THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
87 
hear a note of pessimism sounded; occasionally some 
elieap politician rushes into print to criticise this or that 
department for its ineflicicncies or failures, but the facts 
in the case are: the progress our nation has made during 
the past few months in war preparation has astounded 
military men of the old world. They do not understand 
how wc have been able to get so quickly on a war basis, 
and while, to be sure, there have been some mistakes 
made, we are fast becoming, in the truest sense, pre¬ 
pared for any emergency Avhich may confront us. The 
business of this nation at this hour is TU/1//;, and for the 
time being every other matter, however important, is of 
secondary consideration. 
The transportation lines of the nation are needed, and 
by executive order billions of property and millions of 
men are commandeered, while the most cosmopolitan na¬ 
tion on the earth looks on with universal approval. A 
hundred million free people, boastful of individual rights 
and privileges, are directed to observe meatless Tuesdays 
and wheatless Wednesday, and out of pure patriotism 
such days are religiously observed by all. The engines 
of commerce, through executive order, are commanded 
to stand still for five consecutive days, that cargoes of 
fuel, supplies, ammunition, and men may move across 
the waters. Bowing to the mandate of the government, 
the doors of thousands of places of business are closed 
as if by magic, and the only note of disapproval comes 
from the politician. We, the people of the United States, 
are the government, and if there lives a man so craven as 
would in this hour withhold any possession, I care not 
how sacred, or who would think of his own selfish 
interests further than necessity forced him, he is 
not my kind of an American. Less than a 
complete dedication to God and country of all 
that we have and all that we are would at this time 
be unworthy of American citizenship. Feeling this way, 
you can understand how, when your Secretary invited 
me to address you on this occasion and left me free to 
choose my subject, I unhesitatingly determined to speak 
to you out of the promptings of my heart on the subject. 
The Nation’s Call to Service 
I need not take time to tell you that duty will call your 
sons to seiwice in the trenches at the front; that has al¬ 
ready been determined. I need not tell you that duty will 
call for sacriflee in money and service, as we shall from 
time to time be invited to purchase Liberty Bonds, to con¬ 
tribute to the Bed Cross of the Y. M. C. A.; neither would 
I insult your patriotism or intelligence by pleading for 
your loyalty. These great (luestions are ever to the front 
and we shall continue to meet them as patriots. That 
particular jiatriotism about which I have elected to speak 
to you today has to do with the everyday affairs of life, 
and everyday affairs of life constitute a patriotic duty 
today as never before, perhaps, in the history of our 
country. Furthermore, life is made up largely of every¬ 
day aff airs—the little things. Only a few of us will be 
called to serve at the front. Only a few of us will be 
called to sit in council with our leaders. However that 
may be, there is a patriotism each of us can render which 
is just as necessary as the other. 
This is an organization of fruit growers, nurserymen, 
florists, and beekeepers. You might look the world over 
and you could not Ix'al Ihis coiubiualion of industries 
neci'ssaiy to tin; ongoing of society. You are wont to 
mei'l annually lo consid(*r llu' problems which have to do 
with youi' business life, and through exchange of ideas, 
emh'avor to make more straight the path and more even 
the way of your business life. In this you are to be com- 
mendc'd, for, thi-ough co-opei’ation, you will accomplish 
much that would b(‘ impossible individually. Especially 
during the present, when conditions are unsettled; when 
no man would dare to suggest what an hour will bring 
forth, I urge you to keep very much alive your organiza¬ 
tion. The government, for obvious reasons, has recently 
determined to classify its industries, and I need not tell 
you where the classification places you. You are the pro¬ 
ducers of food. The crying need of the world today is 
food, and over a large part of the world, food is synony¬ 
mous with America. America must feed herself and 
Europe, or a large part of Europe will starve. Do you 
grasp the significance of that statement? Let me repeat 
that you are producers of food, and that the world is ver¬ 
ily starving for your products. Your products are as 
necessary a food product as wheat, corn, and all the rest. 
In the face of this condition, need I tell you how impor¬ 
tant is your avocation, and how necesary that you produce 
the maximum in your different lines. I say to you in all 
earnestness that it is your patriotic duty to produce every 
ounce of food possible, and that less than this would, 
under the conditions, be unworthy of you. I know that 
the inclination is to “hedge,” to “keep close to the shore,” 
but that policy today would be ruinous. I know, too, that 
the chances for profits in your line of business are min¬ 
imized by risk, great always but especially so today, be¬ 
cause your products are perishable, but we cannot afford 
to think of profits when a world is starving. I am a nur¬ 
seryman and my individudal policy is to plant normally in 
my general line, and to use every available plot of ground 
about the place in producing something which the world 
needs. I know what the consequences will be if the nur¬ 
serymen of America go out of business. You orchardists 
are already finding it difficult to procure trees for your 
orchards, and if the policy of radical retrenchment goes 
on; if propagation of trees and plants is not kept up to 
normal, it does not take a prophet to tell the story of our 
failure. 
When, under the stress of conditions brought about 
during the winter season through the congested condi¬ 
tions of shipjiing, my oflice was sought for relief, I di¬ 
rected the Secretary of the American Association of Nur¬ 
serymen to go to Washington and place before the war 
shijiping board certain faetjv prominently this, that 90% 
of the products handled by the nurserymen represent 
food- products, and that any serious interference with the 
movement of nursery stock meant a curtailment of food 
supply, the very thing the government says must not hap¬ 
pen. I am s])eaking thus to you today, earnestly endeav¬ 
oring to make you understand how important and how 
patriotic is your duty to make your business count 100% 
in etliciency during these days of world-wide sorrow and 
need. 
Your Delation to Labor 
Not only has the government classified its industries, 
but it has endeavored to classify its men as well. The 
idea is, where is this or that man worth most. Where 
