The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-26
Commission Divides Into
Four subcommittee to
Study the Matter
PRACTICAL FARMING
is BEING PROBED
Work Enlarged by the Commission to
Embrace Whole Subject of CO.
Operative Effort As 1t Re-
lates to Agriculture

Rome May 25-A most important
task whose solution Will be of the
greatest interest to the American
farmer has been undertaken by the
American commission on agricultural
organization. cooperation and rural
credits now studying the system at
work in various countries in Europe
During the voyage from the United
States the members decided to depart
from the original intention of mere
ly investigating the systems of Euro
pean rural credits as it was considered
that SC narrow a subject would tend
against the usefulness of the COM
mission
The scope of the work was therefore
enlarged to embrace the whole subject
of cooperative effort as il touches ag-
ricultural and rural life
The members divided into four sub
comittees dealing with the subjects of
finance, production, distribution and
organization of agriculture and country
life.
The first subcommittee has started
an investigation into all forms OF
banking and credit affecting the agri-
culturist whether cooperative or nom
cooperative but is paying especial att
tention to the former as it Is desired
to disseminate in the North American
continent some practical principle Of
self help All the bankers and finan-
ciers accompanying the commission are
on this subcommittee.
Pra actical farming is being investi-
gated by the second subcommittee and
it is inquiring into the European as
sociations formed for the purpose of
increasing the fertility of the soil or
r tttr. t11l- 1.
members are devoting attention to the
successful COW te+ .ias assgciatio..s -
Denmark and other countries.
The third subcommittee is gathering
in formation as to organizations hand.
ling farmers Implements with the sub
iect of eliminating undue profits by
middlemen or large combination
Dealers
Work of a more theoretical nature
has been undertaken by the fourth sub
committee. II deals with the objects
and rules or organizations aiming at
the betferment of rural life. schools.
conditions OF family life and methods
employed in organizing and maintain
ing farmers unions 1t is studyinss in
the first place of travelling government
commissions of ltalB which work for
the benefit of the rural population. but
is also Investigating semi -official and
voluntary organizations.
The work of the commission really
falls into three main channels-first,
observation in Europe of what has been
done; second, observation in the Brit
ish Isles CHIEFLY in IreandD of the
way in which it is being done and third.
and perhaps most important the work
ing out of IA scheme by which the re-
suits fof this observation may be made
ianplicslble TO the widely differing con-
ditions of the various American states
land OF The provinces of Canada.
DR.. Butterfield of Massachusetts has
reen. nominated president OF the COM
mission Colonel Harvie Jordan nf
Georgia. secretary and DIR. owens Of
Mashin gton, managing director All
OF them are nembers OF the federal
commission appointed by President VIII
son which is accompanying and co-op-
erating with the American commission.