ELLIS COUNTY CAPITAL ARNETT OKLAHOMA
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Farmers of our vast
central section not only
are giving their sons
but are raising bumper
crops to help win the
war against autocracy
VENTS of a revolutionary charac-
ter have taken place on the middle
Western farms since America’s en-
try into the war When President
Wilson Issued his call to the
American farmer to do his duty
in wnr times by feeding the world
or that portion of It engaged in
the wnr for democracy he
launched the biggest drive for in-
creased food production in the
history of the world In fact no
step toward preparedness in connection with
‘the participation of the United States in
the wnr has proceeded more rapidly than the
mobilization of the farm resources of the middle
West which Just now is preparing itself for the
task of feeding not only the United States but a
large part of the world
Despite the fact that th call to the fields
came too late to affect the winter wheat crop
the middle Western farmer has made tremendous
advances in increasing the acreage of his other
food crops such ns corn oats rye and other farm
products Present indications are that the wheat
crop will not be large enough to much more than
meet the needs of America let alone the expor-
tation of large quantities of this product which
must be made to the allies but famine is still a
- distant specter For the first time in its history
the world Is going to learn a valuable lesson in
domestic economy and that is the adaptation of
other farm products for food purposes One of
the first results will be a world-wide campaign
to dethrone King Wheat and enthrone King Corn
whose monarchy ’heretofore has scarcely extend-
ed beyond the boundaries of the United States
The bumper corn crop which the middle West
will raise this summer barring such unforeseen
calamities as drought and floods will stave off
hunger for a large portion of the world Pres-
ent indications are that the corn acreage in the
12 great corn states of the country will be in-
creased from 20 to 30 per cent or even mdre in
some localities due to the fact that thousands of
acres of winter wheat lands were made useless
for that purpose by the severe cold weather
which killed the wheat An increase of 20 per
cent in the acreage planted in corn will add ap-
proximately 500000000 bushels of corn to the ’ -nation’s
crop A large portion of this Increased
yield will go to European allies of the United
States and to neutral nations It is probable that
Uncle Sam will have to send some of his experts
in domestic science abroad to instruct the Euro- '
pean In the value and methods of preparing corn
as a food product'
The nation’s corn crop has averaged 3000000-
000 bushels in the last few years a no inconsid-
' erable mark in itself but reports collected by ag-
ricultural experts from the middle West Indlcnte
that the 1917 crop will approximate 3500000000
bushels The banner corn states of the Union
' t are prepared to do their sjmre in he drjve for
increased food production Conservative estimates
1 of what some of the leading states in the corn-
belt region will do this year are: Illinois 400-
000000 bushels Iowa 325000000 to 350000000
bushels Nebraska 250000000 bushels Missouri
225000000 bushels Indiana 200000000 bushels
and Texas 200000000 bushels Such middle
Western states as Minnesota South Dakota
North Dnkota Wisconsin and Michigan will have
greatly increased acreages of corn this season
due to several reasons In the Western group of
states which lie in the heart of the' wheat belt
thousands of ncres of winter wheat were killed
during the winter Despite the fact that the
ppring wheat acreage planted this year is unusu-
ally larger there still remained many thousands
of acres of land which could be used for no other
purpose than for com or oats two of the leaders
In the great trio of farm crops
The harvest this summer is likely to see a record-breaking
crop of oats approximating 2000-
000000 bushels Tremendous increases will also
be made in the rye kafir corn sorghum and for-
age crops all of which are important factors in
supplying the tables of the world with important
food products It is this latter activity in plant-
ing greatly increased acreages of the minor crops
that Is expected to bring on a small revolution in
farming circles Instead of depending upon one
two or three of the big trio of crops the farmer
is devoting his energy to the growing of other
crops which supplement the food products gained
from wheat com and oats Thus in the case of
a failure of any of the important crops America
will have plenty of substitutes to fall back upon
Already food chemists and experts In almost all
of the middle Western states are busily engaged
In finding new flour substitutes Discoveries
made in a number of laboratories indicate thnt
America's bread will be baked with the aid of
