Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1920-04-22
WOOD DISCUSSES
FARM PROBLEMS
Demands Greater Educational,
Social and Economic Advan-
tages for Rural Sections.

Having lived as boy in rural
community and having spent iai re
part of his life in environments tie
irving their welfare from agricultural
activities, Leonard Wood possesses
frst-hand knowledge of the problems
that confront the American farmer.
On this topic, as on all others, his
clear thinking leads to clarity of eX-
preston, and there is no reason why
any farmer In the United States
should not thoroughly understand
Woods position on the vital questions
that are involved al this me in our
agricultural enterprises OF the farm
or and his problems. Wood says.
agriculture IS the principal source
of our wealth. The farmers are the
stable. conservative element They
stand for good government for the
rights Of property and the rights OF
men The Red Flag never flies over
n farmhouse.
"'fhe decrease In agricultural pro
luction compared with the increase In
the population Of tie country and
the number of people who live ana
work ON the farms is d sastrous and
should not continue. In other words
the food supply should never be al.
lowed to fall below the cOuntry's re-
qu!rements. We ought always to be
self sustaining.
During the war. under every sort
of handicap, the farmers of America
rendered magnificent service In pro
ducing the food necessary to feed not
only the United States but very largely
our Allies. They sent their sons to
war In spite of the shortage of labor
and by dint Of increased effort they
tremendously increased this cOuntry's
output Of food. Had they not done
SO, II would have been impossible for
us to have taken our part in the war
as we did. The war would have drag
ged on and probably been lost. Now
the farmers feel that their service was
not adequately recognized.
"The farmers constitute full third
OF our population. and the welfare of
the nation Is practically bound up with
theirs. Yet the benefits of modern
civilization have not been extended
to our rural communities in any such
measure as they have right to de-
mand.
Make Farm More Attractive.
"Educaton for farm children should
he universally accessible. Rural
schools should be up to the standards
OF city schools in every way. The
little state Of Denmark, we are told,
hns managed to build up Il system OF
rural schools that leads the world. No
doubt this explains the reason why
Denmark leads the world In agricul-
tural productivity per acre under cul-
tvation There is no reason why we,
with our greater resources, cannot
duplicate Denmark's feat, even out
strip H. Moreover, If we are TO keep
up our national progress, we must see
to II that our farming population has
comparatively equal educational, So
ciaI. political and economic advantages
with our urban population
"Long hours of labor, lack Of proper
returns and lack of social and intel
lectual attractions are largely respon-
SlDle LOT TIE constant lON vi young
men and women from the farms to the
towns and cities. We have done little
or nothing to make farm surroundings
more attractive or farm labor less of
a drudgery. We have not developed
our rural highways and modes of COM
municatiOn as they should be.
Every sound aid normal man and
chn,tlA hnua a L.
able chance to earn a living and to re-
ceive the benefits of their toll, a fair
and workable chance for a decent, use
full and desirable life, with a change
to marry and support family, and
give the children reasonable oppor-
tunity for a reasonable start.
"rhe farmers have right to expect
from every national admin stratiOn
Department of Agriculture in full and
Intelligent cooperation with them and
the great farm organizations of Ameri-
ga. They deserve to he given the re-
suits of thorough and intelligent study
as to the cost of farm products at
home and abroad, and should be fur
nished the uncenSOred facts.
ave must keep constantly in MIND
one most important fact, which Is that
nothing must be permitted to interfere
with ample production. There must
be no fixing of prices which will re-
suit to the deIrimenI of the farmer
Indeed, price fix NJ, especially mini
mum plice fixing, should he entered
into most cautiously and only when ii
il certain that good and not harm will
result.
d" 81 believe in far larger measure OF
direct dealing between producers and
consumers Of food. To-day altogether
too small IL portion of the consumers
dollar gets back TO the farmer"