Hemp for Victory (1942)

Narrator: For the sailor, no less than the hangman, hemp was indispensable. A 44-gun frigate like our cherished Old Ironsides took over 60 tons of hemp for rigging, including an anchor cable 25 inches in circumference. The Conestoga wagons and prairie schooners of pioneer days were covered with hemp canvas. Indeed the very word canvas comes from the Arabic word for hemp. In those days hemp was an important crop in Kentucky and Missouri. Then came cheaper imported fibers for cordage, like jute, sisal and Manila hemp, and the culture of hemp in America declined.

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Contrary to popular belief, prints are still in existence, and the film itself is in the public domain. Copies have been made available through education groups, and the film is also available to download on the Internet.
Was required viewing for all US farmers during WWII by federal mandate.
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