The Daily Transcript (Norman, Okla.), Vol. 4, No. 79, Ed. 1 Tuesday, September 19, 1916 Page: 3 of 4
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Uncle Sam:
Detective
By WILLIAM ATHERTON DU PHY
With the Revolution Makers
True stories
of the Great-
est Federal
Detective
Agencp, the
Bureau of
Information.
U. S. Dep't
of Justice. >
Cop/righl bJ W. O. Ch pm*n
is
C*>ICC*X T -
\
The lsla Doloroso it In the Rio
Grande a few miles below El
Pano. It U Mexican territory and la
owned by an aged ranchman named
Jose Encino. If one ihould atart a
< ampfire anywhere on the island he
wouk) be running a monstrous risk,
for ao great Is the quantity of am-
munition that has been smuggled thus
far on ita way to revolutionary war
and buried, that any such Are might
cause a huge explosion.
It w-a in the moonshine of a clear
November night in 1911 that a boat
drifted down the Rio Grande from the
cached at Newman and more at Ala-
magordo Ramon 8anchez has other
stores of it at Phoenix. We can start
action at half a dozen points and
wake every dozing peon in Mexico.
But provide the money, doctor, and I
will guarantee to wake up two na-
tions. There is little question of get-
ting results either through the over-
throw of Madero or intervention by
the United States."
"Likewise will the arms begin to
cross the river as soon as they may
be bought," volunteered Pena. "I
have many men ready to travel back
1 to the Mexlcaa custom, and kissed
\ him first on one cheek and then on
the other.
Thua did a special agent of the
United States become a member of a
Mexican revolutionary Junta.
Through Oard the department of
juatice aoon had all the particulars
of the Reyes revolution as far as they
were known to the El Paso junta It
knew that the aged general had been
promised support from many sources,
that he had been provided with con-
siderable sums of money, that arms
had been bought in hundred lota from
dealers all along the border, that these
were being doled out to individuals
who were to cross over the border at
a given time and form the nucleus
of the revolution. In El Paso some
two hundred men had already been
thua provided. These men were be-
ing maintained at boardiug houaes
about town and were being handed
regularly small sums of money. Oard
met every day with the members of
the Junta and talked over the details
of these matters.
In the little building which had no
windows and which stood back of
Doctor Flores' house, Oard also met
the individuals who were the fire-
brands of the revolution. "Red
Shirt" Pena was always there and was
steadily engaged in smuggling am
munition across the border. The pock-
marked anarchist, Comacho, was ma-
turing his spectacular plans. Senorita
Josefa Calderon, slim as a cactus,
came now and then, with a message
American side, pulled up among the and forth and each will carry a gun
cattails of the north shore of the IS'
land and was beached beneath a great
cottonwood tree that stood out against
th sky as a landmark Two men
stepped ashore and waited in the
shadows. Fifteen minutes later two
riders splashed Into the water from
the Mexican side, floundered through
the stream that but came to the stir-
rups, and pointed the noses of their
horses for the same huge tree. Near-
ing It they halted.
"Reyes," said a voice from the
darkness.
"Gomez," responded a rider.
A small, dark man emerged from
the shadow of the cottonwood and
helped the riders to dismount. One
of these latter proved to be a woman
who was treated with great courtesy
by the sma'l man. When the horses
were tied the four seated themselves
beneath the tree In a spot where the
underbrush shut out the world From
the fitful light of an occasional match
that served to light the eternal ciga-
rettes of these Mexicans, an observer,
if It had been possible for one to
have been present, might have studied
four Interesting faces.
The bearer of news and evidently
the leader of the party was the small,
dark man already mentioned. As it
afterward developed he was Dr. Ra-
fael Flores of El Paso. Doctor Flores,
as the flicker of a match revealed, was
a man of some sixty years of age, a
thin, wiry individual with refined and
almest classic features. He was a
practicing physician, a citizen of
means and repute in the border city.
The man who had come with him in
the boat was named Comacho. He
was short, square built, deeply pock
marked. He was notorious along the
border, particularly in Lower Califor-
nia. He was an anarchist and an ex-
pert with explosives and was suspect-
ed of having been connected with
many deeds.
