The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-12-08
PLANS TO IMPROVE
LIFE IN The COUNTRY
Department Of Agriculture Is to
Be Re-organized

Washington, Dee S--Rcorganization
of the department of agriculture is
forcshadowed i'm Secretary Houston's
first annual report presented today To
President Wilson a plan to he sub
mittcd to Congress i'm the fiscal esti-
mates for 1916 proposes to carry out
the work of the department in five or
six main groups. such as research,
state relations, rural organization, for
est service, weather and regulation.
Such u plan, Secretary Houston be-
lieves, will promote coordination.
Plans for redistrlcting the country
for the enforcement of the pure food
law are announced and the secretary
announces his intention TO ask for
authority to prepare amendments to
the pure food law To improve the good
supply, protect the public health and
promote uniformity in food legislation.
Free distribution OF seeds, 10y con-
grcssmcn should be discontinued. the
secretary recommends. lie would con-
dusi in its stead "A constructive work in
securing and distributing new seeds
and plants.
Rural Credit and Conditions.
Conditions vary widely i'm the United
states, says the report, because far
mers do not equally. need better credit
arrangements and all sections are not
similarly circumstanced 1t contends
that when all necessary allowance has
been made for fundamental factors it
is probably clear that the rural com
munities are not as efficiently served
as they should be 10y existing financial
arrangements. The secretary believes
there does not appear to be need for
unique or special legislation or for leg
slation which shall aim to give the
farmer credit on easier terms than
other members of society. What is
needed is the creation of conditions
and machinery which shall enable him
on similar credit foundations To secure
money at the same rates as those that
prevail for other classes and for other
sections.
Even though the problem of how
the farmer can best sell his produce
and can improve the conditions under
which he can secure the necessary
remain vital things 10 be accomplished
before rural life can be made fully
efficient profitable. heathful, pleasur-
able, and attractive, and before "A larg-
er disposition to remain on the farm
develops. Good roads are prerequisite
for better marketing. for better schools
and for more comfortable rural living
Better sanitation and hygiene i'm the
home, in the school, and I'm the COM
munity are Just as vital for the rural
community as for the urban" Says the
report
Serving the Rural Woman.
TO gain Information TO enable the
department better to serve rural wo-
men. the secretary has addressed let
ters of inquiry TO the women on $4,000
selected farms covering every county.
other surveys and studies were also
conducted Analysis of the small part
of the letters as yet digcsted shows
that farm women desire assistance in
all phases Of home management, es-
pecialiy as to ways of securing rum
ming water, introducing household
power machinery and labor saving ar
rangements. and providing better by
giene and sanitary conditions. Many
seek advice as To the better marketing
of the articles they produce. Others
ask the department To prove To tho
man that their work is worth some
thing in dollars and cents. The over
work of women aud Childrcn and diff
liculty of securing domestic help are
mentioned by number of the writer's
The department believes that inteli-
gent help To women in matters of home
management Will contribute directly
to the agricultural success of the farm
II purposes. therefore. to ask Congress
for means and authority to- make more
complete studies of domestic conditions
| ON the farm. to experiment with labor
| saving devices and methods, and to
study completely the question of prac-
teal sanitation aud hygienic protcc-
ton for the farm family.
Concerning Good Roads.
AS To federal aid for good roads
| the secretary says the federal govern
| ment should deal with the state as
! the lowest unit, through AN expert
| highway commissioner as its agency
! The plan should provide for maiutc-
nance as well as construction. Pref
orencc should he given to the i'm
| provemenJ of roads over which prod
ucts from the farms can be taken to
/ the nearest railway station. \ scheme
of road construction and maintenance
! within state should be developed and
| mutually agreed upon. Money appro-
| priatcd bv the federal government
| should be apportioncd on the basis of
such factors as total population, farm
population. area taxable valuation
and mileage.
Special emphasis is laid on the fact
| that the figures for crops quoted are
estimates. From the estimates AT
| hand ii appears that the production OF
| crops i'm 1913 was materially below the