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Date Original
1917 August 14
Description
Article from the Arkansas Gazette about rumors that were being circulated that the government was going to seize canned food from the public.
Transcription
MALICIOUS STORY
GIVEN CIRCULATION
Reported Government Will
Confiscate All Canned
Food Products.
APPEARS TO BE A PLOT
Department of Agriculture Will Seek
to Discover Those Responsible for
Circulation of Rumors
A report is being given widespread
circulation throughout the rural dis-
tricts of Arkansas that the govern-
ment intends to confiscate all canned
and preserved food products, accord-
ing to reports that have been receiv-
ed by W.C. Lasseter, director of the
Agricultural Extension Division of
the University of Arkansas and of
the United States Department of
Agriculture.
"The persistence with which these
reports have been circulated, and in
counties widely separated, indicates
that they are the result of an organ-
ized propaganda by persons who are
seeking to embitter the people against
the government," said Mr. Lasseter
yesterday.
"Of course the reports are false. I
took the trouble to secure a denial
from the United States Department
of Agriculture so that I might speak
with absolute authority in denying
the reports. The department assures
me that such reports are absolutely
without foundation.
A Systematic Effort
"However, I consider the matter
important, because it indicates that a
systematic effort is being made to em-
bitter the people of Arkansas against
the government. Some people have
believed the reports. In some cases
the work of the county canning club
agents has been handicapped because
people believed that if they should
can fruits or vegetables the govern-
ment would come along and take
these things away from them abso-
lutely without pay.
"We first heard of the circulation
of these reports during the series of
picnic chautauquas that the Exten-
sion Division held in Conway county
week before last. Then later we re-
ceived reports that similar reports
had been circulated in Saline and in
Pope counties. It is possible that
the same report has been circulated
in other counties."
Mr. Lasseter has reported the mat-
ter to the United States Department
of Agriculture, which has promised to
make an investigation. In the mean-
time Mr. Lasseter requests that any
person in arkansas to whom this re-
port is told shall at once write to him,
giving him the name and address of
the person who told him. Mr. Lasse-
ter should be addressed at the old
statehouse in Little Rock.
Physical Description
Microfilm
Subjects
World War I, 1914-1918; Freedom of speech; Sedition
Contributor
Arkansas Gazette
Geographical Area
Arkansas
Language
English
Identifier
MFILM NEWS 000431 Roll 0147
Collection
Newspaper microfilm collection
Publisher
Arkansas State Archives
Contributing Entity
Arkansas State Archives
Recommended Citation
"Malicious Story Given Circulation," Arkansas Gazette, August 14, 1917, Newspaper microfilm collection, Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Rights
Use and reproduction of this lesson plan supplemental material for instructional purposes is allowed without prior written permission. For further information on reproducing images held by the Arkansas State Archives, please call 501-682-6900 or email at state.archives@arkansas.gov.
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