The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-01-03
,aijallldt|a,
washington, d. G.
FARM TRENDS Z

FARM TRENDS
The hearings of the special house
committee investigating farm mi
grancy, under the Craftsmanship Of
CALIFORNIA; kindly Rep. John Tolan,
deserve lot more attention than
they have received.
Leading experts have disclosed
some extremely significant facts
concerning agricultural trends that
are affecting the lives Of millions and
the future Of the United States. Yet
Tolan has had tough time keeping
his committee going.
Lack Of public interest due to the
European war has played into the
hands of elements who oppose doing
anything drastic about the migrant
problem, among them the California
Chamber Of Commerce and the AS
ISOLATED Farmers.
Prof. Paul S. Taylor of the Uni
ersity Of California told the COM
inittee Of three significant trends:
/. Rapid enlargement of farms I'M
der single operator, In a survey
last summer in the Middle West he
found one 9,000-acre grain and live
stock farm in Ohio. At the same
time, $4,000 tenant farmers were UNI
able to obtain farms.
2. Spread of farm management
services for absentee owners, such
as business men. Already there are
several professional societies Of men
in this field.
8. Wholesale elimination Of farm
labor through mechanization which
is rapidly changing the traditional
American concept Of the family
sized corn belt farm.
"Our ancestors Of three genera
tons ago." Taylor warned, found
the solution for their goal Of indie
pendent working farmers, secure on
the land, in the land reform clauses
of the Homestead act. Today the
march Of mechanization and other
economic forces have produced de-
pendence and insecurity on the land
for our generation. Stern necessity
compels us to find our way to main
tain independence and security
among those who work the SOIL"
Note One of the most interesting
trends reported by Professor Taylor
was that the acquisition of farms is
now a rage" among business men,
who in several midwestern cities are
holding weekly farmer luncheons"
to hear talks by farm management
experts. According to Taylor, the
business men take up farming part
ly as substitute for golf and part
" ssas safe place to invest funds. /"
DEFENSE HOUSING
Defense Commissioner William
Knudsen's frank admission Of lag
ging plane production wasn't the
only sour situation he could have
tagged. Another is defense housing.
This is a real nuddle Although
congress voted $500, 600, 600 FIVE
months ago to provide housing for
new workers in the defense indus
tries, not one shovel Of dirt has yet
been turned on single project.
Housing for civilian workers on
army and navy reservation and ar
senals is progressing satisfactorily.
Several projects begun last summer
by the U. S. Housing authority for
defense employees in Pensacola,
Fla, and Montgomery, Ala, are
nearly finished. Several RF c financed
I private undertakings also are well
under way. But that is all.
) In other areas, thousands of de-
tense workers in private plants are
being forced to crowd their families
into unsanitary quarters, pay exor-
bitant rents, or live miles away
from their jobs, in tents, shacks and
gother makeshifts. Meanwhile, the
money congress appropriated to
house them is lying unused.
DIES BLACKLISTED
Rep. Martin Dies, who has done q
lot of blacklisting, has himself been
put on a blacklist.
He has been barred from taking