Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-28

even loafers in the city have, the farmer
has left his bed at 5 a m. to break the
ice in the tea kettle thaw out the
pump feed the stock. milk the COWS snS
then read in the paper that perhaps his
cows will be confiscated for alleged tuber-
culosis, and that his share Of the cents
that the middleman asks for quart OF
milk is begrudged by the city folks who
do not SO much as blink an eye at pay
ing 10 cents for a cigar and 81 or $50
for a theater ticket. He reflects on his
struggle with alternate drought and
storm. with weeds. blights and insect
pests. with sickness and accident among
his stock, with debt, taxes and wear
and tear generally, with high prices for
what he has to buy and inability to en-
up In other lines to point beyond his
reach. and his wife with the vague un-
rest sand the longing for something bet
ter than she has known backs him--up
Of the. lonely and long. long day. >
In the recent social, service conference
Prof. Devine stated his belief that pow
erty can be abolished. However visionary
what he can to bring 1t about in part.
The National Capital Is looked to as In
some measure a testing place for >eco-
nomic ideas. Would 1t be too much to ask
Congress to appropriate on the usual half
and half prime pie OF taxation sum for
the purchase and maintenance for
term Of years of an experiment farm In
discriminating poverty. to serve as
model for cities and states now at their
wits ends in the matter? Should the De-
partment of Agriculture be able to demon
strate with it's experts the feasibility Of
putting on a self-sustain ng basis q
"back-to-the-farm movement" from the
unemployed in this city II would be an
ach evement ranking with the best in its
traditions. In the rough. plan might DO
evolved to buy and manage dairy. poul-
try and truck farm OF several hundred
acres for white workers, and q duplicate
farm for colored people. at some point In
Virginia or Maryland with water and rail-
connection with the markets OF Washing
ton and Baltimore. The land should be
surveyed. with proper roadways. into
of in fee simple for labor or other conn
modify as occasion demands. The colonies
should have a plant fof pumping water
where needed. each model boarding
a central hall for church. school and so
ctal entertainments. Perhaps they could
also support a gas or electric plant Tor
light and heat For married men model
cottages should be built on the nve and
ten acre plats and such a price placed on
them that the buyer could earn his home
by labor alone If guaranteed five hours
Of work on the main farm each working
day ait 90 cents an hour Tie couid thus
have the rest Of the day to develop his
own land, or sell more hours OF his labor.
and earn a place valued at say $3.50 In
five years, or" much earlier IL there were
other breadwinners In the family 10 help
him. To provide work in winter there
m. ght be established creamery. a can
merry. box factory and other enterprises.
Possibly. part OF the city's garbage
could be made a source Of profit by con-
tracting to bury II In trenches on the
farms and thus enrich the soil to the top
notch stage for making CROPS.
Executive ability and business knowl-
edge Of a high order would be necessary
to manaee the buying. marketing ana
other DEPARTMENTS. but there are prob
ably capable men to be had at fair sala-
ries II substantial bonuses are offered.
dependent on putting the enterprise on
self-sustaining basis in given number
of years.
1t may be objected that the city poor
are idle from choice and could not be
induced to go to the farms. and II they
did go would be too ignorant and shift
less to do good work. They are not all
shirks. Give them chance under COM
petent foremen to own a little land and
see what they can do. II they fall down
on the job there is plenty of other labor
to be had. Let the rule OF Holy Writ
be enforced from start to finish: IF any
would not work neither shall he eat.
The sick, the lonely and the deserving
poor should have the tenderest care OF
the charities now helping them. but all
ablebodied men and women who impose
on the churches and the charities should
land in the workhouse II they prove that
they are idle from choice. A much closer
tab should be kept on the idle and vicious
to prevent If possible. the recurrence or
murders OF the Mickle and laundryman
stamp, so banning to the police.
If the Commissioners do not approve or
Congress cannot see its way clear to
give to the District for such a cause .
share Of the Morrill, fund now going to
the states or otherwise help. how would
II do for the Board OF Trade and the
charity organisations and others to get
together to see IL an Incorporated stock
company can be organized to try farming
along some such line as that suggested7
SAMUEL JACOB.