The man who came on horseback
was huge and heavy and wore always
a red flannel shirt. He It was who
had led the assault on Juarez when
the troops of Francisco Villa had cap-
tured that city early in the Madero
He It was who inflicted
The manner of maMn* these arrests
was peculiar to this co boy police of
the southwest. The plan was that,
when the time to strike should come,
operations should begin at the little
building without windows where the
ringleaders of the revolutionists gath-
ered. These should be arrested, none
being allowed to escape and give the
alarm. They should all be put Into a
wagon, inclosed with white canvas
such as is common in the southwest
and which would attract no atten-
tion In passing through the streets
This wagon, with two or three rang
ers aboard and others riding careless
ly near it, should then drive about El
Paso, picking up a man here and an-
other there until all those wanted
were under the white canvas. So
was it planned tnat a clean sweep of
the revolutionists should be made In
a manner of raid that might seem
queer to those accustomed to the
methods of metropolitan police but
which was Intended to accomplish Its
purpose.
But as far as Billy Oard was con-
cerned, the raid came near coming
too late. The position of Gard, the
American special agent, in revolution
headquarters as a Mexican conspira-
tor, was never one of especial secur-
ity. There was the danger of his
identity being found out. which would
not only spoil hla case but might re-
sult In personal violence being done
him as his associates were not men
to trifle with. There was the diffi-
culty of getting his information to
from Reyes or Orozco. Often she
and a box of cartridges each trip.
"And the senorita?" asked Doctor
Flores. "Can she go for ui to San
Antonio?"
"As the senor wishes," said that
young woman. "But where shall I
report on my return?"
"Back of my residence," said the
doctor, "there Is a small building
opening into the alley. There are no
windows. We will meet there."
After a long discussion of the de-
tails of the organization of the junta,
this first gathering of the arch con
spiratdrs broke up.
It was a week after this meeting on
the Rio Grande that Archie Dobbs,
social agent of the department of
justice, assigned particularly to the
Mexican border to look after viola-
tions of the neutrality laws, began to
notice the frequency with which
groups of Mexicans were to be seen
engaged In earnest conversation in
the streets of El Paso. About the
OrndorfT hotel there were In evidence
groups of wealthy appearing grandees,
such as own great ranches beyond the
border. Idling about the Mexican sa-
loons were many big-hatted vaqueros, j
such as make up the armies of any
revolutionary movement when trouble ^
Btarts acrosB the line.
Dobbs went to see Juan Ortego
This young son of Chihuahua was one
of the dependable men of Madero. i
Ortego was a member of the personal
secret service of the new president
and hiB station at El Paso was re- j
garded as important as an outpost of I
trouble for the government.
"What Is in the air?" asked the
American special agent of Ortego.
"Revolution," said the Mexican.
"Who have they got?"
"Reyes, Gomez, probably Orozco.
possibly Villa," said Ortego.
"Have you got an informer among
them?" Dobbs asked
"No, I have failed in that respect,'
was the answer.
"Who Is the one military leader
that Madero can trust?" Dobbs want- ;
ed to know. The Mexican secret serv- j
ice man recommended General Her- !
rera at Chihuahua. He also stated
that Doctor Flores was the Reyes rep-
brought large sums of money. Gard
once accompanied her to Juarez and
used all hla charms In an effort to
develop a love affair with her, but In
vain. He afterward learned that she
was mourning a sweetheart who had
died in fighting Madero and was de-
voting herself to this cause in hopo
of revenge.
Toward the end of December the
plans for the revolution grew near ma-
turity. General Reyes was to slip out
of San Antonio and across the Rio
Grande where he was to pick up hiB
recruits enlisted on tiie American
side and those on the Mexican side
who had proiftised to Join with him.
At the psychological moment Pena of
the red shirt, and Comacho, the an-
Archie DobbB and thence to the de-
partment at Washington without this
connection being discovered. Finally
there waB his part to be played In the
arrests.
Eventually the time came to strike.
