TO AMERICAN FARMERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 86, 4 January 1918, Page 6

TO AMERICAN FARMERS

MR. HOOVER'S APPEAL "A NEW HOPE FOR AGRICULTURE" A remarkable appeal has been madof by Mr. Herbert Hoover, the United States Food Controller, to American farmers. "In tho Food Administration," lie says, "we have discussed these problems at great length with many representative animal producers and agriculturists of the United States. We have often met tho statement that in order to.induce ow fanners to understand this changed strategy in production, wo must secure for him soma positive definite guaranty of a profit. Bm k if I were a farmer it seems to ma with tho above facts so well founded—■ so evidently in the farmer's best interest—before me, I should of my own volition, undertake such a policy' even were there no patriotic call. Beyond this, however, it is now vital for every farmer in the United States who can to take unto himself an additional five or ten hogs, a few sheep, or a few calves, in tno national interest. It is a necessity for winning the war. And I cannot but believe that every farmer, in the United .States Jias tho patriotism to answer this call v of his nation in tho hour of our Allies' needs.

_ "I realise that under certain conditions a lack of confidenco in the stability of market prices may act as a deterrent. And, further, that this may sometimes come from a failure to glimpse an opportunity before one. I therefore wish to make this positiva statement; that, so far as the United States Food Administration is able, through its influence on the purchase of pork and its products for exportation, it will do all within its power to see that prices of pork aro maintained in a ratio to feed prices that will cover not only costs of production, but proper remuneration to the producer.

"By a system of license" control of manufactures and distributors the Food Administration will further help the producers. This system will tend toward the abolition of speculation, tho punishment of profiteering, and t»n> assurance that the consumer receives tho ptoduct at a fair ratio of the producer's price, and that, vice versa, tho producer receives a fair interpretation of the consumer's payment. All oi these measures, I believe, offer a new. liopo for agriculture.

"From two una a half years of contact wiiii the Germany army I have come out of this norror witii the complete conviction that autocracy is a political faith and a system t'nat directly endangers and jeopardises the future of our race—that threatens our very independence, it has, However, been able to command a complete inspiration of devotion ai[d selt-sacriiica in,its people to the interest of their nation. Tue German farmer, 111 the name of the Fatherland, supports a nation two-thirds as largo as ours and threatens to subject the world from an area as large as Texas. lam convinced that we will hud this same devotion a direct reply to the" German farmer —by the voluntary service of the American producer. This is democracy, and will be its answer to autpcracy. "There is a human sjde to all of this. I have spent two and a half years in Europe in intimate contact with tho backwash of war. During this time I have been faced with the responsibility of furnishing daily the food of 7,000,000, women and children among a population of 10,000,000, and tho food of these is to-day solely assured by the American farmer. During this time, however, the gradual diversion and destruction of men and ships among our other Allies from the support of another 100,000,000 women and children has thrown them wholly into a state of dependency upon the American farmer for their daily food. Their husbands, brothers, and fathers are defending our liberty as surely as boys in France.

"The production of more fats is today a critical necessity for the preser» ration of these people and the maintenance of their constancy in the war. Every pound of fat is as. sure of service as every bullet, and every hog is of greater value to the winning or this war than a shell.

"My vision of war is not of an academic problem to be solved by discussion and guarantees of profits; to mo it is a vision of brave, dying men and suffering women and children for seryice on whose behalf the greater exertion of the American farmer comes as a direct necessity and a direct plea. The American farmer wlio sees war as I see it needs no inducement and no inspiration hut the thought that every spade full of earth turned and every animal reared is lessening human suffering and guaranteeing the liberty of the world." .