Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-05-28
RESETTLEMENT A
NECESSITY

An excellent editorial on Rural
Re-settlement by Senator Robert
M. LaFollette of Wisconsin, was
published in the last issue of
The Progressive, at Madison. 1t
brings out that while the Re-
settlement Administration has
been giving necessary temporary
aid to farmers in distress. the
administration is also doing work
of a long time character. They
are putting back on their feet
good substantial farm folks who
earnestly desire to make good.
They are moving people from
sub-marginal lands where it is
difficult, even in the best years
and when prices are high, to
make a living. Senator La Fol-
lette strongly urges and advo-
Gates continued appropriations
for the Rural Reinstatement Ad-
ministratiOn. His article follows:
1t will be a serious mistake if Con-
gress does not increase the relief ap-
the resettlement program. The Re-
settlement Administration has been
giving not only very much-needed
emergency aid to distressed farmers,
but it is also laying the groundwork
for an important longrange attack
upon some of the crucial problems
now facing American agriculture.
Agriculture today requires more
than direct relief. There are funda-
mental readjuStments which must be
made to save a substantial part of the
farm population from peasantry.
The old frontier is gone, and there
is no longer an unclaimed area of
fertile homestead lands offering new
opportunities to debt-ridden farmers
and unemployed workers. The extent
of our soil resources is now known.
1t is clear that the problem is to make
the best use of what we have. The
farm population can have a rising
standard of living only with increased
purchasing power in urban centers
and sound use of the land.
The Resettlement Administration is
one of the federal agencies which
recognizes that rural rehabilitation
is not to be accomplished by direct
relief allotments alone. The ultimate
objective of the resettlement program
is to put distressed farmers of the
country back on their feet as self
supporting citizens.
In the last year it has assisted
over 100000 farm families. BY the
end of the present fiscal year this
number will be approximately 100000.
The RA has helped these families
adjust their debts, buy seed, stock,
and tools needed to work their farms,
finance cooperative organizations, and
establish themselves on lands which
will yield them a living.
By bringing debtors and creditors
together for negotiation it has sue
ceeded in adjusting over 1900 cases
and securing reduction of over S16,-
100000 in farm Indebtedness within
a period of only seven months.
Approximately 275,000 rural fam
lilies have received relief grants from
the Resettlement Administration, and
by the end of its first year of opera
lions this number will be increased
to 100000. These relief grants are
for strictly emergency cases. Under
the present program an effort is being
made to put these families on self
supporting basis as rapidly as pos
.sible.
In great many cases farmers
would be able to make their own way
if they only had few things that are
needed to run a farm. This is true
especially in the areas which suffered
so much from the drouth. Farmers
in drouth sections lost cattle. horses
and other stock. Three years OF hard
ship have resulted in depreciation o.
farm machinery.
Before farmers in this situation car
get back on a self-sustaining basis
stock and implements must be re
placed, seed bought, buildings re
paired, wagons and tools mended.
Unfortunately these farmers canno
get the necessary money, as rule
from banks. They cannot offer thu
security demanded by commercial
credit institutions. Even the othe
credit agencies of the government ar,
not in a position to give them aid.
The Resettlement Administrator
stepped into the breach and mad
loans to approximately 100000 farm
ers who would have been unable t.
get the money for Rehabilitation
through any other channel of credit
Over S42,OO0,000 had been advance
to these farmers by the first part o
April, and So, $1,000 more promised