Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-02-20
BACK TO THE SOIL WOULD
HELP SOLVE LABOR
PROBLEMS.
By Boersianer.

By Boersianer.
"Sorry, sir, but we can't take care
of you, we are rammed to the roof"
These are the unwelcome words that
greet tae arrivals at New York no.
tells.
This inhospitable greeting is heard
daily by hundreds in every we'll.
known house. Strangers are turned
away to find shelter as they may.
The explanation that increased popu-
lation has greatly overtaken the nom
building in the last two years does
not explain. Several large hotels
have been completed recently. Gen
eral prosperity would not account
for the crowding of New York as
never before, because such prosper
ity does not exist; it is in state of
suspense. The country to a consid-
cradle extent is demobilizing COM
mercially. Many important inven-
tories already have haggard look.
Not frequently the stock market
is the magnet. The countless hosts
throughout the country who re inter
mittently interested in fuctuative
values often come to New York to
be near the generator of those fuctu-
ations. But to thus attract tn stock
market must be ADJOINING A dull
declining market repels.
A lead, as prospectors say, is
offered by the sudden revival of
theatrical art or, in strict verify, of
the theatrical business. Prior to the
armistice the shows that drew were
as rare as is the historic gift in
the theatre. To-day the ticket
scalper is once more coming into
his own
Follow the lead further. War
plays are no longer wanted. Even
the screen gaffs are discarding them.
The people crave light, color, sweet
sounds, beauty.
The Great Tension is ended. The
Monstrcus Incubus has ceased to
hover. Pleasurable relaxation is. be-
come the order of the time and the
numberless people who have pros
pered by the war are focking to the
chief urban centres to relax pleasur-
ably
There is, however, companion
picture; a sombre one
| A man with heavy limp and
mutilated hands gives you a card in
the subway. The card tells you, in
coarse print, the man got his wounds
in France and now has no place to
go. You, Of course, gladly put a
coin on the stump that was once a
hand.
As you turn the corner from the
startingly expensive cafe you have
! just left (the cost Of the dinner has
somewhat taken from what should
have been its physical effect) a
young man of military mien, whose
handsome face is Swallowed by shame
asks you, with the timidity that
confirms inexperience, in solicitation
for relief This one, being physically
fit, is too manly to tell you he has
been in the army, but you know it,
and again, of course, treat him ac-
cordingly. There are hundreds of
him in New York, stranded, with
out work, without money, in danger
of rotting into tramps or something
worse.
Dem0blizatiOn with it's at least
temporary attendant, accumulative
unemployment, for one thing COM
mends forcibly the Congressional
move to get more men and women
on the land.
But an act of Congress, mildly APP
proved, is not enough. There must
be nationwide campaign to encour-
age farm life, for after all genuine
wealth is created on the farm, and
wealth will stand in this country and
other countries in good stead for
many years to come.
Rehabilitation and reimbursement
present an exceptional opportunity
to increase and to intensity the farm
area of the United States. But to