The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-03-14
CHECK IN CITYWARD
DRIFT IS SEEN BY
new YORK CONCERN
tBy Associated Press)

L
NEW YORK, March ia real es-
tate firm of nationwide scope which In
the past year sold 4.272 farms, valued
at more than $4,000, 900, from Maine
TO California, has made public at lis
Offices here the interesting discovery
that. for the first time in many years
there are signs of change IN the
drift OF population away from the
cities and back to the farms. -
Recently announced Federal census
statistics showed that the aggregate
population of American cities, when
the canvas was made six months or
more ago, actually exceeded the ag-
eregate population of the farming dis
tricts, a condition unprecedented In
the country's history. This is explained
by the fact that there was an Influx OF
people from farming communities to
the cities especially in the period OF
abnormal industrial activity during
and Immediately following the war.
Thousands of farmers and members
of their families came to factory local
tiles where, for two or three years,
they made big wages. With the slump
following the general industrial re-
adjustment, however, these farmers,
and, in many cases, idle city jewellers
as well. are turning to the farms
where labor has long been at
premium.
Sales Show Reversal.
The records Of the firm in question
are said to show that during the past
20 years its sales have been made in
almost unvarying proportion, two
thirds to farmers moving from one
section or state to another and one
third to men from the cities. The
present back-to-the-land movement.
however, it is declared, shows an al
most exact reversal of these percent
ages, that is, two-thirds of the sales
are now being made to men from the
cities as against one-third to farmers.
1.-THE first check in the cityward
movement" member OF this hrm
stated, appears from available Stats
tics to have come late last fall, with
the Tightening of industrial conditions
and consequent lack of employment in
evident this winter until in February
the tide seems to have begun to flow
the other way.
Industrial SIumps Reflected.
"The great majority of men going
from the cities and manufacturing
towns back to the farms are believed
TO be men who came from the country
originally, attracted by high wages in
industry. Many of these men ac-
cumulated considerable savings and
now that work is uncertain and scarce,
they are using their savings to pur-
chase self-supporting homes for them
selves, rather than to accept lower
wages or to live in idleness while their
savings are being eaten up by high
rents and other unavoidable living
costs in the cities"
New England was said to be leading
The entire country in the back-to-the-
land movement. While the increase
throughout the United States is in ex-
cess of so per cent greater in February
then for the same Period last year,
New EnglanG's farm sales show an
Increase of 200 per cent, due to the
fact that many factory workers who
have been thrown out of employment
or forced to submit to wage reductions.
have left the cities and towns and
gone into general farming. dairying,
noultry and hog raising and bee keep
ing as well as the cultivation of small
fruits