Askov American., 1943-06-03

III oil III LIE TlOSISS-
Sive of Madison, Wis, Senator
Robert NJ La Toilette tells of the
good work accomplished through
the Farm Security Administra-
tion, how it has helped millions
of people back on their feet, eco
nomically speaking, and why it
should be retained. The article
follows:
By Senator Robert Nj. La Toilette.
Reaction is on the rampage The
forWard-looking social programs of
the early New Deal are being blacked
out by their enemies while the Ad-
ministration is intent on building
postwar castles in the air.
The noble sentiment and the la
bored oratory now being expended
to paint glowing pictures of the CEN
tury of the common man which is
to follow the war might be better
expended on behalf of some concrete
propositions pending before Congress,
designed to give the common man, the
submerged underprivileged Amer
lean citizen a start now, not after the
war, on the road to economic oppor-
tunity and social justice.
One impending casualty is the
Farm Security Administration and
its program for the rehabilitation of
poverty stricken men and women on
the land to turn them into useful,
productive, self-respecting, whole
some American citizens.
Since 1885 more than 10000
farm families have received assist
ance of some type from the Farm
Security Administration. They have
been families pushed so far down
the economic ladder by misfortune
and economic conditions that in most
cases no help would have been Of
fered them if it had not been for the
FSA program.
Concrete Achievements.
Consider what the Farm Security
Administration has done for these
people. BY the end of 1941 the net
worth of the average FSA rehabili-
tation borrower, the value of what
he owned over what he owed, had
risen 43 per cent. The average fam
lily had net worth of $87l before
FSA extended aid, and by the end
of l941 it had increased to $l,242.
Net family income had increased
30 per cent, from an average of S48O
per year to S865. The amount of
food they raised for their own home
use had been doubled.
Through FSA guidance more than
117,000 farm families in 80 different
states have been able to work out
plans in cooperation with local doc
tors for providing medical care at a
cost within their means.
Aid has been given in forking out
community sharing plans for the pur-
chase and use of farm machinery,
breeding sires and other community
services which are beyond the reach
of extremely low-income farming
operations.
Over 10000 selected farm tenants
and workers have been able to buy
their own farms by means of the
long-term loans offered by FSA
S1oSi tiAS Ioi PlOSl
An Amazing Record.
All this has paid out in spectac-
ular social dividends. Instead of
losing about 20 per cent of the money
as was expected in view of the eco
nomic status of the average FSA
borrower and the fact that no bank
Or similar lending agency would ac-
cept him as a financial risk, total
repayments, including advance pay
ments, amounted to 81 per cent of
maturitieS.
Without including advance pay
nents, the repayments still amount
to over IS per cent of maturities.
This is an amazing record. 1t justi-
fies the faith in the ability of the
down-and-out farmer to make good
if given capital and fair chance,
coupled with friendly and helpful
advice and guidance.
This program has an immediate
bearing on the war effort. The larger
farms are at peak production with
available manpower, machinery and
other supplies. 1t is on the smaller
farms that manpower is not fully
utilized. The accomplishments of the
FSA in increasing food production
call for expansion, not extinction.
A survey of the 1912 food produc-
tion records of 100000 FSA borrow
ers showed that although they COM
prised only 7.6 per cent of the num-
ber of American farmers, their in
creased milk production amounted
to SO per cent of the total increase
in milk production throughout the
country. Their increases in dry bean
production amounted to 27 per cent