In Times of War 



ing our agriculture during the past sixty or 

 seventy years. Failing to recognize the fact 

 that land is a nation's greatest asset, we have 

 been content to drift along, leaving agrarian 

 conditions in an admittedly unsatisfactory 

 state. Providence has been merciful to us, 

 or at this moment we might be suffering from 

 the effects of a serious interruption of our 

 food supply. Germany never really believed 

 that we should go to war in 19 14. Had she 

 believed it, it is inconceivable that she would 

 have allowed us to bottle up her navy as we 

 have done. With all her cruisers — instead 

 of only seven — on the high seas, she could 

 have caused severe damage to our shipping 

 before our navy could prevent it. As things 

 are, we may yet have to suffer considerable 

 inconvenience from interruption of our food 

 supply ; but it should not be necessary to 

 adduce these arguments in favour of putting 

 our land to better use. A properly instructed 

 public opinion should demand that our land 

 be no longer wasted, that it should produce 

 all that it is potentially capable of giving to 

 the nation, and that it should employ the 

 largest possible number of men. Such a 



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