Evening star., 1918-01-13
Work

OF blowing, planting and harvesting. A
market expert would teach the coll
onists how to pack and sell their prod
uce and crops.
The dwellings of a colony could be
built on the farms or could be CEN
traliZed and thus form village, with
church, school, a recreation hall a
store and SO on. Each colony, whether
the houses were grouped together or
built on farms, should be socialized
There should be place of amusement,
where meetings of fathers and moth
ers and of children could be held.
AT first. of course. colony would be
poor. Some of the members might be
able to pay cash for their land. Most of
them, however. would be in debt. Grad
ually the community would grow in
wealth. Houses would be enlarged. Ma
chinery would be purchased. The live
stock would be improved. Land out
side of the colony would increase in
value. All of the merchants and other
business men for miles around would
share in the prosperity enjoyed by the
colonists.
The young people, / think. would re-
main on the farms. Home schools would
educate them and lecturers from the
outside would keep them in touch with
the world. They would marry, more
land would be obtained and the nation
would be made stronger and better by
their labors. their characters and their
citizenship.
+
Food was already dear in the United
States before Germany began its war
on civilization. 1t is an old story,
know, and very serious one, I may
add. but our rural regions are being
slowly depopulated. We are moving to
town that we may clerk in stores, work
on street railroads and go to the
movies in the evening.
Something will have to be done to
make farming attractive to the young.
1t has become profitable at last, after
years filled with drudgery, poverty and
isolation. and that was necessary before
anything practical could be accomplish
ed toward making the country interest
ing to those who lived there and else
where
after the war. food will not be cheap.
Perhaps it will never he cheap again.
We shall need the productive service of
every worker in the country to hold our
own in the struggle for trade that will
follow the disbandment of armies now
in the field. First of all, We must have
bread and meat.
"Other nations are preparing for the
great contest that will begin the very
moment that the world returns to the
ways of peace-preparing to control
markets and preparing to have an
abundance of food for their inhabi-
tants.
Nearly all of the great nations have
adopted land purchase and land settle
ment policies. The people are assisted
at public expense in getting farms and
homes for themselves. England, Scot
land and Ireland are following such
policies. So is Germany, where more
than so per cent of the farmers culti-
vate their own land. France lends
money at per cent to persons who de-
sire to have gardens or to buy farms.
''The colonies have in view will not
be socialistic. There will be a COM
munity of interests, but the head of
each family will own his or her farm.
BY a community of interests. mean or
ganization to increase crop production.
to better the ordinary rural educational
and marketing facilities and to build
roads and telephone lines.
Every man and every woman, you
would be a willing colonist.
There is no thought of compelling any
nto the country. Go or stay. take your
choice, is the first item on the pro-
gram. And. suppose. there would have
% be scheme of selection. Persons
al or sentimental. should remain where
hey are.
millions of dollars are yearly spent
~ those who desire a little land OF
HeH OWL NOSI OF tne money Ii lost.
It is not visible. but back to the cfties
here is struggling and constantly
moving procession of disappointed men
ind women who, without wise dfrec-
ion, have tried their hands at agricul-
ure and have failed. .ssl
Colonies will stop that processfon
md increase the one that IL moving to-
ward the valleys and hills. toward Hreo-
lom and on a mission Of real service
o the nation"
Copyright. ISIS, By James b. xorrsvA