Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-20
SAM AIMS
To ORGANIZE
FARMERS
Purpose Is to Cut Cost of Living.
Vigorous Investigation to
be Conducted.

WASHINGTON. June 19-The
broadcast investigation yet under
taken by the Department of Agri-
culture, designed ultimately to solve
some Of the great problems Of farm
life, is being planned Tor the Rural
Organization Service, just establish
ed by Secretary Houston. The Sec
Rotary and DR.. T. \. Carver of Har-
ward, who is at the head of the new
work. are confident OF splendid re-
suits.
The Rural Organization Service
viii work in closest cooperation
with the newly created Division of
Markets, which win devote its ener-
gies primarily to problems connected
with the marketing of farm products
at a profit. In many instances it is
not the lack of a market that pre-
vents the farmer from turning over
profit, but inability to utilize the
means for reaching the market.
Intelligent Organization.
The first great problem" said DIR.
Carver, is intelligent organization.
Mere organization for organizations
sake amounts to nothing. On the
other hand intelligent organization
has done wonders in many indus
tries. The citrus fruit industry OF
the Pacific coast furnishes a wonder
full example. Unorganized. the or
a n af oil no
market their crops at a profit. With
their present effective organization
the difficulties in the way of reaching
the right markets are reduced to a
minimum.
The Rural Organization Service
win be financed by the General Edu-
cation Board, one of the philanthro-
pies of John d. Rockefeller. While
backed by practically unlimited
funds, however, the work will not be
done on an eXtraVagant scale. The
General Education Board so far has
appropriated only enough money to
make a beginning and to effect an
organization Of thoroughly compe-
tent men.
The Southern Education Board, a
branch of the General Board, for
several years past has been cooper
ating with the department in its
Farmers Cooperative Demonstra-
ton Work in the Southern States.
This work has met with phenomenal
success and has solved many farm
problems for the South.
Reduce Cost of Living.
Effective organization in market
ing crops ultimately will bring to the
farmer a much larger return for his
work, and also reduce the cost of
living to the consumer by removing
the middleman wherever practical
bic.
"The farmer is quite capable of
taking care of himself if he can be
put in possession of the necessary
information" says DR.. Carver. Gen
orally speaking, the farmer must do
his own organizing, and not depend
either upon financial agencies or up
on Governmental agencies for the do
ing of the actual work The Gov
eminent, however, has facilities for
collecting, tabulating and spreading
information which neither individ-
ual farmers nor groups of farmers
possess.
Information from various sources
shows that in many sections of the
country the farmer is very made
quately served by the ordinary cred
it agencies. II is, therefore import
ant that we find out what the credit
needs of the farmers of different
sections are.
1T is not only necessary that the
farmers income should be increased,
but that country life should be made
sufficiently attractive to induce the
farmer to remain in the country even
when he has large income"