Evening star., 1931-06-24

welcome to try to solve it. and everv-
oooy hopes that chinch bugs. army
worms and corn borers will not multi
ply on his farm as rapidly as new cars
multiply in his factories. If he can
| ind new uses for agricultural by-prod-
uctS, he will, indeed, have opened new
doors Of progress for farmers. But in
| creased efficiency in wheat production.
Ior instance, is certainly not the solu-
ton"
The United States Government, sew
eral years ago." according to the
Allentown Call, made a study of
large farming enterprises. some Of the
largest in the country, in fact. This
! survey showed that, with prevailing
prices for commodities, even wholesale
farming with the best of machinery.
the best management and a minimum
OF labor, 1t was difficult to make profits
and to pay labor even the low wages
That are common to the farm. a wage
level far below that which Mr.. Ford
so optimistically sets out to establish
Tor an ancient industry"
=
Now let the farmers adopt the Ford
prescription and get rich,'' argues the
San Francisco Chronicle They will
need the riches If they continue the
treatment. The spending feature of the
Ford method is not altogether new. In
fact, it has been tried for a long time
by people who could afford it. Will
liam M. EvartS, once United States
Senator from New York, had a farm in
Vermont, to which he was wont to in
vite friends for little vacations. Ar
irving one day with party, he showed
his hospitality with: Well, gentlemen,
70 IViy1 IL
champagne? It makes no difference to
me, as the cost is about the same. But
the average farmer would have difi-
Guilty keeping off the sheriff at that
rate. If Ford's method is to come into
general use there seems to be no way
except for Henry to take over the farms
and hire all the farmers. Mr. Ford's
surplus is not the kind that is worrying
the farmers"
The Charleston (W. Va) Daily Mall,
reviewing the last generation or so, re-
calls that farming on a large scale was
found to be wasteful and not profit
able,'' pointing out that there are great
farms and plantations in the South
west. to operate which large capital is
as necessary as in mass production in
industry" though they employ cheap
Mexican labor. labor not available in
other regions" In conclusion, the Mail
asks: How will the small farmer fare
in competition with these great farms.
provided they ccme back again? VIII
the small farmer disappear, as have the
heads Of small industries? Are the days
Of the great old plantations to come
back again?"
"One of the most important elements
in American life, the small rural land
owner, will lose his financial independ-
ence and will be pushed a step nearer
to the status of the European peasant"
in the judgment of the Worcester Eve
ming Gazette. The GAINESVILLE Gazette
hopes that Mr.. Ford tires of his farm
experiment." contending that Chain
farming is to destroy the usage Of agri-
culture as a way of living and take
from it the combined elements Of home
and farm" The Green Bay Press-Ga-
zette feels that efficiency is a desirable
thing to att3in, but is not the sum total
of life" Thst paper states: "The
farmer, by becoming an employe and
wage Garner. may earn more money
than a small farm would produce, but
he would lose the independence. the in
dividual initiative, and that supreme
satisfaction in the possession of a pro-
ducing unit complete in itself, which
have been, more than anything else in
this country, the foundation Of our in
dividual liberty and the bulwark Of
American democracy"