Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-03-12
by Henry C.. Wallace.

f'uitor Note-itenry G. Wallace.
recretary OF agriculture. is in posi-
ton no other human being can oc-
cupy, tho executive head of the gov
'rnments vast activities in and for
The farming industry. He senses the
cause OF much of our trouble and
Offers n series OF suggestions that
may help clear up an ever darlen-
Ing situation
Most OF tho epoch making ma
chincry, the pillow. tho corn planter,
tho two-horsc cultlvator the mower.
tho reaper and the steam threshcr.
were invented prior TO the Civil War.
hut 1t was not until after 1860 that
these implements came Into wide use
They were especially adapted u the
great prairie country where the
farmer could turn IL furrow straight
away for II mile or more. With the
wooden pillow, the sickle and ;he
ran weeks labor of one man was
required TO produce twenty bushels
OF wheat on an acre OF land. with
the improved implements the same
amount OF wheat could be produced
On tho same amount Of land in one
ind onc-halt days. Better machinery
and larger teams multiplied man
The increase in the domestic and
foreign demands for FOOD WAS one of
the most important factors In stImu
.'"s "er'cu!turai pros-ction. Our
urban population in 1860 stood at &c
per cent or the total: By 1900 IL had
risen 10 10 per cent OF the total
Iheap food and cheap transportation
srcaVy stimulated our Industries and
also gave US success to foreign mar.
kets. more especially the countries OF
western Europe hl!ed with large in
oustriai population. The improve
"eht IN transportation and the cheap
ness OF our foods,uffs opened to us
the markets OF the world.
As result of this c,traor,I,.
combination OF forces the production
OF crops per capita Of agricul,u-oi
"ofhcrH was Increased by about 5S
ger cent. and production per cauito
oi totai population increased abo,it
o. per cent We became the largest
world.
The Trouble Stnrts
Naturally such conditions mace 70,
IN extensive type OF agriculture Tho
richest large body OF land an IN.
world was either free or very chcap
Ana tho best farm machinery in the
world was TO DO had labor was mi
HE Individual TO cultivate the maxi
mum acreage and lean toward a one
crop system which did not give the
Greatest yields per acre. but which
aid result In the highest Yield per
NAN.
carly in the twentieth century 1t
became evident the tide was turning
Ia agricultural production as related
!" domestic consumption. our per
capita production was showing un-
mistaknblc signs OF decline City
population was increasing far more
rapidly than rural population In the
twenty years following 1900 urban
ara village population increased by
s'''OOroo0. while rural population IN
creased but 100000. In 1900 ur-
ban and village population was IS
per cent Of the total. in 1920 II was
SO per cent. During the ten gears
1910 TO 1870. III. cities and villages
Of the North had Increased In popu-
lation by % per cent, while the in
crease ia the open country In the
same region was but LIS per cent.
Rivals Appear.
with the coming OF peace and the
Inevitable period OF reconstruction.
the unusual foreign demand for our
agricultural products subsidized Tho
seas were opened and South America
and Australia. which had been bot
accumulated surplus. For "a year and
4 half American agriculture has been
undergoing very serious depression
Sue to the production of more food
stuHs than we can use ourselves and
more than we can sell at fair price.
Farm crops have been selling for
very much less than the actual cost
pr production and very much below
The prices which prevailed during the
ave pre-war years; also they have
been selling for very much less re-
latively than other basic co;nmodi-
ties. That is but another way OF
saying that the wages OF farmers are
Tar lower now then the wages OF any
pthcr group. This has resulted In q
condition which. IL continued. will
within relatively short period i'm
pose n heavy burden upon domestic
consumers. The farmer cannot con-
tinue to produce at a loss Dccreas-
td production will result in prices so
high that city consumers Will com
plain bitterly.
New Policies.
During the next twenty years
either consciously or unconsciou sly
the United States Will adopt fairly
definite policies rs to industry AMI
agriculture. We are approaching that
period which comes in the life of
every nation, when we must deter
uilHc WuelHtT We VIII strive sOr
weli-rounded, self -sustaining nation
al life. In which there shall be Il far
balance between industry ana asri-
culture or whether, as have so many
nations in the past. we shall sacrifice
our agriculture for the building of
cities and expect our food 10 be pro-
duced not by Independent farmers
b"t by men and women o. the present
t!ne.