more varieties of flour than ever before Kafir
corn and feterita have been found to make ac-
ceptable flours and the use of cottonseed meal
In the preparation of breadstuffs will soon gain
widespread popularity Chemists are engaged on
other a till hunts’ for new food substitutes and by
the end of the year America will be eating scores
of new foods and combinations of foodstuffs
which have been wasted heretofore or fed to ‘live
stock
Emergency food commissions established in all
of the states are conducting an aggressive can-
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SVeZ-jT atzostowa —
pnign to enlist the support of all farmers in the
work of growing greatly increased crops “Keep
every acre working this summer” Is a enmpaign
slogan which Is heard in nil of the great farming
states The result will be that in the fall the
farmers will harvest pennut bean buckwheat
potato- and ofher “catch crops” a departure in
the history of agriculture According to present
indications the potato crop will be nearly 200-
000000 bushels larger than ever before while
prodigious quantities of peanuts and beans will
be available for food products In the fall and
during 1918
The mobilization of the farms for war service
has been conducted along many lines of service
Close co-ordination between all branches of the
industry has given tremendous Impetus to the
campaign to increase the nation’s food supply
Travelers who pass through the middle West
this year will see scenes along railroad property
comparable to those in Europe where the farm-
ers have been cultivating such idle ground for
years In some states notably Iowa and Kansas
well-defined steps have been taken to encourage
the planting of certain useful crops along the
roadsides Iowa has more than 200000 ncres of
unused land along its public highways which
could be drafted for this purpose while Kansas
has more than 150000 ncres according to a recent
survey
It is safe to say that virtually every acre of
land which can be handled conveniently during
the summer months has been placed under culti-
vation in Iowa and the surrounding states The
labor shortage is so serious that thousands of
farmers have been grently hnndicnpped in putting
out increased acreage because of the fenr thnt
they would be unable to harvest the crops unaid-
ed It is estimated that the middle West will re-
quire an nrmy of 500000 farm laborers this sum-
mer If the food crop is to be saved In its en-
tirety Farm laborers can command almost any
price for their services but despite alluring of-
fers they are hard to get Cnnadn is paying as
high ns $75 n month for laborers and in some
coses is promising them free homesteads In the
Northern states farm hands can command wages
ranging from $45 to $G0 a month and board A
few years ago the farm hand who could get $23
or $30 for his services was considered a genius
The patriotic service the farmers are doing
this year and which they will be called upon to
do next year on a much larger scale will add
millions if not billions of dollars to the wealth
of the country Mobilization of the farm re-
sources has been one of the most stupendous un-
dertakings ever attempted by the government
but it has succeeded admirably well for 1917
despite the late start By 1918 every available
resource of the middle West will be thrown into
the production of vastly increased yields of all
farm crops
The Eskimo Tells the World
Why He Asks to be Left Alone
“Why are you trying to educate the Eskimos?
Why don’t you let them alone? They were happy
and were able to exist before you began to change
their mode of life”
These are the questions that are asked and an-
swered in The Eskimo a monthly magazine pub-
lished at Nome Alaska in the Interests of Eskimos
of the northwest district of Alaska Walter C
Shields superintendent of the work of the bureau
of education department of the interior in north-
western Alaska who writes the leading article In
this new magazine of the North says :
“The people who ask these questions if they are
really sincere enough to warrant any consideration
can be divided into two classes First those who
display their scientific knowledge by quoting the
law of ‘the survival of the fittest’ with the assump-
tion that the Eskimo is not fit to survive The
second class claim a peculiar insight Into the frame
of mind of the ancient Eskimo who they assert
was an especially contented individual and further-
more they insist thnt the Eskimo of today is not
contented
Eskimo Fit and Able
“This set of critics insists on taking the position
indefensible in this day and generation that educa-
tion is a bad thing for a people The claim of our
service is that the Eskimo by reason of his inher-
ent qualities and because of his geographical posi-
tion is fit and able to survive nnd we claim thnt by
our system of education for him we are making
him not only more fit to survive but that he will
