Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-09-09

lrHaEtN@ H.
produced and sold at the bare cost
OF utilifing the soil. and the farmers
OF the older states TO the cas-. were
srncthered BY this flood sof cheap
grain. The only thing that could be-
don With this supsrabundance Of
food was to build cities out Of 1T.
And great cities We did build, mot
only In the United States. but across
the SEAS. The world has never seen,
such "A terrific impulse toward ethyl
building on a vast scale as,that which
was given by the over-production OF
farm products during the latter part
OF the nineteenth century and the
first few years OF the twentieth.
Demand for Increased Production.
The consuming public had become
concerned over the prospect or pay
ing higher prices for foodstuhs. Cities
and Industrial centers had been built
up n r~tdiculously cheap food. indeed;H
their building was the first essential
In developing farm values. Then the
increase in price called for readjust-
ment and required wage advances.
Organizations Of city business men
Began to take an interest in farm
Affairs ard preach the duty OF in
creased production. The back to
the land"ecry begansto be heard. In
Ste0Scu APPROPRIATIONS Dy
and by state legislatures were made
to stimulate better methods OF farm
ing n thus increase production in
the hope of keeping down food prices.
The rural uplift movement was. START
ed with the thought that, by making
conditions On the farm more attrac-
tive, the drift from the farm to the
Of agricultural colleges was strength
ened by the addition Of extensionhA de-
partments, the function Of which Is
to take the teaching of better meth
DDS OF farming and s~tockgrowing into
Ethe counties and smaller communi-
ties. and especially to stimulate an
and girls. All sorts of EFFORTS were
made to check the drift from the
farm to the city, and to maintain
farm production.
In truth, here in America, farm
ing came to that stage where it
ceased to be a mere struggle for
sustenance. and 1t found its place
amid the competition for achieve
ment. 1t was nc longer the inherent
~ directed operation with the soil
for restricted living. but became a
commercial, scientific operation with
Mother Nature, to share in the ac-
complishments Of a modern life, and
know a participation in modern re-
wards
Certain Results of Conditions.
Without speaking at, length of farm
production and prices during the war,
It is necessary to noe certain results,
If we are to- deal understandingIy
with the agricultural situation at the
present time, and speak intelligently
Of a future policy. Wal conditions
put a premium On grain growing at
the expense Of live sto4t production.
As a consequence, mahy stock pro-
heavy and: in some Ceases, ruinous
Losses. If this condition should cons
tinue, We are in danger. in the. near
future, Of having to pay very high
prices for U meats.
For two outstanding reasons the
maintenance of a normal balance be-
tween live stock and grain produc-
ton Is q matter of national concern.
One il that we are q meat-eating
people, n should have a fairly uni
form supply at q reasonable price.
Conditions which either greatly slim :.
lNulatet or greatly discourage live stock
production result in prices altogether
100 high for the average consuming
producer. h other is that the over
stimulation of grain production de-
pletes the fertility Of our land, which
Is our greatest national asset, and re-
suits In q greater supply than can
be consumed at-6 price profitable to
the~producer, and finally to wide
spread agricultural distress from
(which all. of our people suffer. Az
"a reconstruction measure. therefore,
our government should do everything
in its power to restore the normal
balance between live stock and grain
production, and thus encourage the
prompt return to that system Of d.
versified farming by which alone we
is asmatter Of immediatec Importance
to all of our people.
A Definite Policy.
The time has come when, as =
nation, we must determine upon a.
definite agricultural, policy We
must decide whether we shall UNDER
take to make of the United States q
elf-sustaining nation-which means
that we shall grow within our own
boundaries all Of the staple food
highest type Of civilization or
u agricultural resources for the
benefit Of Industrial and COM
mercial life, and leave to posterity
the task of finding food enough, by
strong-arm. methods, If necessary, to,
support the coming hundreds of mil
lions. I believe in the self-sustain-
ing. independent, ~seff.reliant. nation,
agriculturally, industrial1y and poll
tically.! We are then the guarantors
Of our " security and are equal to
the task.
Our Busfness NOT 10 Destroy. +
IL II 4, ennrn rNor,nSe,. hia q l..