General Reyes had disappeared from
San Antonio and was believed to be
fleeing for the Mexican border. The
order was issued from Washington to
intercept and arrest any of the
Reyes party that might be found at
any border points. The trap was to
be sprung at El Paso.
On that morning, December 22,1911.
Billy Gard reported at the windowless
building at ten o'clock. Doctor Flores
waB there and was soon Joined by
Comacho, the dynamiter. Presently a
ranchman from Sonora was admitted.
archist, were to put on performances I Senorita Calderon was expected from
so spectacular as to attract the atten- San Antonio with additional funds,
tion of the world. I and Pena and other moving spirits
Comacho had his dynamiting plans ! were to drop in.
well developed. Personally he intend- j "Is there any news from General
ed to place a bomb under the inter- | Herrera?" Doctor Flores asked Gard
national bridge at El Paso An asso- j That young man reported that the
elate was to perform the same service Herrera troops would go over to Gen-
The
some of the early atrocities upon prls- , resentatlve at El Paso.
oners who plied the torch and who Archie Dobbs acted at once
had to be discoursed In his activities department °f justice has its special
by even his bandit associates. "Red , agents who will fit nto almost any (
Shirt" Pena he had since been called. I condition that is likely to rise. Billy
His specialty was Bmuggltng fire arms Gard, for instance, had been assigned
•ver the border. He had sixty loyal to this work on the Mexican border
followers in the vicinity of El Car- j because of his knowledge of Spanish^
men As he was growing up his father ha<J
And the woman! Senorita Josefa ' served for many years In the consular
Calderon was the name by which she ' service and Billy had become as a
was known. She was from the in- native of the Latin countriea. It had j
terior, was something of a mystery j been his pride as a lad to assume
never entirely understood, but the every characteristic of the Und to
current belief was that she was a j which his father was assigned and it |
sister of General Orozco. That un-1 wag probably this dissembling that j
controlled chief of rebels waB even | led him into the detective game. With |
then stationed at Juarez in command j a bit of a Mexican touch to his wear- [
of Madero troops and was vacillating ing apparel and a covering of a a , American customB I eral Reyes as soon as his forces start-
between allegiance to the new pres I- ^,st he now became a typical son of, with re at:,on t0 h.A <en . ^ ^ ^ ^
dent and the leading of a revolt the land of the south. , 1 s '
against him. Senorita Calderon,] Such was the appearance presented
veiled dark-eyed, slim as a cactus, was by Gard when, two days after the
thought to be his messenger. talk between the Becret service men
"There Is news " said Doctor Flores. I of two nations, he came Into El Paso
as soon as the party had settled It- from the South. He bore credentials
ss. | r ss rhr,owhgeth t^ i ^
week ago, came on to San Antonio I Madero's secret service man, Juan
where he' was given a great demon- Ortego. He appeared much worn and
titration He has opened revolutionary I dust covered when he began a search
headquarters there and every mail of El Taso for Doctor Flores. Hav-
brines letters and every train brings ing found that gentleman in consul
ntessengers assuring him of support fn tation with a party of ranch owners
K - ■ at the OrndorfT hotel, he presented
himself and asked for a word in pri-
vate with the Junta chief.
ing was very dim and the stranger
had come in from the sunlight. Ills
eyes were not adjusted to the dark
ened apartment and he therefore did
not recognize the special agent when
presented to him. Appreciating the
reason for this lack of recognition,
Gard made an excuse for going out
and approached the door. Flores
again sat with his bark against It
When the young man gave his exouse
for wanting to go the doctor waved
him aside and stated that he desired
that he should hear the report of the
man from Los Angeles. Gard dared
Insist only to a reasonable extent.
Doctor Flores would not hear of his
departure. Quietly ho settled Into
the remotest and darkest corner.
The man from Los Angeles began
to toll of the part he had played In
lighting the fuse that was about to
start a revolution. His remarks were
addressed to Doctor Flores aed to
Comacho, the dynamiter, an associate
of his. The man in the corner was
given little attention. But as the
talker's vision became adjusted to the
darkened room, he turned his glance
occasionally In the direction of the
special agent.
