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MVGS rains Day) Quantit 168 I‘D Ln en Corn for Horses hea J V (.1, hOp [l “0..” *9 ID!“ ills ON‘ 90¢. hOp arlo Mm $0“ \\ gent, «'1 n- The United States Department of Agriculture, in its official report, announces the condition of the fall wheat crop (which is two-thirds of their total wheat crop) on April ist, 1917, to be the poorest ever recorded and predicts a yield of 244,000,000 bushels below the crop of 1915. The 1916 crop was poor. Even with favorable weather, the wheat crop of the United States is likely to be the smallest in thirty-five years, not more than 64% of the normal crop. Under date of April 10th, Ogden Armour, executive head of Armour Company, one of the world’s largest dealers in food products, stated that unless the United States wishes to walk deliberately into a catastrophe, the best brains of the country, under Government supervision, must immediately devise means of increasing and conserving food supplies. Armour urged the cultivation of every available acre. The food shortage, he said, is_ world-wide. . European .production JUU UU JLKU II.“ V 1w ausu a "van. u â€"-â€".-v v..- .......... 67 7 r is cut in half, the Argentine Republic has sufl‘ered droughts. Canada and the United States must wake up! The failure of the grain crop in the Argentine Republic, which is ordinarily a great graimexporting nation, resulted in an embargo being placed, in March, 1917, upon the export of grains from that country to avert local famine. David Lubin, representative of the United States to the international Institute of Agricultureâ€"maintained by forty Governments-â€"reports officially to Washington that the food grains of the world on March 3tst, 1917, showed a shortage of 150,000,000 bushels below the amount necessary to feed the world until August, 1917. He declares it is beyond question that unless a greater acreage is put to crop in 1917 there will be WORLD-HUNGER before the 1918 crop is harvested. Forty million men, less the casualties, are now on active semce. Twenty million men and women are supporting them by service in other war activities. In the last analysis, the land is bearing this burden. One million tons of loodcarrying ships have been torpedoed since February lst, I917. Germany’s hOpe for victory is in the starvation of Britain through the submarme. Canada’s sons will have died in vain if hunger compels the Motherland's surrender. The land is waitingâ€"the plough is readyâ€"will we make the plough mightier than the sword? Will we help the acres to save the flag? Everyone in Great Britain has been put on liniited rations: meat is prohibited one day a week and the making of cakes and pastry has been stopped. Further restrictions are anticipated. Lord Devonport, British Food Comptroller, proâ€" poses taking authority to search the houses of Great Britain to prevent food hoarding. Bread has gone to 28c per four-pound leaf in Eng- land, for the first time since the Crimean War. France, England and Italy in peace times did not «depend upon America but on Russia, Roumania and Bulgaria for most of their breadstuffs. With these sources closed the crisis of the hour demands that we see that our soldiers and the Motherland are fed. Wasatch-n. Famine and World-Hunger m. fiAre On Our Threshodl ‘ Thursday. May World-Hunger States Us in the Face ONTARIO THE CRISIS 1917 duty with all your h: the nation ’3 honour, heed! Acqnit yomeres like men. A: marker: on the land, do your strength! ” -â€"Lkryd George. One vessel can make twice as many trips from Canada to Britain as from India, and four times. as many as from Australia. Therefore, every ton of food stuffs grown in Canada is worth to the Motherland two tons grown in India or four tons grown in Australia. If this country'does not raise a big crop this year, not only will the people of Canada suffer but the Motherland and her Allies will suffer and their military power will be weakened if not paralyzed. Therefore, the right solution of the present war problem comes back to the farm, as to a foundation upon which our whole national and international structure must be built and maintained. Miss Alexandra Smith, one of the thousands of British women workers on the land. She recently won an All-Comers’ Cham- - pion prize for plowing. It is much easier to protect shipping between Canada and England than on the longer voyages from India or Australia. The land under cultivation in Ontario in 1916 was 365,000 acres less than in 1915. Consider how much LESS Ontario produced in 1916 than she raised in 1915: Mano "cl-Wurzels 1916 42,793 9,756,015 and Turnips . 