Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 58, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 October 1918 — STATE NEWS ITEMS [ARTICLE]

STATE NEWS ITEMS

The Doings of Hoosierdom Reported by Wire. MUST RAISE MUCH MORE FOOD Aselstant Secretary of Agriculture Makes Plain Demand to Follow War—Many Coffins Shipped— Liberty Flour. Lafayette, Oct. 18.—Production of food in the United States must be kept up to its present volume for at least two years after the close of the world war, it was declared here by George I. Christie, assistant secretary of agriculture for the nation. Unless that is done, he added, European nations will face a shortage that may be followed by results of the most serious kind, especially as to disease. He also said that it must be remembered by farmers that labor is going to be scarcer the coming crop year than it has been this year, and that they will have to adopt more efficient methods in order to assure adequate ffroduction. Professor Christie, who is also the head of the agricultural extension forces of Purdue university here and is now on leave of absence, came here from Washington, D. C., to confer with agricultural leaders from throughout the state onVa definite agricultural program. Hpwever, because of tlie prevalence of influenza, the meeting had to be called off. His announcement as to food needs was made to members of the Purdue agricultural extension staff. A definite program, it was announced, will be formulated within the next week fol- . lowing conferences between representatives of the national department of agriculture and farmers and stock men all over Indiana. Professsor Christie said that every community in Indiana should organize at the present time to get soldiers to come back to their own homes after the war. He said there was danger in the present proposal of colonizing returned soldiers in cutover timber regions, irrigated lands and other undeveloped country. To let these men get away from Indiana, he said, would be a distinct loss to the state. He said that Canada is looking out for this particular matter at the present time, and, that Indiana must do the same thing.