be a vital factor in the development of northern
Alaska
“The Eskimo is not dependent On the contrary
he Is even in the present condition a real nnd vital ’
factor in the wealth of the country lie has never
received a ration from the government he can sup-
port himself not always according to our stand-
ards it is true but It is better for him to eat strict-
ly native food than for him to leant to expect the
government to support hint The wail so often
heard from Ignorant but presumably charitable
people ‘Why don’t you give the poor people some
food?’ if heeded would make paupers of a self-supporting
and noble race We are proud of the fact
that we have not fed the Eskimo We are proud
of him os a man because lie feeds himself
“One reason why primitive races have so often
been pushed to the wail by the white race has
been that the white race has coveted nnd needed
the land As far as we can see for years to come
the white man will not make any attempt to push
the Eskimo off his part of the map While there
will undoubtedly be developments in mining yet
for a long time to come the Eskimo will hnve
plenty of room in northern Alaska Therefore
even if this northern jmrt of Alaska through some
unexpected development should become desirable
for a large population we believe that with what
development the Eskimo has already received and
the additional development that even five years
more of undisturbed possession of his northern
fastnesses will give him he will be well fitted to
meet advanced economic conditions
“The keynote of our school system for the Eski-
mo is its direct relation to the village life Thus
the school republic becomes the village council
the school garden soon becomes the village garden
the cooking class becomes the bread-baking class
fi the village the clean-up ’of the school grounds
becomes the village clean-up the bench work for
the boys class becomes the boat and sled building
center for the village And most striking of all
the schoolboy who Is sent to the reindeer herd as
an apprentice In four years becomes the trained
herder the supporter of his family and a future
leader of his people
“We Want No Praise'’
“We of the Alaska service are helping to bear
the white man’s burden we do not claim' to be
ministering to a dying race we want no praise as
helpers of the weak or as ministers to the down-
trodden who are dying in filth and degradation
We do not allow anyone to class us in these cate-
gories That class of work Is entirely humani-
tarian and is properly the duty of the missionary
organizations But as representatives of the gov-
ernment we claim the right of our service to exist
because we are developing the resources of north-
ern Alaska just as much as any man with a pick
and pan We are adding to the wealth of the na-
tion Just as much and as surely as any prospector
or trallmaker We are making a country produc-
tive just ns much as any reclamation project that
was ever mannged by the government”
The teachers nnd others who have established
The Eskimo have been formerly congratulated by
United States commissioner of education for their
enterprise in Inaugurating themagazine Doctor
Clnxton believes that it will be of direct help to
the- service of the bureau of education in Alaska
Many summer sflits bear the Impress
of styles in sports clothes much to the
satisfaction of the busy up-to-date
woman A single day’s program would
require her’ to be something of a
"lightning change artist” if she were
to attempt n different dress for every
one of her occupations Thunks be it
isn’t done Lenvlng out of the reckon-
ing the ordinary business of living
each day which lins to be attended to
there may easily be a morning of golf
an afternoon of bridge and a dinner
dance all scheduled for one date Or
a morning of Ited Cross work an af-
ternoon of shopping and an evening
concert The woman of today man-
ages by making small changes in the
details of her dress Her capacious
“sweater bag” carries a change of
hose and slippers an extra blouse or
whatever she may elect according ' to
the order of the day Wool or silk
jersey in skirt and coat will see her
through
An attractive suit of silk Jersey In
contrasting colors of the same ma-
terial is shown in the picture The
skirt is plain and only moderately full
and with the right blouse and foot-
wear it answers the demands of sports
wear The coat is quite another mat-
ter It Is plaited and elaborated with
a cape and shawl collar These and
the cuffs belt and pockets employ a
contrasting color in the silk jersey and
It is dressy enough for formal wear
A suit of this kind will serve for many
occasions
Jersey cloth in wool or silk may be
said to have “arrived” It has runde
an important place for itself ns a
fabric of definite character the liking
for It grows with acquaintance so that
it bids fair to become an old tried
friend like serge
A Patriotic Costume -The
girl who would be patriotic yet
