world and the prospect of meagre production in the 

 warring countries in Europe. If you exercise your ima- 

 ginations, if you allow your hearts to brood a little on 

 all that implies, on all that is threatened, you will see 

 what I mean when I say your industry is coming 1 into 

 prominence. It is taking its rightful place as the most 

 important of any, and it is for you, farmers, to take the 

 place your profession and duty make obligatory on you 

 as a great auxiliary to the Red Cross in the trouble of 

 the world, they relieving the. wounded and you work- 

 ing with all your energy to feed the hungry, and not to 

 have it on your conscience later on that it was through 

 lethargy of yours that some children may have died of 

 malnutrition ir^the cities of your country. 



I have shown, I think, that I realise your difficulties 

 with regard to labour, horses and the raw materials of 

 your industry. But I think, and my belief is confirmed 

 by the opinion of the greatest agricultural experts men 

 who are not only farming but who think about farming, 

 and who enquire beyond their own parish into the 

 sources of supply and the substitutes and expedients to 

 be adopted that you could still increase production and 

 do it with honour and profit to yourselves. I am loth 

 in moments of great human necessity to mention the 

 word profit along with the word honour, but it must be 

 mentioned because a large number of you are poor and 

 it would be impossible for many to go to the expense 

 of increasing production unless they were certain that 

 they would receive a return which would recoup their 

 expenditure. So I say that there is no production of 

 beef, mutton, bacon, wheat, oats, potatoes, milk or 

 butter possible in these islands which would not amply 

 in the coming year repay the cost of labour, implements 

 and raw materials. You have seen already the improved 

 tendency of prices for your stock and produce, and you 

 may rest assured that while the war lasts that tendency 

 will persist and for nigh a year after the war until men 

 can get back to their ancient labours on the land in 



