Imperial Valley press., 1941-01-19

nandS CT nonresident and nom
operator owners. Undoubtedly the
majority of these owners. particu-
larly the land held by lending
agencies, would be only too glad to
dispose of their property at a fair
price if it were possible to do So
The practice of soil depletion and
the failure to keep in repair inn
provements on these farms by
tenants is we'll known to farm
lending agencies.
Large scale farming is a huSi-
ness venture, and like any other
kind of business in our country can
be exploited to the fullest extent
of mans financial resources and
ambition. This kind of opportunity
has built this great nation CT ours
There is. however, persistent
question constantly III the minds
of q great many of our people, and
that is, Just how far can this big
business expansion go and contm-
Tie to force the small operators out
Of the picture. particularly the
small farmer. And what station is
he going to occupy in our great
arena? Surely the relief rolls is
not the answer.
Loans Hazardous
In view of these conditions it
makes the lending of money On
farm lands a hazardous business.
Nearly all private loaning agencies
are prohibited by law to make
farmland loans with a flexibility
sufficient to the farmers to re-
duce the foreclosure menace in
times of distress, to the point of
keeping them on the farm where
good faith has been shown.
No truer statement has ever
been made than I'VE must have
agriculture! preparedness as we'll as
military preparedness" Our gov
ernment has just recently set up
with full authority non-partisan
board 70 handle our entire pre-
paredness program. the cost to be
greater than the total value Of all
our farm lands and improvements
combined. Therefore it does seem
reasonable we have the financial
resources and the same good COM
mon sense to set up partisan
board OF highly competent and
practical men with full authority
to fashion a long range farm pro-
gram which would really mean
equality and security to the Ameri-
can family sized farm.
All that our farmers ask for is
q price guaranteeing them a reas-
enable profit for their products
over and above the cost of produc-
tions and fixed charges. They are
willing to pay a fair sum on rea-
sonable terms for finances to do
this. At 3 per cent interest and IL
per cent principal the annual pay
ment on $4,000 100000 to finance
such a plan would be S2O0,o0O,O
less than congress has given to
them each year for the past eight
years.
rarrn FrODIeE1S
This gives some idea IF the un-
der-financing and over donations
OF the recent efforts to solve the
farm problems. Would professional
and business men. financial insti-
tutions and all city dwellers who
depend on the farmers for food and
g livelihood approve such a plan?
Can the organizations who work
for the advancement of the farm
ers say it is not needed? Who
amcng our members Of congress
that would be so small, politically
or influenced by selfish in
terestS, say it shall not be done?
Do we need agricultural prepared
ness?" The answer to this will be
found in the confused conditions
of many of our people when this
military preparedness" program is
over, and peace comes to Europe.
The strongest motivating influ-
ence inherent in mankind is the
desire TO own a piece of land and
a home. This is the very founda-
ton of our democracy. The dura-
bllity of the structure we build
upon this foundation will depend
upon how much of the
of greed and selfishness
We use in its construction.