Norwich bulletin., 1920-03-19

eWritten Specially for The Bulletfn.) It isn't often that newspaper in a large city publishes anything sensible, much less anything sympathetic about farmers and farming. Take the New York city papers, for Illustration. AL though lots of the men who work on them and write for them were born on farms and owe their stamina to their boyfsh surroundings, they usually may be trusted to display ignorance of farming conditions and contempt for farmers every time they deign to ad- init their existence.
 lt was, therefore, with much surprise and no little admiration that I noted ln The Knickerboeker-P Press of Albany, N. r., the other day a really pointed and timely editorial. hatly demanding that the country wake up to the fact that farmers have rights as well as, labor unionists.
 I don't agree with all of the papers suggestions oroconclusions. You prob ably wont. t.feither. But I want you to read it. nevertheless. And so I am going to ask The Bulletin to print it. just as 1t appeared, this morning. You and can talk about it, If we want to- later on
 Here is the article:
 Tn the last few years labor has pressed its rights and interests so forcefully upon the public attention that it has come to be admitted with out argument that labor must always be taken care of; that it must be r1lr- tured and protected and assured a constant betterment. This is quite night; labor ought to have every ale viation which an increa sing degree of civilization can provide for it. It ought to have free and untramme1ed opportunity to rise. and it ought to be guaranteed. of course, against in Justice.
 "But labor is not the only element in society which should have constant consideration of this sort. The farm CTS, for instance, are mot less inpor- tant than union labor to the existence of the country--naybe they are more important. but thatis too long ques- ton te argue fere4and yet there Is no disposition to make allowances for the farmer, to reZard- his progress kindly. or to insist upon his being seated at the first table, whenever there are good things to be divided.
 There is, instead a tendency to assume that the farmer is a fixture: that he will always be about where l,e tsnow. continuing to blow and SOW ard reap regardless of changes in the body polite. There Is even a tendency to say of him that he is always protest Ing anyway, complaining of the heal In dry spells and of the chil1iness and moisture when 1t rains: never satis- ned. yet ever secure in his living. and while having little ready cash reallt needing little because he has no on portu3ity to spend it. The farmers hard work 's a classic matter also. the world or the farm accepts it as a mat Ger of course and wastes no though lb0at it.
 "But the farmer is not a fixture, H, is leaving the farm by thousatids an, tens Of thousands. and his place is no being filed. With c;ty pou1lIation in, creasing three or four times as 'rapid F as country population, there is littl fact left in the notion that the farIne may always be depended upon to stan, by h!s tasks regardless of tojl e profit. Only suppose that the remain Ing farmers. for instance, should ap ply to themselves for a single season the principles of the shortened worl day and the. restricted output wh1cl are so fashionable in labor circles There would be disaster that woul make the sufferings of war time looI Ike q Sunday school picnic. The ma ton would go bankrupt; starvation would set in. and the government it self might collapse.
 "of course, the farmers are not go Ing 70 do anything of the sort, thougl t must be admitted that they have a much right to reduce their efficienc. and their output as any other me- possess. The farmers are not evel going tc lay down ultimatums. reauir Ing that this thing or that be accom- plished for their benefit Instead 1 the people do not awaken present. 10 the fact that 1t is a national dut 10 make farm life more pleasant an profitable. they are likely. one by ont and without any concerted action, t restrict the scope of their agricu1tur so as to provide only for the imnaedi ate needs of their families. or else f drop quietly out of the struggle vhic has become too one sided for tn times.
 %This is all wrong, for farming ( itself is-or rather ought to be- thoroughly delightful occupation fc men and women who understand it. it has been allowed to lag behin other occupations in it's pleesantnes and especially in its profits, it ougI not to be difficult for the public to SC remedies in action The point is f make the people realize the .necessit of such action and the dangers ( postponing it.
 Some of the things the farmer entitled to as matter of right unde the circumstances. of present day sc caety are: