Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-12-07
TOKEEP Them ON farm IS PROBLEM
NHOLENA7|ONFACES; ELECTRIC LIGHT
AND POWER PLANTS HELP TO SOLVE IT
Barrier and City Life Only Mechanical Writer
Golfers says-Modern Electric Labor Saver for Farm
Household It--Nove Demonstration With Port
able Bungalows Sent to More Than 80 State Fairs.
"How you goin' to keep EN- down

How you gon' to keep EN- down
on the farm
These supposedly humorous words of
song that was immensely popular
with Uncle Sans khaki clad lads over
seas actually bespeak a serious condi-
ton that Is confronting Americas agri-
cultural industry problem that men
with vision have been trying to solve
Tor years.
Men and women are leaving the
farms for the cities. Some give as the
reason the lure of high wages oI1ered
in the cities. Back and behind IL al,
most people believe, has been the lack
OF conveniences and comforts especial
ly as they relate to the women OF the
farm.
But be the reason whatever 1t may,
statistics show that less than so per
cent of Americas farmers own their
own farms, which is only another way
of saying that those who do own tine
farms move to the cities and smaller
towns in much too large percentage
for the good of the country.
In Golfers Weekly of September 81
last the leading editorial is based on
n letter received from a progressive
young farmer. This farmer says:
FARMERS QUITE HUMAN
"Remember that folks on the farm
are very much like folks in the city.
Thew have the same hopes. the same
wishes. the same likes and dislikes.
The barrier between the city man and
the farmer has always been me-
chanical one
sJn the old days the struggle was
pioneers struggle. He could produce
cheaply because land and labor were
cheap and because he was willing to
make drudges of his wife and children.
city folks might remember that the
farmer Is just what he is-a man who
likes to be educated and live comfort
ably and raise good children and have
money in the bank and be successfut
in what he undertakes"
This farmer hit a vital point when
he said the barrier between the city
and country has been a mechanical
one. The old time farmer is becoming
obsolete The modern farmer has his
mechanical reaper and binder and
thresher his tractor, his truck, his
telephone and what not The advance
of farm machinery has helped him
solve what to him is the greatest of
all problems on the farm-the labor
4 problem. the elimination of the drudG-
cry that has made many farmers for
sake the land.
But the problems of the farmers
wife and household have been hardly
touched, except bv the telephone, until
men with vision to see that something
must be done began to dig into that
particular problem.
RELIEVES WIFE'S TASKS
One of the results of that work has
been the WHY'S Light electric light
ing and power plant. And through II
the farmers wife is being relieved of
the tasks imposed by the oil lamp, the
hand churn. the wash tub, hand sweep
ing and variety of other labors.
l, ie I i,~l,t al, nIa aay.
within the reach of every farmer and
his family the convenences of the
city-electric lights. modern bath
rooms, the vacuum cleaner, the cleo
trio washer. the electric flatiron. sani
tary plumbing and running water for
the kitchen, electrically operated milk
churns, cream separators and what not.
This system, in the opinion of Cen
eral Sales Manager Walter II. Roberts
Of the WHY'S Light division of the
Electric Auto Lite corporation of To-
ledo, Ohio, means the longest step yet
taken in the movement not only to keer
farmers and their families on the farm
but to make the back to- the-land'
movement a really effective force in
the nations life.
The possibilities of the system have
been pointed out by the division In
possibly the most unique way ever at
tempted by any agency. The idea was
conceived and carried into effect by
AIR. Roberts during the summer jus
drawing to close.
Mr.. Roberts figured it could be done
most effectively at state fairs by show
ing the system in operation in house
But that seemed an impossible task
Mr.. Roberts solved it, however. HI
had erected for the company three dis
tnct portable five-room bungalow:
that could be torn down and erected
quickly.
The necessary furniture for thes,
houses wasekecured. Three crews con
sisting of n mechanician, helper ant
,matron were pressed into service. Ant
these houses. boasting every modern
convenience from electric lights to /;
bathroom, were exhibited at more thai