Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-20
The Need of a New Agricultural
Psychology


That crisis in our agriculture ex-
lists all will admit. What caused it?
How can it be remedied? These are
now pertinent questions upon the
correct diagnosis of which much de-
pends!- The answer from my point
of view lies in the cataclysmic period
of fierce passion, unrestrained hatred
and super-vandalistic destruction
through which the world has just
passed. Under the circumstances
could we expect less than a partial
submergence Of normal activities by
the backwash of a conflict Of uni
versal proportions? I think not.
After a balloon ascension and
sudden drop to earth without a par
achute, is it surprising that both our
agriculture and our industries eX-
hibit symptoms of paralysis at this
moment? Might we not expect so
violent a reaction to leave us in Il
sort of trance or coma? Is it not
true that too much luxurious living
has sapped the moral fiber of our
national life to a dangerous degree,
and like an insidious flood striking
at the foundation of "the house built
upon the sand" cut out and de-
stroyed some of our finer and nobler
instincts and left us nothing worth
while in their place?
How can we free ourselves Of the
present undesirable status Of mind
and regain that position Of independ-
ent vigor which has so long charac-
terized our nation? Assuredly, we
need a stomachic, quick-acting
heart tonic; anything in fact that
will bring our best impulses to the
front and send us forth into the
field of action with the will to win.
To accomplish the desired ends, we
must throw off the mental and phys
icaI lethargy which now so gener-
ally possesses us individually and
collectively. We must imbibe largely
of the milk of human kindness be-
cause a generous spirit begets good
fellowship. Let us eliminate from
our minds the idea and the feeling
that the devil can take the hind
most" Self1shness is a prophet OF
evil and, its display at a time when
the world longs for love, sympathy
and appreciation would be most I'M
fortunate. Let ID reconsecrate our
selves to the idEals and traditions
of our forefatherS, that government
of the people, by the people and for
the people may not perish from the
earth" By clinging to altruistic pur-
poses and principles at any cost,
they made our country Independent,
progressive and a factor to be reck
oned with in the direction of world
affairs. We can not make mistake,
therefore, by following in their foot
steps in a great emergency such as
our common country now faces.
Sometimes I wonder if we realize
the momentous character of the
epoch through which we are still
passing. Reflection along this line
may make it clear to us why we
should be thankful that conditions
are, no worse and why we should
look to the future with hope and
courage. During the four and half
years between August, 1914, and No
vember, 1918, more than 100000 |
men lost their lives in that great |
cosmic CONFUSION which we call the
World war. During the War Be-
tween the States which lasted from
1861 to 1865, 700, 900 men were killed. |
This is a chapter which we would |
gladly erase from our history. New
ertheless, but one-fifteenth as many |
men were sacrificed in that conflict |
as in the memorable one which was
terminated on Armistice day, No |
venber IL, 1918.
1t appears from the record that
wars cost the nations between 1893 |
and 1910 s23.0O0,0O0 900. The World
war, irrespective of much property !
damage, cost $186,000,0 900, or
over eight times as much as was
spent in the previous century. This
represents an expenditure of ap-
proximately 500 per capita, assum,
ing the population of the world to
be around 100000. 900 people. In
1909-1910 'ouI. country spent $279,-
100000 for military preparation. In
1921-1922 wife set aside $1,379 900, 900 |
for the same purpose. At the same
time we only appropriated the COM
paratively insignificant sum of
1858 100000 for the support of re-
search, education, public health and
development and promotion work CT
every kind We are now investing
annually S2.S90, ZOO, 900 in pensions,
interest and other expenses arising
from the World war, exclusive of
0,000,000,000 advanced in the form
Of loans to foreign governments.
Is it any wonder that thes world
is struggling under load of debt
greater than many of the small ma
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