By virtue of your position, training, closeness to the people and knowledge of what the situation demands, you have the opportunity to render service to your people at home and to your Nation in a measure that cannot be surpassed. You are at a pivotal point and upon you rests a great responsibility. From reports that are coming from all sections of the State, I am confident that our agents everywhere are living up to their opportunities.

Three weeks ago Governor Bickett wrote the Boards of County Commissioners of every county urging them to use their road forces to cultivate vacant and tenantless farms, assuring them that they had ample authority to use the road forces thus. So important is this matter that the Governor has addressed a second letter to the County Boards further urging this matter. Many of our County Boards have been slow to act, although in most counties land has been offered rent free for this purpose. It is highly important for the welfare of our State and Nation and for the protection of our people against want that the Governor’s repeated suggestion be followed. If your County Board is slow to act, use your personal influence in a quiet way, and that of your Conservation Board and of your live citizens to bring such pressure to bear on the board that it will act.

We are receiving in this office offers of land to be worked rent free in food and feed crops and also have received a number of labor volunteers. We are referring all of these to the county agents. I would suggest that you make a list of all lands offered or available for cultivation in food and feed crops and list also the names of any who volunteer for farm work, together with those farmers who are needing more labor. In other words, make your office a sort of clearing house for land and labor. If there is a chamber of commerce or other commercial organization in your county seat, it can give you valuable assistance and possibly relieve you of this work.

It often seems easier to impress people in a crowd than otherwise, and I would suggest that you hold as many meetings and conferences as possible. For the larger of these meetings, where a sufficient attendance can be secured to warrant the time and expense, speakers can be secured from Raleigh. Another thing: Every line of publicity you get in your local papers helps that much.