Evening star., 1940-08-28
Men paid for it in sweat and blood
and loneliness, If not in dollars.

Men paid for it in sweat and blood
and loneliness, If not in dollars.
AS long as great rivers run idly
to the sea; as long as vast reaches
of virgin soil await only life-giving
water; as long as Americans prefer
work to ease, and as long as WE'LL
being is inequitably distributed, then
we say that America is not finished.
Our job is to work for an integrated
self-confident country. ready to un-
dergo the discipline of the pioneer
to the end that we may not only
survive in a threatening world but
distribute our blessings more abun-
dainty. The call is for disciplined
population. I prefer the self-disci-
pline of the pioneer to the imposed
discipline of the European autocra-
cies. The pioneer tradition is
strong in our blood. All of us,
whether our ancestors crossed the
Atlantic in the seventeenth century
or whether we ourselves came in
the twentieth, are pioneers. or the
descendants OF pioneers. The vir-
tues of work, thrift and self-denial
for the common good are part OF
our tradition. We have the tools.
What are some of the specifica-
tions for the reconstruction of
America? Among the first Is the
preservation and fuller employment
of the natural resources of soil, for
est and water power. Prudence die
tates that we, at least, conserve
those legacies for this and future
generations.
Restoring the
Agricultural Empire.
The prosperity Of agriculture
should be the first charge on the
attention Of any administration. Not
for sentimental reasons, although
society owes real debt to those
who. year IN, year out, supply 1t
with its first essentials, food and
raw materials. No, the reason for
our preoccupation with the farm
problem is social and economic bet
terment. The farm stands some
where near the center of our econ
omy. For rs years the farms of
America balanced our foreign trade
and, through exportable surpluses,
provided the foreign exchange that
assisted in building our factories,
mines and railroads. The first
World War disrupted that profitable
trade and, for 20 years, we have
struggled with recurring, unmar-
ketable surpluses.
The farm problem is by no means
the exclusive worry Of the farmer.
In a true and realistic sense the
problem is as national as the prob
lem of national defense. Permit me
to cite an example: Statisticians find
an uncanny correspondence between
gross farm income and industrial
pay rolls in given year. When, as
in 1929, farm income rose to $12,-
600, 900 900, factory pay rolls also
were s12,000,000, 900, and when In
1882 farm income dropped to IS 5,000,-
100000 industrial pay rolls fell off
similarly.
The New Deal has administered
the farm problem for more than
seven years. What is the present
state of the American farmer, who
with his dependents makes up a
quarter of our population? In the
year 1889 his share of the national
income was the lowest since statis-
tics have been kept. Moreover, his
income during the seven New Deal,
or lean, years has averaged only
$1,000, 100000, whereas during the
preceding seven years, under Re-
publican administrations, it aver
aged $1,000 ,000, 900. Bear in mind If
you will that the New Deal totals
included all the benefit payments
from the Treasury of the United
States-and that the seven prosper
GUS Republican years include the