The Intelligencer July 31, 1917 (page 1)
“Crops Are Heavy But Laborers Are Few. ‘The war will be won by food and the nation with the last bushel of wheat will be the victor,—let us be that nation,’ said Professor William A. Parks, of Toronto University. … Prof. Parks addressed a small gathering of citizens in the City Hall last evening and a local organization was started to form a central link in an organization taking in the entire county of Hastings and having for its purpose the encouragement of increased production, food saving, especially of foodstuffs that can be exported for the benefit of the allies, and anti-waste campaigns. …
Mr. John Elliott presided over the meeting and gave many helpful suggestions toward an effective organization. He will accompany Prof. Parks and Mr. D. A. McIntosh, District Agricultural Representative, upon a tour of Hastings County to organize for a greater production next year. …
There is only one possible solution of the difficulty—the employment of unskilled, urban help on the farms, and there is only one spirit that can be evoked to bring about this desirable end. The name of this spirit is Sacrifice. … Given a supply of labor, let us say that 1,000 men, women and boys of the city of Belleville are willing to spend two weeks on a farm next summer. How can these good intentions be translated into deeds? Only by an effective organization and kindly co-operation between town and farm. … It was decided to form a county organization.”
First World War Belleville 