exclusive nnd smart will select one of
the new navy blue velvet sports coats
These are immensely the thing and are-
very stunning indeed double-breasted
with big white pearly buttons nnd with
patch pockets below the belt at either
side Worn with a skirt of white linea
and a sports hat In blue nnd red they
produce the gallant red white' and blue-
cylor scheme and also a costume past
criticism for correctness and chic effects
Hats Trimmed With Near-Aigrettes
Hats covered with aigrettes whiclk
stand out like quills upon the back of
the fretful porcupine ore worn by ex-
tremely well-dressed women They
are not always the veritable aigrettes
Their Importation is Still forbidden by
law But peacock and like plumes are-
burnt till nothing but the fine stem
remain An almost perfect Imitation
is the result nnd it is difficult to tell
the difference at a short distance
Wrist Bags of Ribbon
REMINISCENCE OF POE
The painter William Sartnin contributed some
recollection of Edgar Allan I’oe to the Art World:
“Ills biographer Griswold has slandered him
as Intemperate My father said this was not
true nnd he was most temperate In drinking It
is a considerable confirmation of this that Poe
was a model of punctuality in his reviewing and
other work for the magazines during all the en-
suing 15 years of his life which comprises his
literary career In 1S37 he moved to New York
and after a year to Philadelphia where he wrote
some of his finest stories For much of his lit-
erary career he was half starving His labor
over lii writings is shown no doubt with some
exaggeration however in his article ‘The Philoso-
phy of Composition’ written shortly after the
publication of ‘The Haven’ In this essny he
enumerates some of his articles of faith such as:
Beauty is the legitimate province of the poem
it is a pure and Intense elevation of the soul not
of the intellect nor the heart
“But except for these Intermittent Indulgences
his addiction to stimulants must have been gross-
ly exaggerated by his biographer Griswold whom
my father has snid he had personally seen on
quite bad terms with I’oe My father’s acquaint-
ance with him wns the more close in the latter
years of his life nnd ns his statements were most
positive these derogatory stories must be taken
with a grain of salt The account I have given
of Poe’s death after having been robbed of his
clothes seems to me to be so reasonable — and
moreover based on my father’s contemporary' in-
formation — that I cannot accept the story of his
having been lured into the hands of an election-
eering gang and drugged so as to be utilized for
depositing ballots In numerous polling places”
MISUNDERSTANDING
“What did the kaiser mean by his promise to
his brother-in-law when he knew he couldn't
keep Itr
“He wrote and sent him a letter didn’t he?"
“Yes"
“Well that is what he meant bx fcie mailed
fist"
There are many bits of feminine
finery made of ribbon that are Joys
to their possessors Just now of all
of these ribbon bags hold first place
in the hearts of those who have beau-
tiful things nnd they are of all sizes
and shapes nnd for all sorts of pur-
poses That badge of patriotism' and
usefulness the knitting bng — is made
of wide ribbons in ample sizes to
carry the yurns nnd knitting needles
thnt are like Mary’s lamb For every-
where the ludy goes the knitting bug
goes too
Then there are the wrist bags that
carry handkerchief and coin purse
! powder nnd powder puff — and quite
likely a small mirror — or other of the
Indispensables of life for the girls of
today They are made of wide rib-
bons or narrower widths set together
to make sufficient width They are Ij
gay soft colors in stripes and in nil
sorts of lovely brocades and printed
flower patterns
Some of the new wrist bags are
made with mountings in gilt or silver
such as are used for leather bags but
a far greater number are gathered on
narrow ribbons that serve to close and
carry there The bags on mountings
are nearly always lined with plain
bright-colored satins while those
closed nnd suspended by narrow rib-
bons are often unlined Three of
these pretty luxuries are shown in
the picture It takes little ribbon to
make any one of them and they are
so simple that every woman can add
them to her belongings
Nainsook Union Suit
The fact that women are’ going In so
strong for athletics has brought about
an interesting thing in underwear for
the feminine sex The strenuous ex-
ercise is hard on fine underwear and
therefore there is being made an ath-
letic union suit of nainsook This is
fashioned much on the same order as
the men’s Striped muslins dotted
nainsooks in both white and pink are
also favored materials for this new
garment A narrow edging of cluny or
Valenciennes trims the top At the
waistline at the back there is an insert
of knitted material to give plenty of
reaching room The suit buttons down
the entire front and beyond
the knees