That young man Bat as one hypno-
tized with the possibilities of the situ-
ation. He felt very sure that, ss time
passed, the visitor's eyesight would ad
just itself and he would be recognized
Ills mind ran ahead and saw the scene
that would then be precipitated. The
thrill of it held him taut, ready for
any emergency
It was the third time that the eye
of the visitor passed him that It lin-
gered a moment questlonlngly, and
passed on. lie looked at the dynamiter
'during a long explanation of some prep-
aration and then his glance agnln re-
turned to Oard. By this time his eye-
sight had become entirely readjusted.
He started forward, mouth agape.
He Bprang to his feet. He pointed sn
accusing finger at the special agent
and fairly screamed:
"By the Holy Virgin, a spy, a
traitor! He Is an agent of the per-
fidious United StateB. He is a detec-
tive. an Informer. I knew him in Los
Angeles. He peeped Into our windows
and stole our papers. He has already
betrayed you and the cause."
A vile oath was ripped from the
throat of the pock-marked dynamiter.
The nervous little doctor sprang to
his feet and started as if to spring
at the throat of the special agent.
But as he advanced* he found himself
looking Into the muzzle of a big Amer-
ican pistol. He recoiled.
"Don't mako a great mistake," said
Gard. "What this man says may be
true and It may not. Granting that
it Is true I am then In the best posi-
tion right now I could hope to be In.
If one of you advances a step toward
me I will fire. None of you dare fire
upon me as the shots that would fol-
low would expose you. Now sit tight
and talk bUBlnesB. What do you pro-
pose to do about it?"
"Gringo pig of a spy, you shall die
and be fed to the buzzards," hissed
the dynamiter.
FOOD FAMINE REMOTE
WORLD'S RESOURCES ARE FAR IN
ADVANCE OF POPULATION.
DADDY'S EVENING
i y FAIRY TALE M
Mother of Mary, we have been be-
trayed," almost Bobbed the little doc-
tor.
"It may not be as bad as It seems/
argued Gard, talking against time.
™„r,;* wmawgr/^ bonner
out 1 will get one or two of you.
however, and the police will get the
rest. I would suggest that it would
be wiser for you to let me back slow
ly out of that door and that you all
beat it for Mexico."
The little doctor stiffened stubborn-
ly against the one exit, but bofor- this
proposition could be seriously consid-
ered there came a loud rapping at
the door. The noise of it sounded as
though it were made with the butt of
a revolver. The Mexicana present
stood transfixed with fear. The knock
Ing was repeated with greater vigor
Then a drawling Texas voice sang
out:
"Oh, you greaserB, lift the latch
This ain't no way to treat visitora."
"Break it in, captain," called out
Gard. who recognized the voice of the
ranger chief. "This bunch is hr.lf cap-
tured already."
Then came the creaking of door
hinges as though a great weight wss
being thrown against them and. final-
ly, a mighty crash. As the door came
in nothing could be seen but the
blank side of a thick cotton mattress
Few other things will stop bullets like
a cotton mattress and It is therefore
an excellent breastwork in an attack
which is likely to be met by bullets
fired through a door. This not
the first time such an object had been
used In ranger strategy.
Presently the head of a ranger
peered cautiously around the mattress
and a request for a parley was made.
The Mexicans decided upon discretion
and surrendered without a fight. Gard
was thus relieved of a very delicate
situation.
BALL BURST.
The Children had seen such a heavy
Rain Storm the May before that they
told I addy all ubout it.
"Why, Daddy," said Nancy, "People
who were on their way Home got as
wet uk if they had been in Swlminteg."
"That Ruin yesterday," wild Daddy,
"was Just as bad in the City s It was
out here, and lust night I hud meunt to
tell you about It—hut somehow 11 had
cleared ofT so beautifully that 1 for
got I"
"Was something very exciting hap-
pening in the Clouds?" naked Nancy.
"I guess there was," said Nick.
"Yen," said Paddy. "Yesterday in
the Ctouds there whs a Hall Burst.
