, 1923-03-11

NAA1AA AA1 $3.50
less than the Italian gardener and
the gardener eats less than the immi-
grant who has just landed. Each
generation OF a given family eats less
wheat than the preceding generation
and so It goes This law does not ap-
ply to cotton, sugar. rubber and GER
tain other products. 1t does not so
much apply to corn. which is fed TO
live stock, because as people becom
more prosperous they eat more meat.
and they consume more cotton, sugar,
rubber. etc. This does not mean
there is no hope for the wheat grow
ers; but It does mean that the wheat
growers have a more difficult prob
lem than the growers OF most other
products.
$50 Ions as a million new immi-
grants were coming into this country
every years, and SO long as our birth
rate remained high, there was an in
crease In the demand for wheat suf-
ncient TO take care of the excess sup
ply. With the immigration practic-
ally cut on the net gain in 1922
wa only about $4,000 people-and
with the constant decline in our ma
tive birth rate, the wheat rower of
the agricultural west are up against
a very difficult proposition.
"As a result of these conditions ]
found the small farmers of Mime
sofa. North and South Dakota. Kan
sas, Nebraska, Iowa and oven those
of Missouri stIll IN rather bad shape.
II is true that conditions everywhere
in the west are much better than two
years ago. The banks are li~quidating
their frozen credits and the farmers
are paying their debts; but with low
prices for their products and high
prices for labor and all they buy
with taxes rapidly increasing-the
growers of wheat and other cereals
have a real problem. Fundamentally
this is under present immigration and
batter ate conditions. n problem
which must be solved through Export
ing cereals. But to increase exports.
our farmers must compete with the
low cost of labor of Europe, the Ar
gentine and other cereal growing
countries. This means that our only
hope is in mass production. Wheat
must be grow as automobiles are
made-by the most efficient and inten-
sive methods. In order to compete
with the rest of the world in raising
wheat, either tho next productivity of
OF our soil per acre must be increased
% per cent. or else the labor cost
must be cut 20 per cent. II the latter
Is to be accomplished, without reduc-
ing wages, 1t NEAR that about 20 per
CEN of the men now engaged in rails
ing wheat SHOULD either raise other
products or else become carpenters,
brick-layers. plasterers and painters
in their own or nearby towns. The
future of such cities as Minneapolis.
ST. Paul. Kansas City. Duluth. Des
Moines. Davenport, Sioux City, Omn-
hs, Topeka, Wichita, and even st.
Louis depends very largely upon a
fearless recognition and solution of
this problem. It cannot be solved by
the politicians or by handing out
gifts to farmers. 1t car be solved
only by intelligent leadership with
the active cooperation OF the news
papers.
"Of course. no one should assume
from these comments the idea that
the agricultural west Is dependent
upon wheat. Tho industries of this
wonderful section Of the United
States AFRO becoming more diversified
every day. Moreover. these dlversi.
fed industries are rapidly picking up.
The lumber industry of Minnesota.
the dairying interests Of this section,
and the various other lines nre i'm
proving. Packing, which was fiat on
its back a year ago is turning over
onto its sic preparatory to getting
up. All the live stock business looks
better and the farmers arc confident
ly looking forward to higher prices.
The Improvement in the copper indus
try and tho great Improvement in the
iron and steel industry is helping the
northern group OF these states. Lead.
zinc. and other non.ferrous metals
will soon be in better demand as the
GREAT building boom develops further.
This will help Missouri and certain
other portions OF that section. The
people should be taught hat 'diversi.
ncation' applies not only TO the diff
ferent crops which n farmer plants;
but to the different lines which his
boys enter. Let one or two Of them
continue in farming; but let one go
into the building trades. another into
small manufacturing, a third into
merchandising, and the fourth into
tho ministry, medicine, banking, or
law. This does not mean that such
boys should go TO the Industrial cities
OF the east, or even TO the large cities
OF the west. Statistics clearly show
that the best opportunities today are
in the smaller cities and owns. More
over. most boys are better of to re-
main IN their home town than to go
TO large cities. One Of the great trou-
bies with boys today is that disease
Known as Green Pasturitis'-which a
materla medica tells us means that
To osne afflicted with this disease The
pvSLra fnrthest away always looks
tHe greenest.'
SIN, Notwithstanding these OBJ
atacieA. ] found the great agricultural
west IN Tar better conditions than n
year ago. Manufacturers and mer-
chants are we'll justified IN looking
for increased EA.es IN this section
during 1928. The improvement has
contributed 10 the increase IN the
barometer OF business for the entire