1915 50,799 25,356,323 3,095 15,509,308 Other crops show as critical decline. Reports from Ontario on the condition of fall wheat for 1917 are decidedly discouraging. As there is an average of not more than one man on each hundred acres of farm land in Ontario, the prospects indicate even a still smaller acreage under cultivation in 1917 unless extra labor lS supplied. Pens and Beans Potatow and Carrots . Mr. Hoover is already urging sacrifice and food restric- tlons, for, as he states, “The war will probably last another year and we shall have all we can do to supply the necessary food_tc carry our Allies through with their full fighting stamina.” On these alarming food conditions becoming known, President Wilson immediately appointed a Food Comptroller for the United States. He selected Herbert C. Hoover, to whom the world is indebted as Chairman of the International Belgium Relief Commission for his personal direction of the distribution of food among the starving Belgians. People are starving to-day in Belgium, in Serbia, in Poland, in Armenia, in many quarters of the globe. Food Production is the Greatest Problem the World Faces To-day The Probiem for Ontario Why the Call to Canada is So Urgent Owing to destruction by submarines, ocean 'ships Famine conditions are becoming more wide-spread every A 15-year Old Girl at Work 1916 1915 1916 1915 1916 1915 1916 1915 1916 1915 THE DURHAM CHROXICLE. 309,773 704,867 811,185 552,318 95,542 126,943 â€"Photo from London (5119.) Bystander. 12,717,072 21,760,496 7,408,429 13,267 ,023 14,942,050 24,737,011 12,388,969 19,893,129 1,243,979 2,053,049 105,315 9,794,961 31,401 51,441 34,411 1916 DECREASE Acres Bushels 9,043,424 7,504,169 799,070 “vâ€"v *â€" .__v fan H. Hearst, K.C...MG, Prime Minister of Onttrio; N. W. fia§ei Esq., K.C.. Leader of the Opposition; Secretary: Albert H. Abbott. Esq" Ph. D. So, for the honor of Canada’s soldiers in Franceâ€"and for the glory of our New-born Nationhoodâ€"let it be said of Ontario’s citizens that, in the hour of our greatest need, their mp0nse was worthy of their sons. W.~'WIMWMYut'â€"n g The farmers know that they are the last reserve, and that the soil on which crops are. grown is the strategic ground on Wthh wars are decided. To their care is entrusted the base of supplies. To enable the farm to do the work two factors are essen- tial. The first is Time. Whatever we are to do must be done at once. Nature waits for no man. The second is Labor. Many farmers cannot plant the acres they would because they cannotgettheneeessaryhelp. Manyareafraidtoincrease the: acreage because they fear they would not be able to culti- vate and harvest an unusual crop after they have raised it. If theynretodotheworkthatiscssentialfor themto do, thelust man m each city, town and village must be mobilized at once. We do not know when this war shall cease. It is endless-â€" its lengthening out has paralyzed the thought and conception of all men who thought about it and its possible time of con- clusion. Three monthsâ€"â€"six months, we said; nine months, a year, we said; and yet two years and eight months have passed their long dreary and sanguinary length and there is no man who can tell how long this gigantic struggle may yet last. Lloyd George, in a letter addressed to farmers throughout the Empire, said: If peace should be declared within a year, the. food con- ditions will be no better, for the accumulated hunger of the Central Empires must be met. This will absorb a large part of the world’s supply. Every man not on Active Service can help. In every city,’ town and village are men who, by their training on the farm, or by their present occupation, can readily adapt themselves to farm work. These can render no greater service to the Em- pire at the present time than by answering the call of the farm. Capable men and boys willing to learn should not allow their lack of farm experience to stand in the way. Ontario’s farm lands are waitingâ€"the implements are readyâ€"the equipment is complete-Abe farmer is willingâ€"all he needs is labor. 80 short is the world’s food supply that without increased production many in Canada must go hungry, and even With enormously increased production we cannot expect cheap food. The world is waiting for our harvest. . . Can the employer render a more signal service in this crisis than by encouraging these men to help the farmer to fulhvate every available acre, and by making it easy for them 0 go. Organization of Resources Committee, Parliament Buildings, Toronto. Chairman: His Hgnguf. Sir _.]_ohn_S. ‘Hendrig, K.CJl_._G..A_C.V.O.. “ The line which the British Empire holds “against the Germans is held by those who WORK “ON THE LAND as well as by those who fight “on land and sea. If it breaks at any point it “breaks everywhere. In the face of the enemy the “seamen of our Royal naval and mercantile marine “and the soldiers gathered from every part of our “Empire hold our line firstly. You workers on land “must hold your part of our line as strongly. Every “full day’s labor you do helps to shorten the strug- “gle and brings us nearer victory. Every idle day, “all loitering, lengthens the struggle and makes de- “feat more possible. Therefore, in the nation’s “honour, heed! Acquit yourselves like men, and as “workers on land do your duty with all your “strength .” ’ We owe a great debt to those who are fighting for us. PAGE 3.