You see the King of the Clouds every
little while gives a Ball. And when
he gives a Hall Hurst it is the very
largest, gayest, most wonderful kind
of a Hall that can he given In the
Clouds. He invites every single Italn
Prop, and 'lis entire Army of Ilain
Props do s special Prill they have
which is to patter, patter, patter, put
ter on the Ground us hard and as
quickly as they can.
"So yesterday he had his Ball Burst.
Down on the Earth, Grown Ups cmII
this Ball a Clv/nd Burst, and 1 am sure
you must have heard People saying
yesterday,
" 'Why Ihls Is Just like a Cloud
Burst.'"
"Yes. Ve did," shouted Nick aud
Nancy.
"Well, this was the way it happened.
The four prisoners from the win- The King of the Clouds said that he
dowless house were loaded Into the n.UK jn need of Exercise, lie had
white topped wagon. It moved on un-
ostentatiously to other parts of the
city and around it the ranger dragne'
tightened. "Red Shirt" Pena was
found in the act of boarding a street
car to cross the bridge into Juarez
He made fight but a ranger floored
him with a blow from a big forty five
six-shooter. In two hours fifteen of
the ringleaders of the El Paso revolu-
tionists were behind prison bars and
any expedition that might have been
launched iir this vicinity was leader-
less.
At Brownsville a similar dragnet
hod operated at about the same time.
General Reyes himself succeeded in
getting across into Mexico. But the
leaders from the American side had
been discouraged and failed to fol-
low him even where they were not
under arrest. The Mexicans did not
rally to the aged general's cause after
he entered his native land, aB had
been expected. Discouraged and
heartbroken he surrendered to the
Madero authorities a few days later
at the little town of Linares, and his
revolution was at an end.
"A SPYl A TRAITOR! HE IS AN AGENT OF THE PERFIDIOUS UNITED
STATES."
at Laredo was to be blown up. I "And is senor, the dynamiter, ready
While Comacho was performing [ to perform his service to the cause
overthrowing Madero. He has
ranged for money to finance the move-
ment. The friends of Emillo VaBquez
Gomez are busily at work along the
border. The American financial in-
terests in Mexico are back of us. We
are to open headquarters in El Paso
and begin the active organization of
our forces.'
"But the money,' said "Red Shirt
Pena. "We can do nothing until we
have money with which to buy am-
munition.
The money," assured the doctor,
"is to ne immediately forthcoming.
In that connection I have a mission
for the Senorita Calderon. She is to
go immediately to San Antonio to re-
port lo the chief and to got the
When the money srrlves - ..Id ly against them! His coming over
fVnuirliO the anarchist, "all thing, was too good to believe. The doctor
, ?! * possible There is dynamite j embrace* tte yeu.f man, according
these outrages, "Red Shirt" Pena was
to be busied in the fine art of murder.
The sheriff of El Paso, Juan Ortego.
and Archie Dobbs were the men
against who
as a killer were to be directed. But
failing these he was to run amuck and
do whatever damage he could. Any
representative of the American army,
any Madero official, was to be regard-
ed as a fair mark. The object was to
at least create a great sensation to
! advertise the new revolution, and pos-
| sibly to bring about intervention. At
1 am from General Herrera,' said j any rate the border should be awak
Gard. "I bring to you his greetlngB
and these credentials which will as-
sure you that you may treat with mo
in confidence. He bids me Bay that
he holds General Reyes in a deferen-
tial respect which he gives to no other
living Mexican. He awaits an oppor-
tunity to co-operate with you.'
This news was, to Flores, the best
he had heard since he organized the
Junta. Assurances had come from
many sources of support to Reyes
who. In reality, occupied an enviable
position in the hearts of the Mexican
people. But Herrera, the Madero gen-
eral who had been regarded as flrm-
asked the doctor of Co-
of liberty?'
macho.
"The noise we will make will be
heard from Tia Juana to Brownsville,"
responded that inflammatory aud en-
thusiastic Individual.
'Tena is now on the street ready
to strike," stated the leader. "This
afternoon Reyes will cross the Rio
Grande and, pish! the powder will be
Ignited."
