Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-27
TO HELP THE FARMER
Mr.. RooseveIt's Commission
Finding How to Do 1t.
LIVING CONDITIONS ARE BAD
Social Side of Agricultural Life Not
Attractive.
STATE OF THE SOUTH SERIOUS
Movement Not Socialistic, but
Simply to Show Rural Denizens
How to Help Themselves.
STATE OF THE SOUTH SERIOUS
By WILLIAM +. CURTIS.

NIltstu iue CtdT dlC tne SulcdSO
Herald.
Mr.. Henry Wallace of Des Moines.
Iowa. IS here with the farmers uplirt
commissio1." appointed last August by
the President and I asked him what he
and his colleagues are doing and what
they expect TO accomplish.
THE President in his letter OF in
structions,'' replied Mr.. Wallace, "ex-
p esSed what is in the mind of every
thoughtful man wko is acquainted with
the condition of affairs among the Amer
lean farmers. He said that we were
making great progress in the develop
ment of our agricultural resources but
while the conditions in some of our best
regions leave little to be desired our
standards of country living are very un-
equal and We are far from having reach
ed high level in all parts of the coun-
try. In other words. the social and
economic conditions of the farmers are
not keeping pace with the advancement
or the nation whole There is not
the slightest doubt that the farmers of
the United States as an average. are
much better off in all respects than those
OF every other nation.
Farm Life Must Be frightened.
LAS the President said 1t is doubt uI
II any other nation can bear comparison
with our own in the amount of attention
given by the government. both federal
and state. to agricultural matters: but
practically the whole Of this effort has
been directed toward increasing the
Eoiume and quality of the crops, and il
should be accompanied by an effort TO
secure better business methods and bet
Ter living on the farm. 1t is. of course.
q nj hot
the greatest possible return for his labor
In money, but good crops are of little
value to him unless they bring him com
forts and advantages which every intelli-
gent human being desires. and unless
they open the door to greater happiness
and higher privileges for himself and his
family. 49,
We hear a good deal of talk about the
young people going back to the farms,
out oetore they can be induced to do so
farm life must be frightened and made
more attractive, and farm work must be
made lighter and less exhausting to the
body and the mind AS the President said
In his instructions, it is of especial i'm
portance that something should be done
to educate country children to be con-
tented on the farm and TO make farm life
richer and more attractive for the moth
ers. wives and daughters of the farmers.
He also expressed an anxiety to bring
better business methods on the farms
both in the way of economizng labor and
securing better returns for it; to secure
cooperation in buying selling and Dor
rowing. and by promoting opportunities
that VIII make country life more gainful
as we'll as more comfOrta BILE.
Commission Named to Investigate.
With that in view he appointed what
he called "a commission on country life
of which Prof. l.. II. Bailey OF the New
York State College of Agriculture is
chairman. President Butterfield of Massa-
chusetts Agricultural College Clifford Pin
chot. director of the United States forest
service: Walter II. Page q North Caro-
lima and myself are members. He has
since added Charles S. Barrett of Union
City. Ga, and w. a. Beard of Sacra-
mento. and has asked us to make an in
vestgaton and report before the end of
next December what can be done to Sc
cure greater efficiency and attractiveness
IN farm life.
"rhe first thing we did was to send out
about half million circulars of inquiry
10 farmers and persons who are familiar
with farm life in different parts of the
country. These circulars contain twelve
questions for the purpose Of drawing out
Information on the economic, social. edu-
cational and sanitary conditions Of the
farm homes in this country, and the per-
sons to whom they are sent are requested
TO state what i'm their Judgment SHOULD be
done for the betterment of country life.
THE various phases of the subject have
been assigned 20 different members of the
commission. Continued Mr.. Wallace,
and each of them has sent out supple
mentary circulars making specific in
uu!rieS upon the lines of his investigation.
For example. ] have sent out 2OOJO cir
culars asking what per cent Of the land
is worked by The owners: how much Is
rented: how much for cash and how
mucn on shares, and the amount OF
the shares. | have asked for information
to the incomes of the farmers who own
their land compared with those OF ten
ants ard the land owners. | have asked
about wages also. and the cost of living.
and whether there has been any increase
II rents or in wages What proportion of
hired farm hands ultimately become farm
ers: What proportion OF the tenants be-
come land owners? What proportion of
he tenants drop of and become laoorers
and what proportion OF the farmers lose
their land?
How the Investigation Is Made.
I'VE get the names of the persons 20
whom these circulars arc sent from the
banks In the small towns and villages.
from agricultural colleges, from newspa
pers and from associations of various
kinds and we are confident that we have
reached the representative intelligent
farmers of every section of the country.
We have also sent circulars to country
ministers. doctors. educators. business
men. railroad men and others who come
into contact with farmers and have an
opportunity to learn Of the conditions ard
needs of country life. The interest taken
by the farming community in this inquiry
is indicated by the fact that we are re-
ceiving between five and six thousand an
swers a day. and many of them are of the
greatest interest. Country ministers and
priests have written surprisingly large
number OF the replies, and their sugges
tons show broad ard Intelligent grasp
OF the situation. School teachers, super
iu:endents of schools. country bankers
and commission men who deal in farmers
produce have also given us some exceed
ingly valuable information.
Even Farm Hands Are Interested.
There are several replies from ordinary
farm hands. men who work by the month,
which show degree of intelligence and
Judgment that was not expected Some
OF them show comprehension of the
subject that would do credit to a po-
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