Evening star., 1936-11-21

petter brake on TOO lmpetuous action
than the Supreme Court is the
preservation Of relatively individual
ist farm-ownins population Of actual
farmers"
Methods TO BE Debated.
Something Is going to be done. But
there will be debate about methods
Fundamental in any plan will be pur-
chase by the Government Of large
tracts from present owners and resale
to persons now tenants, or to others
wishing to become farm owners. but
at some point those who conduct the
operation will encounter a difficulty
1t Is that ancient confounder of altru-
lists in every field, old human nature
We can say 1t Is desirable to turn a
tenant into farm owner-but nature
may not have designed him to be a
farm owner. Many a landlord who
would be glad to sell his farm, sell 1t
at reasonable price and on easy pay
ments. finds 1t difficult to find buyers
who have the qualities which would
enable them to manage the farm sue
cessfully enough to pay the cost of it.
The existence of this impediment
seems to have dawned on Prof. Tug
well. He, while still Undersecreta. y
of Agriculture. gave out about two
weeks ago concrete plan for promot-
ing farm ownership. His plan began
with the feature essential in any plan,
an appropriation by the Government
Gan appropriation by the Government
seems the first step In every altruiSm. J
DR.. Tugwell's plan was for s5o,0OO, 900
a year for 10 years, the money to be
devoted to purchase of land in large
quantities from existing owners and
sale of this land in small farms to
persons now tenants.
From this point on Prof Tugwell's
plan had some remarkable provisions
The farms would first be leased, not
sold, for trial period" Of five years.
During that time the Government
agency in charge of the operation
would decide whether the particular
tenant was liable and willing" to
undertake purchase of the farm, and
to conduct the farm after he pur-
chases it. For five years the pur-
chaser would be, so to speak, a trial
farmer"
Would Keep Farmer.
Then Prof. Tugwell's plan had
feature designed to keep the farmer
on the land. once it got him there.
Purchasers would be given 40 years to
make their payments to the Govern
ment. The Government, however,
would decline to receive the last pay
ment until after the completion of the
40 years. The purpose of this. ap-
parently. is to prevent the purchaser
from yielding to any temptation to
sell his equity. He would also be for
hidden to mortgage the farm.
Finally, the purchaser during the
40 years would be required to oper-
ate the farm in accord with plans
prescribed by the Govrnment. Pre-
sumably he would be rquired to plant
the crops the Government tells him
to plant, and as much acreage of each
as the Government prescribes. Pre-
sumably he would be required to mar
ket his crops in accord with rules
laid down by the Government.
Since Prof. Tugwell is no longer
Undersecretary Of Agriculture this
plan Of his has now no official stand
ing. Whatever is to be the new Gov
ernment plan will ccme out Of the de-
liberations of President Roosevelt's
recently appointed commission. There
after, whatever the plan. it will be de-
bated in Congress. If the plan of the
new commission Is anything like
Prof. Tugwell's We shall hear from
Congress remarks about making pros
pective farm-purchasers into tenants
Of the Government, rigidly supervised
and regimented as no tenant of
private landlord is. Probably some
excitable Congressman will use
phrases such as "serfs of the Gov
ernment." Yet the difficulties which
Prof. Tugwell tried to anticipate are
real ones. Difficulties inherent in hu-
f,,ro