At this moment a careful knock was
heard at the one entrance (o the
rendezvous, and the doctor, who al-
ways sat with his back against this
ened. door, opened it an inch. He recog-
With all this Information in hand j nized the man outside and welcomed
the United States authorities were ; him. He ushered him inside and be-
ready to act. They wanted, however, | gan his presentation to those already
to time their coup in such a way as j assembled. He was a revolutionist
to have the most discouraging effect j from Los Angeles who had but just ar
possible upon the revolutionists. With rived.
this idea in mind they postponed mak ™
ing arrests until the laBt moment.
United States Alone Could Increase
Food Supply From One-Sixth
to Two-Thirds.
Forecasting a condition in the future
in which there will be too many peo-
ple in the world for the grain fields
and stock ranges to feed, the question
of a possible general shortage in hu-
manity's market basket supplies has
received more than 100 years of vo-
luminous consideration. Since the out-
break of the world war, probabilities
of food shortages have been discussed
more than ever before, but in respect
to definite and narrow geographical
limitations. Mr. William Joseph
Showalter, in a careful Btudy of the
world's food supply, considering the
bulk production, its distribution, and
the potentialities for Increased pro-
duction, discounts present-day fears
of ultimate universal famine. Of the
bugaboo theory that a general under-
supply of foodstuffs is the menace of
the future, he has the following to
Bay in a study prepared for the Nation-
al Geographic society at Washington:
Many men aro inclined to sound a
pessimistic note as to the adequacy
The revolutionists were to be taken
into custody by Captain Hughes of
the Texas Rangers. There were some
The entrance of the visitor would
have been of no great importance but
for one fact—he was from Los An
geleB. Gard had done much work in
Los Angeles and a few of the mem
fifteen of the active plotters that hers of the revolutionary junta there
should be vre.ted and the Ranger
force wa the beet fjtted agency on
the bordf r to cope with these. Every
man was known to the Rangers and
all were being kept pretty well io
cate#
had learned hla identity. The visitor
was one of that few. If Gard were
recognized he would be exposed and
in this desperate company would be
in a delicate position.
The light in the wladowlees build
3ions a day, the total for the year
would amount to a billion and a quar-
tor tonB. It would require a string
of cars, carrying thirty tons to the
car, and reaching eight times around
the earth, to haul this material.
"The fact, however, Is that the av-
erage inhabitant of the earth prob-
ably uses more than two pounds of
provisions a day. The steerage pas-
sengers on English ships are allowed
2 1.1 pounds each day. Even the
prisoner in the average jail gets more
than two pounds; the Russian con-
script four pounds, and the Austrian
common soldier 2V& pounds a day.
"Still another way to get an Idea of
the size of the world's food problem
Is to assume that the average individ-
ual consumes ten cents' worth of food
dally. On this basis it would require
the entire national wealth of the
United States, the richest nation of
all history, to pay the world's food bill
for twenty-six months. For every cent
per day per capita that the cost of liv-
ing increases, more than 16,000,000,-
000 is added to the world's annual
market-basket expense.
"But when one consitlerB the pos-
sibilities of future food production, it
is difficult to have much faith In the
prophecies of pessimism of these
twentieth century successors of Mal-
thus. For instance, in the United
"Why, Where Did You Come From?"
been so lazy lately, and when he had
come down to the Earth, he had just
drizzled and dropped In the laziest
possible way. Iteally he said he hud
taken Naps and found himself dry I tin
up down on the Earth and had hud to
Rain a little more just so he wouldn't
have to go back to the Clouds.
"And somehow when he said that he
needed Exercise all tlw Army of Ruin
drops decided they needed it too—and
every Cloud made up lis mind to Burst
—and to let all the Rain Drops have
a Ball.
"So that was why they puttered and
scampered and danced about yester-
day. And the streams of Water they
called the Brooklet Dance, because
they made the Dance look like a Brook
running along.
"And nfter they had Rained and
Danced and had the ruost wonderful
sort of a time, old Mr. Sun came out.
•'•Why, where did you come from?'
asked the King of the Clouds.
"'Don't you want me?' asked the
Sun, beaming.
