Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-02-23
| leonard WOOD
GIVES VIE VS. ON
FARM PROBLEMS
Says Nation Administration
Should Cooperate With
farmers of Nation;ToO
Many FIocking to Cities.

/ Special Correspondence to The JournnT.A
Chicago, Feb. 22.-Leonard
Wood has written the following
letter to Clifford Piuchot, outlining
his views on the agricultural prob
lem of America:
i am glad to give you my views
about the farmer and his problems.
not only because you have a right
to have them as a member of the
national committee of farm oraani-
latiOns, but because recognize
that the decline in agriculture is
one of the greatest dangers to our
civilization.
We must have food! Agriculture
is declining in America. There is
100 much flocking to the cities.
The drop in agricultural produc-
uon compared with the population,
in the number of people who live
and work on farms and in the fer
ulity Of our soils. cannot be allowed
to continue.
The farmers of America rem
dered magnificent service in pro
ducing under every sort of handi-
cap food supplies necessary to win
the war, to feed not only us but
very largely our allies. They sent
their sons to war and in spite of the
short of labor by dint of increased
effort they tremendously increased
the output of food in this country.
Had they not done so it would
have been impossible for us to have
taken our part in the war as we
did. They feel that their service
was not adequately recognized.
THE farmers make up a full
third of our population, and the
welfare of the nation is practically |
fits Of modern civilization have not !
been extended to our rural COM
munities in any such measure as
they have a right to demand.
Education for farm children !
should be universally accessible and |
special efforts should be made to-
ward training for life on the farm, |
If We are to keep up a record of |
training equivalent to our progress |
We should see that they are given |
substantial equality with those of |
other callings in social political
and educational opportunities. We
must see that the schools are up to
the standards of the city schools !
and that there are suitable and |
abundant roads and other lines of
transportation. We want their sur
roundings to be as attractive as
possible.
'T know that you believe with
I /
man and woman should have a fair
and workable chance to earn a liv-
ing anf to receive what they earn,
"a fair and workable chance for
decent, useful and desirable life
with a chance to marry and sup
port family and give the child
rem a reasonable opportunity for a
reasonable start.
while these things relate no
more to the farmer than they do
to other citizens, they are so i'm
portant that l am glad to state
them in this letter.
THE farmers have a right to cX-
pect, from every national admins
tration a department of agriculture
in full and intelligent cooperation
with the farmers and the great
farm organizations Of America.
They deserve to be given the re-
suits of thorough and intelligent
study as to the cost Of farm prod
ucts at home and abroad, and
the uncensored facts.
Il believe in a large measure Of
direct dealing between producers
and consumers of food. Today alto
gether too small a portion of the =
dollar gets back to the
farmer. When the farmer sells his !
milk in bulk for cents and finds ,,
it retailing at ) cents few hours
later he realizes that he is not re- +,
ceiying his proper share of the =
proceeds of his product. He is not :
4 profiteer.
While the storage of food sup .
plies is absolutely necessary to feed
our people, since crops are not =
produced throughout the year, the /
noarding of food supplies should
be severely punished and vigorous
y suppressed.
Secure provision should be 4
made to enable farmers to obtain r
adequate credit so as to extend the =
'arming interests of our country. u
Steps should be taken to increase II
he production of necessary feTtil- -
Zers, so that the farmer, may q,
never be without an adequate sup "
lly. Steps should be takeR looking y
o the increased, production of nj u
rates. II
II believe that the treatment of ~
cooperative organizations of farm In
RS should be with the same con- n,
liberation as to other organizations NJ
lnder the same circumstances. .,
Il believe in the gradual aboliti- &
ion of farm tenancy. In our coun- W
ry the typical farmer has owned is
he land and has cultivated it with
he aid of his sons and a few hired h
men. We do not wish this type of f
armer TO be supplanted by one ST
Who holds his lands as tenant, .,
We do not wish to see the farmers =
described by the big land holders
o the detriment of our best farm n
ng interest '
1--WE want to maintain the ira
Iitional type of farmer-the man IT
Who lives upon and owns the land. 81
20 do this We must make his life h,
nd surroundings as attractive as lii
possible, the man who owns the NJ
and and tills it is the man who =,
lands for good government, con- "
ervation, the rights of property, 70
aw and order;-in fact, for the ba- be
ic principles which give a nation ~
liability and life. E'
II believe in a wide extension of 70
he present farm bureau system, y
which, in cooperation with various w
tate agricultural departments and '"
ocal committees, seems wen fitted VI
o solve any of the economic oues-