Evening star., 1941-06-01
Sees New Cycle in
Farm Problem
By Frederic J. Hdsktn.

ten years is said to be headed toward
one OF its uncertain cycles. This time.
many agriculturists and others believe,
the approaching change is taking the
form which it took during this country's
participation in the first World War.
Then. due to booming business and high
wages in industrial plants, there was a
great migration from farms to cities.
There are many indications that such
a condition is now in the process Of
being repeated.
Whether a back-to-the-city movement
is actually in the making SO as to lead
| to such proportions as did the from
| farm-to-city march between 1914 and
| 1918, this much is true: When more fac
| tory whistles began to blow at the def
mite upturn of business more than q
| year ago, and there was a tendency for
wages to rise, the back -to-the-land
movement which had been constant
| since 1880 almost ceased. 1t Is true that
| the greater number of those who had
decided to return to farms had already
made the change, but the most impor-
| tant sign of the letup in this migration
| to farms was the almost immediate
return to the city of many who had just
! started a rural career
The reason for this shift of popula-
ton is understandable. There is some
thing fascinating about pay day, and
when it comes every week as it does in
| most industries millions feel safer to
cast their lot with the weekly pay enve-
lope than they do in taking chances on
the hazards of weather and the uncer-
tainty Of prices at harvest time. Those
who have tried the ups and downs Of
farming know the advantages Of regular
pay over the irregularity of seasons and
| prices.
| So industrial centers form the magnet
| that is constantly drawing the rural
! population. The most recent illustration
| OF this occurred between 1920 and 1890,
when more than 5000 900 people left the
farm and went to live in cities. largely
because of ample employment and high
wages. 1t was only the depression that
checked this great migration to cities.
In fact, it was not only checked. but the
! depression was the means in 1882 Of
starting a back-to-the-land movement,
condition which now may be reversed.
! There is much speculation as to how
great this movement of people from
farms to cities could be at this time.
This speculation is not based altogether
on how long the present emergency may
last, for during the migrations to cities
between 1914 and 1918. and between
1920 and 1880, prices of farm products
were generally high, whereas now they
are low, giving that much more encour-
agement to abandon farming and take
chances on a livelihood in industry. Not
only so, but the old-time country banker,
who rarely ever made loan except to
farmers. and usually on their moral
reputation, has been supplanted by CO.
operatives or outserviced by the Federal
+ Government. These innovations in the
lending field are not necessarily bad, but
! Ethe man who is just starting out to farm
without experience faces some difficulty
in establishing himself with either fnan-
cial avenue. Morally, he may be one Of
the best men in the community, but as a
| farmer he may prove a failure.
From the standpoint of the Federal
Government. there is deep interest in
this possibility of flow of the popula-
ton from country to city. That interest
has many aspects. The millions who
were stranded in industrial centers at
the beginning of the depression were
not only unable to survive, but unable
to get back to the farms from which
they came. Millions of them were fed
by the National Government pending an
opportunity when they could return to
the soil for a livelihood. In most in
stances when they did return to farms
this was also accomplished by Govern
ment aid. Not only did the Govern
ment supply various types of help in
getting thousands of people in cities
back to the farms, but built them
houses. and in many instances loaned
them money with which to make a fresh
| start In the last five years more than
850O00 families have been aided to some
extent by the Federal Government so as
to give them a start in rural life. Rec
ords show that the majority of them are
making good, but how much of this pro-
gram will be upset by the industrial ten
dency and temptation for ready cash for
labor cannot be foretold.
X *
But the blame for shifting from farms
to cities cannot be placed altogether on
the doorsteps of those who have been
assisted by the National Government.
Where farms were sold by Uncle Sam to
those beginning life anew, terms were
generously made, in fact, so generous
that after the novelty had worn off it
began to dawn upon many how old they
would be when they paid of their 40
year mortgage. Generous terms are
usually gratefully accepted by borrow
ers, but when payments stretch over
long period of time a seemingly insur-
mountable burden arises and discour-
agement sets in. Any avenue of escape
from this boredom is usually chosen.
But the Federal Government has other
stakes in any rush of the population
from farms to cities. For instance, in
1896 it appropriated s400, 900 900 to facili-
tate an unprecedented rush back to the
land. Moreover, it has spent and is
spending vast sums in retaining mil
lions OF acres of eroded land which
resulted from unscientific farming and
abandonment. Most of these acres were