" 'Yes, indeed, we want you, if only
you won't drive us away—for though
we feel we've had a fine Ball, and
have had lots of good Exercise, still
we don't want to go back Home to the
Clouds yet!'
" 'I won't send you Home. I wouldn't
be so rude!'
"'Sometimes you do, though, Mr.
Sun.'
'"Anil It's then that yon want me
to,' said Mr. Sun a bit angrily.
" 'Now don't let's quarrel,' said the
King of the Clouds, and all the Army
of Raindrops dropped down more
of the world's food supply for future United States produces one-sixth of
generations, and, like Malthus a hun- the world s wheat, seven-ninths of its
drod years ago, are Inclined to predict j corn, one-fourth of its oats, one-eighth
States we have 935,000,000 acres of
arable land, 400,000,000 of which are lightly as they wanted to hear the ur-
under cultivation. Yet, with leas than gUinent between their King and Mr.
half of our available land utilized, the gQ11
•"That's right,' said Mr. Sun. 'but
look who's coming now
that the day has at last come when
the human race must cease to expand
its numbers, or else face inevitable
hunger.
"And when we consider how many
mouths there are in this world to feed,
and how much food it takes to satisfy
them, little room is there to wonder
at this pessimism.
"The earths population today
reaches a grand total of about 1,700,-
000,000 souls, it they were all set
down at a banquet it would require six-
teen tables reaching around the globe
to seat them. For every ounce of
food they ate, the dinner-giver would
have to provide 53,000 tons of provi-
sions, and if the dinner were no more
than a democratic dollar-a plate affair,
it would cost, in the aggregate, as
much as it costs to run the United
States government a year and a half.
'Expressed in terms of annual con-
sumption, the world s market basket
is one that defies portrayal in weight
and size. One is forced to cast around
for new units of measurement to give
a proper idea of Its proportions. As
aumlng that the average inhabitant o*
tha earth uses two pounds of provi
of its cattle, one-third of its hog3, and
one-twelfth of its sheep.
"Even with the land now under cul-
tivation, if we produced as much
wheat per acre as England and Ger-
many, we could supply the world with
two-thirds of its flour. If wo pro-
duced as much corn to the acre as
they do, we could double the world's
supply of that product.
"Today the United States has a
total cereal crop of 5,000,000,000 bush-
els. Were all of our arable land un-
der cultivation and producing only
according to our present standard,
which is less than half as high as
that of western Europe, we could add
enough cereals to take care of an ad-
ditional population the size of that
of Europe.
"When one has lived on land, as the
writer has done, which, at the end of
•The King of the Clouds looked and
Mr. Sun looked too—and there, over a
near-by hill was Mr. Rainbow wear-
ing his best suit of wonderful color.,.
'"What's all the excitement?' be
asked.
" Must a Ball Burst,* said the King
of the Clouds.
•"Oh,' said the Rainbow—'but you
a;e having a tulk with Mr. Sua. That s
what I've come to hear. 1 always
come when the King of the Clouds and
Mr. Sun start in to talk. It's the only
talk I've ever found worth listening
"Mr. Sun smiled brightly, and the
King of the Clouds glistened and
ymrkled through the rays Mr. Sun was
shedding, because the Rainbow had
paid them such a compliment
"'Well,' said Ar. Sun, '1 know that
if I tulk to the King of the Clouds
you'll come too, so t think we three
p^ce. « od Kriends eve"11 we,lon 1
.i u. . l'"'" " " other so often.' And from
then eight bushels of wheat and "0
bushels of corn to the acre, and has
seen this land produce as high as 45
bushels of wheat and a 100 bushels
corn, it is difficult to take any other
than an optimistic view of the potisi-
bllitiea of American agriculture.
the beautiful look Mr. Rainbow gave,
*nd from the merry patter-patter on
the (.round from the King of the
Clouds, t am um they both agreed
with Mr. Sun."
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Burke, J. J. The Daily Transcript (Norman, Okla.), Vol. 4, No. 79, Ed. 1 Tuesday, September 19, 1916, newspaper, September 19, 1916; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc113303/m1/3/: accessed April 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.