New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-14
Farmers Need Autocratic Control in WA
Blu Louis B. Magid
President of The Appalachian Corporation Of Georgia

economic prosperity and to prepare a. the
same time for its part in a gigantic war.
Would any one venture to assert that our
preparedness would be effective II the co
ordination of business with government Ia
such a crucial time were to depend upor
nationwide organization of the various es-
sential industries through series OF pyra-
mided associations7 Organize the farmers
as Mr.. Lubn recommends and there would
be no business coordination Of the food IN
dustry. There would be actually thousands
of local. sectional and state chambers, eacn
of which would have 70 work sympatneti'
cally With its fellow organizations to pro-
duce the desired result The plan, in MT
Lubin's own words, contemplates tie or
ganizaton of the farmers in the thousands
of townships OF the United States, VINO
/ would proceed 10 elect their delegates %
their county chambers of agriculture; these
would elect delegates to the state chambers
and these would elect delegates TO the ma
tional chamber of agriculture"
Here is a gigantic and cumbersome mech
anism which Mr.. Lubin AYERS would mega,
tive any and all efforts to use At (nationa,
food controD as a means for impairing and
undermining the morale of the nation"
A Political Machine
There ia only one direction in which such
an organization would express itself con-
spicuousy-and that is politically. Mr.. LID
bin himself has indicated this. In pam
phlet issued year or so ago ne urged tne
passage of the bill in question on the ground
that we must take heed of "the contrast De-
tween the political strength of the cities
and the political impotency OF the country
the defenceless feebeness OF the country
and the armored strength and craft OF the
cities. the craft that can sway Legislation
by waive (sic) of the hand"
The impairment of morale, which Mr.. Luz
bin fears, would be brought into actually
by the very method which he urges by way
of prevention. This is not the time TO at
tempt coordination through the most cum
bersome means conceivable. And this is not
the time TO establish an organization which
would automatically assume political func-
tons.
The fact of the matter is that agriculture
is necessarily subject 10 autocratc rule for
war purposes, because it has so long held
aloof from the adoption of corporate or
ganization and business methods. II the
steel industry to-day consisted of thousands
of blacksmith shops the country over, a
steel ulclutOE. WIN IunClIONb "
those Of the food dictator, would be eS-
sential.
Autocratic food control will, indeed, have
to be much more drastic than it is to-day.
We are approaching condition in which
believe it will be necessary to adopt meas
ures along the lines of mobilization OF
farm labor and the conscripton of all avail
able lands. The un-organization, for bust.
ness purposes of the farming industry in
this country makes this essential. And any
such plan as Mr.. Lubin suggests cannot or
ganize farming for this war, which IS the
greatest business operation Of history.
Chambers of commerce are fine things, bu.
they are not the right hand Of the govern
ment in time OF war And where business
organization in an essential industry does
not exist, thu government must step in with
autocratic organization. Nothing would help
the morale Of the country more than a def
mite feeling that the food problem would be
handled with firm hands