The Denver Jewish news., 1918-12-19
TIE JEWISH FARMER AND HIS
PROBLEMS.
What the .Jerisf Agricultural and In
dustrial Aid Society Have Accom-
Dlished.
HENRY c. FALK.


lovers of the soil, gradually weaned
from their bleak and pinched exist
cnce in the ghett0S.
TO this ideal Baron de Hirsch con
Sccratcd his life and to its fruition.
he pledged his millions. He founded
agricultural schools for Jews, pa
troniZcd and encouraged Jewish farm
crs and colonies. toiling. planning and
were bodied forth in practical instru.
n,ents; agricultural missionaries, col
lsgcs and financial aid.
On the whole these Instruments have
been faithful to the vision of the great
seer. In the United States. one of
these. .the Jewish Agricultural and In
dustrial Aid society, has done great
deal to assist and promote farming,
Struggling Jewish farmers have not
only been helped with the where and
the how of farming, but also with the
means. The society has advanced
reasonable amounts to them on sec
ond mortgages Mt interest rates less
than the usual for such transactions.
But perhaps the proudcst feather in
the sOciety's cap is the creation by
it of the Federation of Jewish Farm.
ers of America. Thru this orgahiza-
ton the Jewish farmer has learned
his most valuable lessons sclf-reliance
and mutual help.
With the cooperation of the Society
the Federation Of Farmers organized
Credit Unions in various farming com
munities. The farmer who needed
money in pinch received short
time loan Mt small interest rate. The
Credit Unions were financed partly by
the Society and partly by the Fed
Grafton members in various localities
Its rcscuing hand has lifted hundreds
of Jewish farmers from the miasma
of financial embarrassment and many
others from the brink of failure.
The manner in which the Federation
has solved troublesome insurance
problem is characteristic of its service
ability to Jewish farmers. In some
counties of New York it was almost
impossible for them to obtain insur-
ance. The rate climbed up to as
much as $500 per $4,000 annually
Encouraged by, the Industrial Aid so
ciety. its offspring, the Federation oi
Jewish Farmers. organized the Mutual
Fire Insurance company Of Sullivan
and adjoining counties. Aside. from
greatly reducing premium rates, this
company forced down the rates OF
other companies operating in its ter
ritory more than 30 per cent. In the
same Vicinity the Jewish farming
population was the victim of another
plague. the mortgage Shark. who made
it impossible to obtain first mort:
sage without exacting fat bonus for
himself. To rid themselves of this
exerescpnce, the Federation organized
a First Farmers Saving and Loan
Association. really land bank lend
ing money On first mortgages. ta
One of the great problems of the
Jewish farmer, of all farmers, is that
of being compelled TO buy Mt retail
prices and sell at wholesale prices.
And in each case the prices are die
tinted to the farmer. He must pay
the market price for what he requires
and he must accept the market price
for what he must sell. Or. worse.
he must sell to local jobber at the
latter's arbitrary figures. The Fed
Grafton of Jewish Farmers decided
that If the Jewish Agricultural and
Industrial Aid soeiety's aims and ideals
and those Of its founder, Baron dc
Hirsch, were to he realized; If farm
ing in America by Jews was to be
something more than an experiment Z;
if the farmer was to be contente,i
and useful in his sphere, he would
have to be master of his destiny, he
would have to acquire greater control
over the economic forces ruling his
life. Dealers were charging him what
tlcy pledSeu anu JoopS'S "Si' p"' '''s
him what they pleased. The need and
isolation of the farmer We're being
used us whips with which to flay him.
The Federation's field workers, Sam
uel Helm and Ely Greenblat, men of
incxhaustiblc energy and tact, after
studying the Jewish farmers prob
lens, found the cure and applied 1t
successfully to many farming com
munities. If groups of farmers. they
argued. would unite their purchasing
power they could buy Ut wholesale
and similarly. If they would unite
their selling power. they could sell at
retail: reversal Of the usual ar.
ranpemeut, with the fHrmer enjoying