Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-01
FARM POPULATION
SHOWING INCREASE
U. S. Figures Show More
Than Million Persons Have
Left Cities in Year.
BY J. C. RoYLE

Economists here are considerably
worried over the advance in the farm
population, knowledge that the in
dustrial workers are going to the farms
In greater numbers has intensified the
feeling against the Federal Farm Board
in some quar- ,ers which has just burst
forth frequently in the last two months.
Some agricultural specialists present the
theory that the increase in the number
of people on the farms is traceable TO
the belief that the Government will
look out for them If they do not make
! o success of their farming operations.
In the last year the farm population
has increased 208 900 persons according
to the figures of the Department of
4, Agriculture, bringing the total to a.
100000 individuals. This is the largest
increase since 1924. According to the
department the gain is due to the en-
ployment situation, it being the belief
of some industrial workers that anyone
can make a living on a farm. This is
borne out by the fact that in 1926, when
prosperity was just getting into full
swing, 2,1550 persons left the farms
for the cities. In the last year 1892
900 returned to the soil, while there
were $4,000 more births than deaths
on the farms.
Wages No Factor.
Wages do not seem to have been a
factor in the increased migration from
the cities. Farm pay is lower now than
at any time since 1922, according to
the Department of Agriculture. Day
wages without board averaged $1.87
for the country as a whole. In the
various sections they ranged from $2.99
In the North Atlantic States to SIPS
IN ~ of fha South Tva die
tricts laborers are apparently willing to
work for bed and board alone.
Sam r. McKelvie, wheat member of
the Farm Board, has warned agricul-
turists that they must depend only on
domestic demand and that to do so
means an acreage reduction of at least
IS per cent. The board has not made
appreciable progress in getting farmers
to reduce paintings, and agricultural
experts declare that if farming was on
q sound, efficient basis with proper
equipment and accounting and judi
cious marketing a farm population of
10000 900 would be ample for the needs
of the country.
Opponents Of the Farm Board de-
clare that the wheat sterilization plan
of the board has been a failure and
that the carryover on July /, when the
new crop begins, will closely approx
mate 300,000,000 bushels. The board
defends the sterilization plan but Mr..
.McKelvie says it cannot be continued.
Bankers throughout the country dis
tricts in many cases are opposed to the
workings of the board. They assert
that farm financing was transferred
largely from the rural to the city banks.
This, they added, took from them a
profitable business and put it in the
hands of financiers far away and not
familiar with agricultural problems.
The board indicates that the getting of
the money for the farmer was the main
thing. whether it came from the cities
or the towns.
Commission Mems Objections.
The elevator and commission men
say their business has been taken out
Of their hands by the policy of the
board and the grain exchanges object
ytrenuously to the boards market opera
tons. The adherants of the board are
equally emphatic in its defense. The
opponents say the resignation of three
of the boards members in June or be-
fore, will leave the board without q very
definite policy and about In the same
place it occupied a year ago, except
that hundreds Of millions of dollars
have been spent.
(CopyriRht, 1881