pos
sibility Of an interstate treaty for
unification of effort against the
weevil." -.t
The President made the proposition
In letter to Dr. Miller Reese Hutch
inson of Atlanta, Ga, managing d.
rector of the national campaign for
boil weevil control. A convention ON
the matter is to be held next week in
Atlanta.
Presidents Letter.
President Harding. in his letter to
DR.. Hutchinson, said
II wish to record in the most ear
nest terms my interest and sympathy
in behalf Of the national movement
for control Of the cotton boil weevil.
The convention in Atlanta next week
will. am assured. be representative
Of the vast array Of Industries which
are directly dependent on the output
of the cotton fields. 1t is to be hoped
that practicable plan may be
wrought out for placing this warfare
on national sale, and fer enllstins
whatever forces are necessary TO IN
sure effective results.
Menace Now National.
THE ravages of the boil weevil
have long since passed the point
where they may be regarded as con-
stituting a local, a state, or merely
sectional threat at a pre-eminently
important agricultural staple. The
menace is now recognized as involv-
ing our national prosperity, and as
threatening the whole world with
such a shortage Of textile fabrics as
would constitute universal caiam-
ity Despite that much has been done
by national and state authorities ana
by the various interests concerned III
the industry, it must be recognized
that the campaign against this pest
has been a steadily iosints one
Tho situation grows worse from
season TO season. 1t must be met
with measures OF such scope and
vigor as to get the situation quickly
and firmly in hand. The cooperation
of science, industry. and public ad-
ministrationS must be ensured for the
enforcement of whatever program Is
adopted 1t has now become appar-
ent that there must be unity and the
fullest coordination among all the
forces summoned TO this struggle. In
securing this, / have no doubt that an
effective correlation of the efforts OF
the cotton states would be e. long
first step. and that it would win the
hearty and substantial assistance Of
the national government
SUBJECTS Interstate Treaty.
various drastic programs have
been suggested for dealing with this
situation; mono of which could be
made effective without cooperation
throughout the cotton-growing Sec
tion. ! venture to suggest that the
Atlanta convention might we'll study
the possibility of an interstate treaty,
among the cotton states. along the
general lines of the treaty or con-
tract lately negotiated among several
states of the mountain and south
western regions, tor conservation of
common interests in The Colorado
river.
The Colorado river pact seems to
suggest the lines of possible agree
ment among the cotton states, for
unification of effort against the: wee
vii. 1t is only through such an agree
ment among the states that assurance
could be had. Of complete subOrdina-
tion of local interests to the common
concern. Even the national goNvIn-
ment could not. in my Judgment. ex-
crcise all the authority necessary to
carry forward the campaign, unless
its hands were upheld by such COM
munity of purpose among the states
Pledges Federal support.
1T is not needful to assure you that
every resource Of the technical and
scientific organizations of the federal
government will be and are at the
disposal Of this crusade. I hope the
convention will deal with its great
problem in a broad and comprehen-
siye way, and that It's deliberations
may prove milestone on the way to
victory in this warfare for human
ity."