, 1921-02-10
NATION IN DANGER
Farm Abandonment Has Created
Most Serious Situation.
Food Supply Threatened Through tho
Drift Of the Population to tho
cities-Now Is Great opportu-
nifty TO Take Up Land.

The question, How Is the country
to be fed IL the population continues
to drift to the cltles?" Is one that
should create an agitation that will
bring about a reply that will mean a
solution. The census, recently COM
pleted, reveals a situation truly alarm
ing, one that has never been known
In the United States before. The ur-
ban population is now greater than
that of the rural districts by about
100000. Cities and towns, each with
more than $500 inhabitants. contain
5~4,31S,032 persons, or 51.4 per cent Of
the total population. while the farms
md smaller towns together claim only
81, 1899. 739 persons, or 1876 per cent Of
the total.
AS is pointed out by an influential
Chicago daily, "the drift to the cities
is thus proved and, reduced to figures,
showing a %top-heavy condition of the
Industrial life"
Farming is and must remain the
basic Industry of the world. and GER
tainly should remain the basic indus
try of n nation with n continental
area like ours. 1t Is small profit to
rain the markets of the world with
manufactured goods II agriculture has
decayed so badly as to furnish an I'M
certain subsistence for u people. and
%fuctuating crops are reflected In price
changes that upset the economic life
of the country. Yet we are within
measurable distance of that condition,
II the present or recent drift toward
the cities continues.
Most writer's on this topic take II
for granted hat young folks go from
farms to cities merely to make more
money. Doubtless that is something
of n motive at all times and was n
very strong one In the period imme.
diately after the war, when city indus
tries paid wages totally impossible fol
farmers to rival.
:. 1t Is hoped that this drifting has
reached its apex. Unless It has, and
there still remains n possibility of IT.
continuance, the effect cannot he fore
! told. The great wave of manufacture
: for war has ceased. and witt
. II the number of those employed I
l factories is diminishing by thousand
/ daily. II is therefore hoped that Their
will again be heard the slogan, "Fol
ward to the Land" IF prices to whic
farm land has reached are prices pre-
y hibitive to many, the opportunity
still open elsewhere. There are state
possessing large areas Of good Ian
y that may still be had at prices With
the reach of many and It is doubles
true that In self-preservation II wi
be necessary to bring these lands vi
c der cultivation. The prices are nc
o high, considering their value. Their
too. there are the lands of Wester
S Canada. that hold out an inviting pros
$ pect. Reports from there how tina
the prosperity of the farmers there I
not mythical. Farming there Is con
= Quoted on scientific principles, an
S the climate is such as appeals. TIL
production amply repays all the el
penditure that may be made: TIL
y social conditions are of a charncte
o that make farm life n pleasure, an
Y tends to keep the young man IN
. young woman from pining for urbaI
& life with so many drawbacks. If cor
| ditions as above mentioned. shown
such a large percentage Of population
in the cities and towns, continues, the
will require food. The opportunity I
= supply II is by the means suggested
: Go forward to the farm. become In
< dependent. and become n factor 4
: supplying the worlds needs In cattle
/. sheep. grain and such other commo
; dities MS the farm will produce an,
the resident Of the city requires
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