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The Commoner
MAY, 1917
T
Program of Food Production
and Conservation
Tho secretary of agriculture requested tho
state agricultural officials and representatives
of the agricultural colleges In all tho states
from Now York to tho Rocky Mountains to meet
him in St. Louis to discuss the agricultural sit
uation in the present national crisis. Tho con
ference convened at tho Jefferson hotel at 10
o'clock Monday, April 9, and continued through
Tuesday. Thirty-two states were .represented
by sixty-fire officials and tho department by the
secretary of agriculture and th chiefs of tho
bureau of plant industry and the office, of mar
kets and rural organization.
After a thorough discussion of the majdp
problems involved, the conference decided to
deal with the whole subject matter in four ma
jor divisions:
1. Production and labor.
2. Distribution and prices. .
3. Economy and utilization.
4. Effective organization.
A representative committee of 15 was 'ap
pointed by the conference to formulate its views
On these subjects and to submit suggestions for
courses of action. Subcommittees were ap
pointed by this committee to deal with each of
tho enumerated matters. Tht subcommittees
reported to the full committee, which in turn
reported to the conference.
After consideration of the report of the com
mittee of 15, the conference decided to express
its viewB and to urge the courses of action, as
indicated "below:
THE FARMER'S RESPONSIBILITY
Upon the farmer rests in large measure the
final responsibility of winning tho war in which
wo are now involved. Tho importance to the
nation of an adequate food supply, especially, for
the present year,- can not be overemphasized.
The world's food reserve is very iow. Not only
our own consumers(SJbut much of the world a(j
large, must rely more completely than over be
fore upon tho American farmer. Therefore, tho
man who tills the soil and supports the soldier
In the field and tuo family at home is rendering
as noble and patriotic a service as is the' man
who bears the brunt of battle.
Tho American farmer has long shown his abil
ity to produce more food per man and at lower
cost per unit than any other farmer in the world,
but he has never liad to do his best He needs
to do his best now. This is not the time jm,
Which to experiment with new and untried crops
and processes. It is very important that tho
farmer devote his principal efforts to the pro
duction of such crops and the employment of
such methods as are well established in his com
munity and as are likely tp yield the maximum
return in food and clothing material.
Within the next 60 days the final measure of
crop acreage and food production for this year
will have been established. We urge tho im
portance of the immediate mobilization of all
available service of the federal and state de
partments of agriculture in co-operation with
the press, the banks, the commercial organiza
tions, the religious and the social societies that
all may heartily join with the farmer in per
forming the patriotic' duty of providing and
conserving food. .
Because of the world shortage of Sfcod, it is
scarcely possible that the production of staple
crops by the farmers of the United States can
be too great this year. There Is every reason
to believe that a generous price will be paid for
the harvest of their fields.
INCREASING THE FOOD SUPPLY
There is yet time to add substantially to tho
bread supply hy increasing the acreage of spring
wheat in northern states. Throughout the
United States, east of the one hundredth merid
ian, the corn area may be increased to advant
age, with a view to its uses both for human food
and animal production.
The production of a normal crop is necessary.
This can best be accomplished by more intensive
cultivation and increased fertilization rather
than by increasing the acreage and thus neg-'
lecting the food and forage crops so important
to the South.
V
In tho districts where wheat has been win
ter killed replanting is suggested with oats,
corn, or sorghum, as climatic conditions may
determine. Where barley and oats aro proved
and reliable crops, they should bo plantod to
tho maximum that can bo effectively handled,
in portions of tho northern and eastern states,
where tho season is too short for tho great
staple crops, the buckwheat acreago may well
be increased.
An important increase in our food supply may
bo made by enlarging the area planted to navy
beans in the north and west and to Mexican and
Tepary beans in tho southwest, jind by stimu
lating in every reasonable way an Increase in
the area of potatoes planted, especially for local
use.
Sweet potatoes In the south will undoubtedly
bo needed in their fresh state in larger quantity
than usual and also for storing for winter use
either in their natural state or as canned or
desiccated products.
Whore peauuts succeed, production may well
be enlarged becaus of tholr value both as food
and forage. A reasonable seed reserve for re
planting tilled crops should bo held wherever
practicable.
While it is important to utilize available
lands in the staple small grains and tilled crops,
care should be taken to avoid undue encroach
ment on the area used for pasturage or hay
which is required for liYe-Btock production.
Authority should be granted the secretary of
agriculture to advance to farmers under prop
er safeguards seeds required to insure tho pro
ductlon of crops decided to be necessary for tho
welfare of the nation.
THE SCHOOL CHILDREN'S PART
We appeal to tho youth of tho nation to put
forth every effort to produce foodstuffs in gar
dens and fields. Thero could be no better ex
pression of true patriotic devotion to the coun
try. It has been demonstrated through tho
boys' and girls' clubs that it is possible for the
farm family to supply itself with much of tho
food required, thereby releasing tho commer
cial product of the country for tho needs of tho
people in the cities and in foreign lands.
