The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-01-09


 meeting when 1t convenes in the Hotel Bond on the evening of Jan nary Fist for it's annual session.
 George w. Russell, the Irish poet, who became his country's leading economist, will be the chief speaker of the evening. He believes that agricultural cooperation has an im- portant contribution to make 10 rural fife over and above the eco homie advantage which it offers the individual farmer. Mir. Russell, who is better known under his pen name as AE. sees the cooperative agricul- tural community the rich soil out or which national culture will grow.
 MT. Russell modestly disclaims, in his own inimitable style, any capac. ity for advising the American people on the farm problem. However. Tn his philosophy of rural civilization he answers many vexing questions and in reality has the farm prob-- lem solely as his subject. His is not a "back to farm' movement but one designed to make form life so pros porous, happy and complete that farmers will want to stay on the farm and small communities VIII progress instead of decline.
 s. Mclean Buckingham, state commissioner of agriculture. believes
 
 being able to secure MT. Russell as he expected to be in this country only a few weeks more. Commis- sioner Buckingham explains that It is no new doctrine which the eminent Irish critic will bring to Connecticut farmers, but one which he has practically demonstrated In his native land. His work has been going on for more than thirty years and has eliminated in Industries do- ing business worth hundreds Of thousands of dollars every year.
 Student of Horace Piunkctt
 The story of how AE became the economist of the agricultural move ment throws light on one element In his character. It has it's connection with America because Sir Horace Plunkett brough 1t about on his re- turn from this country in 1897 to found the Irish Agricultural Organ ization society. Plunkett, while en- gagged in agriculture in the United States. was actively interested in the conservation movement and helped with Theodore Roosevelt in the or ganization of the American Country Life association. He found Russell keeping accounts for a tea merchant. But Russell was more than an ac- countant He was a poet. painter and
 
 W. B. Yeates who brought about the acquaintance between a man who was already famous and another who was soon to acquire greater fame.
 Soon after this meeting AE be- came organizer for the Agricultural Cooperative society and travelled the roads of Ireland in a bicycle. found- ing cooperative banks, farming creameries and poultry societies and helping to convert the Irish farmer to cooperative organization which has meant so much in economic gain to the rural population of that coun- try.
 Some years later AE became as- sistant secretary of the Irish Agricul- tural Organization society. In 1905 he was appointed editor of It's official organ, the "Irish Homestead" which later became the Irish Statesman Of his editorial work Ernest Boyd writes:
 "As an agricultural paper the Homestead was unique in the an- nals of Irish farming and weekly Journalism anywhere. Here AE the cooperative economist and AE the poet found fullest expression and completed that merging process which has made George w. Russell the outstanding and original figure
  poetry, chemisal manures and the loftiest theories of nationality met here in strange but not incongruous juXtapositiOn.'
 AE has been termbed the Sage of , Ireland. With his broad shoulders and his more than six feet. with his genial eyes looking out from be- hind a rusty beard. he looks the part. But he is not the type of man ,;, hol lyp with hiS wisdom. He has a touch of humor which lead him to autograph a pie ture to q friend with these words: II wish I were as wise as I look"
 Those who urged AE to come to this country to talk on his phil osophy believe that through 1t the people who form American agrlcu!- tural communities may be restored to the stature of their pioneer an cestors.
 Farmers Misjudgcd
 "The farmer has been misjudged.' declares AE. Tn wide areas of all countries there are stagnation and decay, and this Is especially true or the rural districts. It is so general it has often been assumed there was something inherent in country life which made the country-man as slow in mind as his cattle.
 
 exists because the country people are not organized: because a new social order must be created and 1t is the business of the rural refOrmer to create the rural community. That is the precursor to the creation of q rural civilization. It is not enough, to organize farmers in district for one purpose such as credit, dairy. fruit or cooperative society If they T n,I Dh business into their organization they will have little effect on character. The specialized society only develops economic efficiency. The evolution of humanity beyond it's present level depends on its power to unite and create true social organisms.
 'It is my object to unote the aver age man or woman in the fields and convince them that the best life will be possible to them. For if you do not provide for people the nobelest and best. they will go in search of it. It is human as well as an economic problem. as man does not live by bread alone. but by every gift of fellowship and brotherly feeling society offers him. It is up to us to prove 1t Is possible to bring comfort enough osatisfy any reasonable person on the farm and to create d society where there will be intel- lectual life and human interest"
 MT. Russell proposes to open up vistas before the farmers, for he be- lieves only a vast hope can aruse people from vast despair. His mess ~a is to make them feel that they are not in an economic morass out of which they cannot extricate themselves. He wants to teach the farmers to have more initiative and be self-ellant, for he feels that what was deepest and most profound CHECK FOR THE