Show DILEMMA farmers shun shim expansion in n wartime but they hear be prepared warning by GEORGE BRADFORD released by western newspaper union what will the C CHICAGO war do to american agriculture A that question has been VIv raised with growing insistence ever since adolf hillers Hit lers gray clad legions went blitz krieging kriening krie ging into poland repeal of the arms embargo brought it still farther into the foreground for the extent to which americas vast reservoir of foods and fibers is used has become a matter of close concern to everyone on or near a farm three fairly definite answers have emerged but each is conditioned by a large if if it if the european war drags on 1 the war will create a rising demand at home borne for american farm products with an upward price level 2 it will increase the demand from abroad 3 it will likely bring a rise in land values wars stimulating impact 0 on n industry will soon be felt on the farm authorities believe already men are returning to work steel pro is rising dividends are increasing stocks and commodities are going up americans will soon buy more and eat more because have more money to spend more cereals fats meats and woolens will be needed and at higher price levels cant hold two jobs lets look at europe despite record breaking worlds wheat crop bushels exclusive of russia and china every month the war lasts will diminish Eu ropes food supplies men under arms cant till the soil whether mobilized neutrals or combatants consider too that there are more mouths to feed in europe today than during the world war from which we recall the following production figures in 1917 wheat and other cereals stood at 35 per cent below normal or bushels that year american farmers planted acres to care tor for americas needs and those of europe it was 22 per cent more than the previous 10 year average of acres it if the present war drags on europe must turn tor for replacements of bread meat potatoes woolens and butter to the united states the various british dominions and south america will prices go up the third factor especially interesting to farm owners or investors is the prospect of higher land values S M waters president of the mortgage bankers association has this to say the man who owns a farm today undoubtedly has something more valuable than it was three months ago the european conflict may have the most far reaching effects for owners of farm property nobody wants to profit by human misery least of all the american farmer but war peace of neutrality he has a stake in the present situation and if he does some straight thinking he can be stronger at the wars end than he was at its start chester davis agricultures agri cultures representative on the federal reserve board urged farmers to keep their shirts on think intelligently and if wit war CO continues oi n aes ues nial Z 1 I domestic UK TOO f food d demancy de mancl wi W iff 1 1 become 4 greater kirea eri 41 C 4 nations dij seek diore foodstuffs bhele work together thus moving out of the war into an improved position stress soil conservation by keeping his shirt on mr davis meant the farmer should avoid and the pitfall of too easy profits that later may turn to losses the world war taught that lesson and it is highly significant that next years AAA program aims to place more emphasis on soil conservation than on crop control probably the most practical move the farmer can make say the experts is to take stock of his lands fertility for if agriculture is called on to step up production as a result of the war this will be of major importance how does the fertility score stand of tillable farm acres have been completely ruined according to the soil conservation service an additional are seriously damaged and a lot more has suffered a marked decline in fertility causes were erosion failure to replace necessary plant food removed year after year by growing soil leaching drain of live stock raising oxidation of soil organic matter and by fire NO rk rice e a of aa fiu rn p products d act p will 50 higher la land P J J Y al expected ZI eoe 4 to J in increase c reas d the total annual fertility loss to american farm land is tons of nitrogen tons of phosphorus and tons of potash it is estimated be prepared whether war or peace prevails says the middle west soil improvement committee the necessity tor for an ever increasing program of soil conservation is indicated by the fact that fertilizers and manures are believed to restore only 18 per cent of the annual nitrogen loss and about 68 per cent of the potash loss restoration from other sources reduces the annual net loss to tons of nitrogen approximately tons of phosphorus and more than tons of potash agriculture here has one advantage in the matter of fertilizers that it enjoy at the outbreak of the world war then we were almost entirely dependent on germany for potash and chile for natural nitrates today thanks to science and american industry we are independent and will continue so when the american farmer hears the be prepared signal to get his land ready tor for any eventuality he knows it can be done |