In a normal season it is certain that thero
will be large quantities of perishable products
which can not bo properly preserved In tho
homo. To meet this emergency it is recom
mended that local and municipal drying and
canning establishments be improvised to con
servo this material.
KEEPING UP THE MEAT SUPPLY
The live-stock holdings of the farmers of the
United States are already too low. It would bo
unfortunate if these numbers be diminished
further under the pressure of tho present de
mand for food. Indeed, an early Increase of
the animal products of tho country should bo
made. Such an'increaso must come chiefly
through the enlarging of our feed supply by
more successful methods of feeding, and through
more complete ' control of contagious diBeasos.
Milk production could be increased fully one
fourth by more liberal and intelligent feeding.
Pork production could bo Increased substantially
through the mora extensive use of fall litters,
better care, and feeding. The poultry products
of the United States could bo doubled within
a year.
Contagious diseases of farm animals take a
toll of more than a quarter of a billion dollars
annually. More than half of this loss is duo to
controllable diseases, such as hog cholera, blaclo
leg and Texas fever. The federal government,
co-operating with tho states, could profitably
expand Its intensive regulatory services so as to
embrace every important live-stock district in
this country.
MOBILIZING FARM LABOR
One of the principal limiting elements of
food production is the labor supply on the farm.
Indiscriminate enlistment from the farms with
no plan for labor replacement will I reduce food
nmAiirtinn below its present low level.
BrTM ? pin for Public defense should include
as definite a provision fer emUstisenl fer fee
supply as for service at tfce front
In addition to autre ttan owe-bali Umhm
applying for cnlistmolt and rejects kfesiN rf
unfitness for military service, titers art ntort
than two million boys between the ages 1
and 19 years In tho cities and towns not new
engaged In productive work vital to tae nattaa
In the present war emergency. Tkese eontt
tute tho moot important hitherto unorganised
and unutilized labor roourco available for tnl
emergency.
In consideration of all these facto tho plan of
military enlistment should bo broadened o as
to Include In a national scrvlco thoso who, hy
reason of their ago or physical condition, are
permanently or temporarily Incapacitated for
active military duty but who aro able to render
to tho government equally lndlaponsablo service
iu the production of food, supplies, and muni
tions. This enlistment Bhould includo three classes:
Men beyond military age; men of military sgs
but not accepted for nctlvo military duty; an4
boys under ago for cnllstmont.
The government should make plans at once
for tho mobilization of this important rcsoarco
for the production of food and other necessities
This proposed enlistment In tho national service
should bo regarded as part of tho public patri
otic service in the present war emergency and
be given proper official recognition.
THE HARVEST EMERGENCY
The husbanding of a matured crop promptly
is often the most vital and crucial point In pro
duction and is tho point of tho heaviest labor de
mand on tho farm. Wo suggest that tho federal
department of agriculture, co-operating with
the stato departments of agriculturo and other
agencies, should take steps to mobllizo sufficient
farm labor to meet all emergencies which may
arise.
A SURVEY OP THE FOOD 8UPPLY
Wo suggest tho Importance of a thorough
golng survey of tho food, labor, and other re
sources of the country and ot tho needs ot tae
local communities to tho end that every part of
tho country may bo maintained in effective ser
vice. Therefore, wo recommend:
That power bo conferred upon tho secretary
of agriculture, In co-operation with tho federal
trade commission so fur an practicable, to se
cure such information regarding the food sup
ply of tho nation and all business enterprises
related thereto as may be necessary to enablo
congress to legislate suitably for tho protection
of tho pcoplo in the existing crisis and for tho
Information of tho nation in its daily conduct,
giving tho secretary of agriculturo for this pur
poso power to administer oaths, to examine wit
nesses, and to call for the production of books
and papers, with means of enforcement and
penalties.
That authority be conferred upon tho secre
tary of agriculture to establish market grades
and classes of farm products, including seeds,
and standards for rccoptacles for such producty
For this purpose he should consult the various
trades concerned. The established grades for
corn and wheat undoubtedly will bo of much
advantage in purchasing supplies, and the es
tablishment of grades for other p'roducts will be
fully Justified for the samo purpose. Further
more, such standards, with a suitablo degree of
supervision of their application, will result In
returning to the producer tho valuo of the par
ticular qualities ho produces, thus encouraging
adequate production in the future. This Im of
special importance in connection with the per
ishable crops, but applies with almost equal
force to tho staples.
Tho secretary of agriculturo should be au
thorized by law to license warehouses, packing
plants, mills, cold storages, produce exchanges',
co-operative and other shipping associations,
commission merchants, auctioneers, brokers,
jobbers, wholesale distributors, and other Indi
viduals, partnerships, associations, and corpor
ations engaged in tho business of marketing and
distributing farm and food products. When di
rected by the President, the secretary should
nave power, after advising with the council of
national defense as to the necessity of such a
step, to take over and operate such of these
businesses as may bo warranted, in a manner
similar to receivership, . '
In order to facilitate the solution of transport
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