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Show Inescapable Facts Prove Farmers' Job for 1943 Almost Superhuman Every American farmer is facing one of the most grueling years he has ever had in prospect. He will be expected to produce more in the face of less farm labor than last year and serious shortages in mechanical equipment. 1942's record rec-ord achievements were, in a sense, merely a "warm-up" for the job to be done in 1943. These facts are inescapable, and the earlier they are accepted, ande the sooner every possible step is taken to overcome the handicaps which will be encountered, the better bet-ter the assurance that the 1943 farm program will be successful, according accord-ing to L. G. Elliott, president, La-Salle La-Salle Extension university, Chicago. No one can deny the seriousness of the worldwide food situation. Millions Mil-lions upon millions of once productive produc-tive farm lands have been laid waste by the ravages of war in Europe. Eu-rope. Wartime drains on manpower, which have created serious farm labor la-bor shortages already in this country, coun-try, have had a paralyzing effect on farm production in Russia and Germany particularly. Countries un- Increases of more than 10 per cent above last year's record peaks are planned for many of the major farm products, including pork, lard, beef, eggs and poultry. They are the products that will be most urgently ur-gently needed. Farmers who have specialized in these lines have already al-ready boosted their output and for the third consecutive year have surpassed sur-passed even their previously high totals. They will do even more this year in order to meet the larger demand from consumers with higher high-er incomes, from the government to supply the armed forces, and from nations abroad that are fighting with us. der the conqueror's grinding heel have been stripped of cattle, swine, surplus food supplies, and even seed grains. Total world production of food is down sharply, while world food demands are up. We can no longer think only in terms of this nation's requirements. America has never been able to stand idly by and watch other nations na-tions starve, and, regardless of what effort is required, what sacrifices are entailed, we are not going to turn a deaf ear to the world's frantic pleas for food. In food, as well as in arms and munitions, we cannot and will not produce "too little, and too late." Long before planting time much can be done to insure higher production pro-duction in 1943. Right now is the time for every farmer who has not already started to do so, to examine every piece of mechanical equipment equip-ment he owns for wear and corrective correcti-ve defects which, if not remedied now can cause breakdowns at a time when they would seriously interfere with production. Now is the time to do all possible repairing and construction con-struction of buildings, and all other oth-er work which can be done in advance. ad-vance. During the planting, growing, grow-ing, and harvesting season every hour which is devoted to anv other task will rob the world of food. Even though the 1943 volume of production will cost more than in previous years, the total net income of the farmers will be larger because be-cause the prices of what they sell are considerably higher than they have been for many years. They are likely to rise substantially far ther during the coming months Because Be-cause of the enormously increased demands they are expected to average av-erage not less than 10 per cent above present levels. Larger production and higher prices will add another 52,000,000 000 to the income received by farmers. A Superhuman Task. There can be no doubt that the American farmer fully recognizes the almost superhuman task which confronts him. He has already proved that with the manner in which he produced in 1942 And there can be even less doubt that the American farmers, individually and collectively, will make the neces sary effort to give our fighting orces, or civilian population and he peoples of the United Nations that w.I bring Victory at the earli est possible day. |