Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-01


feeding a super-industrial America
now is engaging the serious thought
Of economists. financial leaders and agricul-
tural experts. Two solutions are proposed. One
is the small, one-man farm. The other is the
gigantic factory" farm-farming on billion
dollar scale.
The farms today are manned largely by
old men and boys. The old men bound
to pass away. The boys if the present trend
is unchecked. will follow their older brothers
to Akron, to Bridgeport, to Flint and other in
dustrial centers, growth of which during the
last decade gives their inhabitants so much
pride and satisfaction. And America, with
millions of fertile lying idle. will import
her foodstuffs starve.
America is more able than was the lit
tie boy to eat her cake and have it, too. Amer
ica's cake has been cheap foodstuffs and high
industrial wages. In the past this cake has
been composed in the main of cheap farm
land with unexhausted natural fertility and
low farm wages. Another ingredient of no
inconsiderable consequence has been the
"goatship" of the American farmer. There no
longer is any considerable amount of cheap
land with unexhausted natural fertility. Not
only are farm wages no longer low. but farm
labor is hardly to be had at any wage. And,
finally. the farmer has tired of the role of goat
and has made up his mind to get +his" along
with the other getters
X
The DILLON dollar farm may sound like
the dream of a visionary-but did lot of
other things which today commonplace.
Men who have devoted their lives to the study
of agricultural production, to industrial organ
ization and to the financing of huge enter
prises not inclined to dismiss the idea
with gesture Of disdain. Americas food
problem. present and prospective, is far too
serious to permit of cavalier treatment of any
program that gives promises of a solution.
Within the last few days the writer has
examined scheme for billion dollar farm,
reduced almost to the stage of blueprints and
specifications. The architect of it may have
heard of Utopia, but he never sought to dwell
there. A dreamer Of dreams? Yes; but one
who has a way of making dreams come true.
His practical accomplishments in the business
world before coming to the high place he now
occupies take him out Of the class of those
who are described well meaning, but.
He has earned the right to have his name and
accomplishments listed in Who's Who.
He told the writer that number of big
6nanciers and Industrial leaders have examined
his plan and have been impressed with it.
Impressed with it not only means of in
creasing and cheapening the nations food sup
ply, but attractive field of investment.
One such farm put on a paying basis would
assure all the capital needed for other farms,
IOr capital always IS ready TO follow a DlaZed
trail to profits. And adventuring capital for
the initial farm ought not to be impossible
to find 1t is found in abundance to prosecute
the search for problematical wealth beneath
the surface of the soil Why not for the gar
nering of wealth known to lie in the soil itself?
X X X
Farming a billion dollar scale may not
be the most desirable form of agriculture.
Most likely it is not The American farmer
has been the backbone of the nation; the sure
rock upon which republican institutions
were founded. He has been at once our pride
and our dependence in times Of stress. free
citizen and land owner, have held him up
in comparison with the tenant peasantry of
the old world and have called him typical of
America
And in the past he has made good, made
good magnihcently. But if now he fails? What
if he is unable. under the new conditions, to
deliver the goods? Ever since the armistice,
and before, we have been telling each other
that the old order has passed away, that
new day has dawned We of the cities have
been demanding more of the good things of
life. higher wages. shorter hours. We have
told our bosses that these are due us. that