Evening star., 1937-02-16

annually for 10 years, he said, OBJ
serving that the agriculture ladder
for these American citizens has be-
come e trea dmill"
Text Of Message.
The text of the Presidents message
follows:
transmit herewith for the infor-
alton of the Congress the report of
the Special Committee on Farm Ten
ancy.
The facts presented in this report
reveal grave problem Of great mag
nitude and complexty. The American
dream Of the family-size farm, owned
by the family which operates it, has
become more and more remote. The
agricultural ladder. on which an ener-
getic young man might ascend from
hired man to tenant to independent
owner, is no longer serving its purpose
Half century ago one of every
four farmers was a tenant. Today
two of every five are tenants, and on
some Of our best farm lands seven
OF every ten farmers are tenants. All
told. they operate land and buildings
valued at s1l .O00. 600, 900.
For the past 10 years the number
OF new tenants every year has been
about 10000. Many tenants change
farms every two or three years. and
apparently one out of three changes
farms every year. The agricultural
ladder for these American citizens
has become a treadmill.
At the same time, owners Of family
size farms have been slipping down.
Thousands of farmers commonly con-
sldered owners are as insecure as ten
ants. The farm owner operators s
equity in his property is, on the aver
age. AZ per cent, and in some OF our
best farming sections Is as little as
one-fifth.
When fully half the total farm
population of the United States no
longer can feel secure. when millions
OF our people have lost their roots in
the soil. action to provide security is
imperative, and will be generally
approved
NOT SOlved overnight.
A problem of such magnitude is not
solved overnight, nor by any one
limited approach, nor by the Federal
Government alone. While aggravated
by the depression, the tenancy prob
lem is the accumulated result of gen.
erations of unthinking exploita ton of
our agricultural resources, both land
and people. We can no longer post
pone action. We must begin at once
with such resources Of manpower.
money, and experience as are avail
able. and with such methods as will
call forth the cooperative effort of
local. State and Federal agencies of
government, and Of landlords quite as
much as tenants. In dealing with
the problem OF relief among rural peo-
pie during the depression, we have
already accumulated information and
experience which will be of great value
In the longtime program. 1t will be
wise to start the permanent program
on a scale commensurate with our
resources and experience, with the
purpose Of later expanding the pro-
gram to a scale commensurate with
the magnitude of the problem as
rapidly as our experience and re-
sources will permit.
The Special Committee on Farm
Tenancy emphasizes the necessity
Tor action Of at least four types: First.
action to open the doors of ownership
70 tenants who now have the requisite
ability and experience, but who can
become owners only with the assist
ance of liberal credit, on long terms,
and technical advise; second, modest
loans. with the necessary guidance
and education to prevent small own
ers from slipping into tenancy, and
to help the masses of tenants, CROP
pers and farm laborers at the very
bottom of the agricultural ladder in
crease their standards of living,
achieve greater security and begin
the upward climb toward land owner
ship; third, the retirement by public
agencies of land proved to be unsuited
for farming and assistance to the fam
lilies living thereon in finding homes
on good land; fourth, cooperation
with State and local agencies of the
to improve the general
leasing system. These activities.
which bear such close relation to
each other, should furnish sound
basis for the beginning of Q program
for improving the present intolerable
condition of the lowest income farm
families.
Cites Land Speculation.
The committee has very properly
the importance of health
and education in any longtime pro-
gram for correcting the evils from
which this large section Of our popu-
lation suffers. Attention Is also called
TO the part which land speculation has
played in bringing insecurity into the
lives Of rural families and to the ne
cessity for eliminating sharp fiuctua-
lions in land value due to speculative
activity In farm lands.
The attack on the problem Of farm |
and farm security is q logical
Of the agricultural prob !
em this administration has been de-