Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 175, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 August 1918 — Every American Must Do His Part in Providing Essentials for War [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Every American Must Do His Part in Providing Essentials for War

By CLARENCE OUSLEY.

Areirfant Secretary of Agriculture ■ \\

American farmers will not need outside help to feed themselves/ and it is time for city consumers in the United States to take some concern for their own sustenance. The time has come when by public opinion or by local law, state and but most important or all by the, example of men of affairs who are the leadersin their communities, every able-bodied man must be persuaded to cease doing things that women can do as well or things that are unnecessary from the standpoint of war and needful business activities. In a.

time like this no man has a moral right, whatever his fortune may be„ to employ another man to render any service of mere comfort or convenience when the finest young men of the United States are in France digging ditches, sawing timber, laying rails and playing with death, aha when the finest young women of the United States are scrubbing floorsin hospitals, and it is a sin that almost approaches the unpardonableoffense against civilization for any man or woman in the United Statesto engage in a wasteful or unnecessary service. Nor can we afford to hope for the starvation of the central powersWhile the German conquest of Russia and the Balkan states has interrupted agriculture, which will not recover its normal activity this year,, it cannot be doubted that the central powers will gain from these conquered lands enough food to sustain them another year, and unless them is counter-revolution beyond any present prospect the supplement of food from these countries will increase from time to time. Unless Germany has lost her genius for agricultural efficiency her experts are right behind, her armies in the conquered territory furnishing expert information and stimulation and holding out to the impoverished peasants promises of high prices and prosperity beyond anything they ever experienced. Responding to the appeals of the government, and accepting the advice of the department and the land-grant colleges as to the crops needed, and giving the least concern to the crops that seemed to the individual farmer to promise the greatest profit, the farmers of the United States have pqt under the plow this year more land than was under the plow last year, and if the weather continues favorable but one thing can prevent the continuance of food sufficiency. That one thing is farm labor. The farmers have planted the crops. God has sent the sunshine and the rain to make them grow. The farmers alohe cannot harvest the crops. We must have the crops. What are we going to do about it? We have got to strip for war as England, France, Italy and Belgium have stripped. We cannot win the war and maintain peace-time habits and conveniences. We cannot win it by depending upon the men, women and children who are now on .the farms and who are working from diylight to black 3ark. Last year in many agricultural regions where ordinary farm lator was not available on call the people of the towns and cities closed their stores and shops and offices for a day at a time or for such a time as wrs necessary and saved the crops. By concert this can be done anywhcie without material loss to any business or any industry. Unselfish service is the imperative demand of the hour.