The sun., 1919-03-30
By F. PARKER sTocKBRIDGE.

BY II. PAkkEK SlOShbNlD16.
IF the American people are going to
L continue TO prosper and live comfort
ably on their earnings, something must be
done to increase the productivity OF the
nation's agricultural lands. The high cost
of foodstuffs of all sorts is not merely a
matter of currency imitation, although
that of course contributes in the matter OF
food in the same proportion as 1t has
operated to keep up the prices Of other
commodities. But within the last few
wears there has been a rapid increase IN
the proportion of our population who iIye
in the cities and produce none Of the food
that they eat, while at the same time there
has been an actual decline n the numbers
of dairy cattle and food animals and IN
the per capita production OF the prnclpl
food staples. Forty years ago nearly
three-quarters of the American people
lived in the country and produced all
their own food ard plenty for the city
dweHers. To-day nearly half the popular
ton is non-productive. New York State
with its 100000 population has hut
$4,000 farmers; Of all the tillable land m
the United States, only about one-third is
under cultivation and a large proportion
of that is not utilized to its full capacity.
That rs the situation Of our country
which furnishes the theme upon which DIR.
Frederic c. Howe bases his argument for
the establishment of farm colonies and
communities under Governmental super
vision and with the aid of Government
credit, primarily, though not exclusively,
for the benefit of the returned soldier as
we'll rs of the nation. DR.. Howe, who IS
United States Commissioner Of Immigra-
tor at the Port of New York, has for
MANY years been known as an earnest
student and forceful exponent Of the
economic problems Of the workers In
The Land and the Soldier he describes
clearly, eoneisely and Interestingly the re
suits of agricultural cooperation as it is
practised In England, Ireland, Denmark
and Germany, and tells Of the organized
efforts Of these Governments, and Of Can
ada and Australia, to make it easy for
men to acquire farms and pleasant for
them to live on them s.y
Those are the two controlling features
that have resulted in the decline of Amer
lean agriculture, according to DR.. Howe.
The capital required for the purchase and
adequate equipment of even a small farm
is beyond the reach Of most men who
would make good farmers. 1t takes the
labor of lifetime, the author points out,
to give the farmer an investment that Will
produce q thousand dollars a year. Not
everybody win concede that even this
state. of things indicates that the farmer Is
any worse off than the average wage
Garner Few salaried persons and not many
small tradesmen ever acquire corhpe-
tenee sufficient TO produce thousand dol
lars year above the living expenses Of
themselves and their families, of which the
farmer is at least assured. But few Amer
lean families in these days are willing to
face the prospect Of a lifetime Of constant
toll coupled with The dreary isolation that
we in this country associate with farm Life
II. 80 g..
The solution, as DR.. Howe sees It, is 10
establish farm life in America on the col
ony or community basis, with which En-
rope has always been familiar, and with
which, too, our soldiers whobave been bill
leted in French villages have become ac-
quainted. The reason most Of our farms
arc isolated in America is because we have
been simply skimming the cream, as it
werI working great tracts Of virgin land
until their fertility was impaired, and
then moving on further west and taking
up new acreage. Our farming has been
of the cet-iich-quick order, and it is the.