Evening star., 1924-12-31
BRITISH SEARCH
FOR LAND POLICY
Tories, Like Other Parties,
Confronted by Grave
Farm Problem.

World.
LONDON, December Sl.-England is
searching for land policy. Agri-
culture in the United Kingdom, as
elsewhere throughout the world, was
the first industry to feel the reaction
of the wars close, and il has never
recovered from the depression which
settled in soon after the armistice of
November II. 1918, ended the Fools
Paradise in which the farmers had
been living throughout the war years.
The problem for which Mr.. Bald
wins government is seeking a solu-
tion is all the more complicated be-
cause it is linked up with unemploy-
ment. This is the fifth Winter in
England during which 1880. 900 people
have been out OF work That has
been the average of unemployment
all the year around ever since 1920.
but the hardships of the jobiess are.
of course, much more acute in Winter.
Five prime ministers. have dealt
successfully with unemployment yet
the number remains as great as il did
when the loss of her markets after
the war forced England to close down
so many of her industries. Various
schemes have been propounded from
Mr.. Lloyd Georges time down through
the regime Of the Labor party itself.
Now Mr.. Baldwin and the Tories are
again in power, but Britain's army
of unemployed remains undimIn
ished. This demonstrates clearly
enough it is not a party question. The
settled, though gloomy, conviction is
that England for long years to come
will never have fewer than 1000, 900
people without jobs.
And while the cry goes forth cease
lessly that rural life must be made
more attractive, that the land must
be made more productive so that Eng
land will produce a greater part of
her own food. the movement Is stead
lily away from the country into the
towns where already more than 1000
600 arc jobless. Thus the soil, ad-
mittedty as good as any in Europe
produces far less food than it might 1t
gives neither farmers nor laborers as
good a living IS 1t might.
To meet this dual problem the pres
ent government has no policy. This
frank admission was made at the
Conservative party headquarters.
Premier Baldwin's election address,
in the paragraphs touching upon ag
ricultural policy, would have done
credit to any politician seeking to
evade an issue. The prime minister
lapsed into the use of what Mr..
Roosevelt used to call weasel words"
II regard it as vital" said Mr.
Baldwin to the electorate, that the
great basic industry of agriculture
should be not merely preserved, but
restored to a more prosperous condi-
tion as an essential balancing ele-
ment in the economic and social life
of the country.
Agreement Is Sought.
For a permanent solution of the
agricultural problem common
agreement between all parties is de-
sirable; and the Unionist party, II
returned to power. will summon a rep
resentative conference in the hope of
arriving at an agreed policy by which
the arabic acreage may be maintained
and regular employment and adequate
wages secured to the agricultural
worker"
Politicians here, as in America,
often resort to the expedient of refer
ring a troublesome question to
conference. That means often as
not the processes of the lethal cham
Der. But Englands land problem,
which likewise embraces the problem
of national food production and bears
SO vitality on the question of unem-
ployment, cannot for much longer be
sidestepped.
Conference Expected.
that not later than the early new year
Mr.. Baldwin will summon confer
| ence which would be non-p partisan in
| its composition and in which the
! views of the Conservatives. with a
! majority of more than 200 in the
| House of Commons, would be laid
| bare along with those of the Liberals
and the Labor-Socialists.
! For the time being, probably the
I 1t.
an overwhelming Tory House of Com
mons would be program which
| would commit the State to recognition
j of the broad principle that the land is
/ held for national service. In. the late
| election the Liberals pitiful hand
full in the present House-advocated ed
a system of cultivating ownership.
| This would involve a new kind of
land tenure under which the State
! would help to make into cultivating
! owners all farmers who farm well.
The ability to farm well would be one
of the qualifications for holding farm
| land.
| Any plan which would stem the flow
! of farm laborers to the cities where
they are swelling the army of unem-
ployed must take into consideration
! the present wages of the laborers-
about &c shilfngs a week, or around
waiting ownership would have been
/ denounced as rank socialism before
| the war. But the vital question
| clamoring for answer now is: Can
! England grow more food?
All three PARTIES are agreed that
| means must be found speedily to in
crease food production by increasing g
| the arabic acreage in England and
| Scotland and Wales. Under the pres
| ent policy of laissez-faire toward
agriculture, increasing millions OF
! money are sent out of the country for
/, foreign food while farm laborers Join
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