Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1926-09-03
Farmers Form
One-Third of
the Population
His Plight Is a Menace to the
Prosperity of Entire
Country
(By Williams Green)
president, A. F. of L.

The rural population of the United
States constitutes approximately one
third of the entire population. The
prices of commodities produced by
this group have been so depressed
country not only do not realize any
returns on the value Of their invest
ments, which are considerable (wheth
er the lands and necessary equip
ment are bought or inherited), but
they are not even receiving fair
return for the actual labor accom-
plished.
The plight of the farmer is a men
ace to the prosperity of the entire
country. Thirtv-three millions of
people in the United States are not
able to purchase commodities pro-
duced by other workers Of the coun-
try in quantities commensurate with
our almost unlimited production pow
er. AS a consequence, mills, mines
and factories are idle part of the
time and our greatest and most re-
munerative market, the home mar
ket, is impaired.
During 1925 the farm population
decreased by 100000, while the popu-
lation Of the country as a whole had
increased by some three million. That
means that 100000 more workers
have been added to the industrial pop
ulation
Many farmers are still trying to
manage their farms in the same way
that their pioneer forefathers did.
The pioneers with adventurous souls
and crude tools conquered the re-
sources of the land and worked their
products under simple market or
ganization.
The machine has invaded the farm
as we'll as the factory. The tractor
has generally replaced the horse
plow, and when the farmer talks of
horse power, he is thinking of power
machinery and electricity which now
does much of the farm drudgery. AS
rates for electric power have been
lowered, the number of kilowats used
in the farm house and in the fields
mounts proportionately.
Labor believes that ultimately the
farmer must help himself through or
ganization, through cooperation, de-
spite the centuries Of isolation that
/ have made him an individualist.
Moreover, the automobile, rural tel
ephone and rural free delivery now
bring him into touch with the rest
of the world. 1t will take time to
bring home the necessity of organiza
ton to these individualists, but this
is an age of cooperative undertakings
and the farmer must conform.
But there is immediate stress which
affects the entire country. The les
son of the necessity of cooperation
must be brought home by some Wis
ible, tangible benefit that may accrue
Immediately.
Realizing that the plight of the
farmer is the problem of all the peo-
pie of the country, a representative
of the American Federation of Labor
appeared before the Committee on
Agriculture of the House and asked
the enactment of Legislation that
would tend toward better remunera-
ton for the farmers.
Labor recognizes that the potential
production of this country, its almost
unlimited resources, the wonderful
machinery genius of the American
people which has increased tremend-
ously the output of every man on
farm or in mill or factory, requires
a cultural standard of living for all.
If any one factor in our economic
organization fails to keep its stand
ards of living progressively advanc-
ing, the obstruction clogs the gears
of the machinery which. the remain
ing groups may have created for
themselves. For these varied reasons
Labor is anxious to see the farmers
find aid in their problems and above
all establish the agencies through
which they direct their own destinies.