CHAPTER in 

 THE FARMERS' PART IN THE WORLD WAR 



American farms provided the substance neces- 

 sary to the winning of the war in the three- 

 fold nature of men, food and money. Enough 

 time has passed since the world war to give 

 us a fair perspective view of the supreme test 

 which agriculture underwent in this period of 

 stress. 



The war began for American farmers with 

 the outbreak in 1914 even though the full strain 

 of the emergency did not culminate until we 

 were joined in the conflict in 1917 ; that is, great 

 economic influences began to bear which had 

 much to do with the situation which has fol- 

 lowed. The stimulation of manufactures, due 

 to the demand for munitions to European 

 nations then in conflict, immediately placed a 

 draft upon labor which was felt on the farm. 

 The stimulant of advancing prices for food- 

 stuffs led the American farmer to increase his 

 production and strive to take advantage of 



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