| Show T 1 r r y I h New Farm New Oeal Deal DeaI i s Sweeping Changes Changes' for Agriculture In in Prospect Prosper By BRUCE CATTON WASHINGTON Arne American r lean agriculture Is is' In for some pretty sweeping changes in the event of a new deal victory in Novem Novem- ber Some indication of the nature of the changes is to be found in ina ina ina a study of farm technology just released by the department of agriculture It may be assumed that Henry A. A Wallaces Wallace's ideas ideas- influenced the report to io some some- extent and Wallace is going to tobe tobe tobe be a pretty important figure around the capital if the Democrats Democrats Democrats Demo Demo- win the election a This study is the product of more than a years year's research by bya a special committee of department experts working in conjunction with the bureau of agricultural economics When the results of this re research research research re- re search were first outlined by this writer in a series of exclusive exclusive exclusive ex ex- ex- ex articles some six months ago giving a survey of changes technology has a already ready brought to the farm it was roundly crIticised criticised criticised crit crIt- for being a picture of unmitigated unmItigated unmitigated un un- mitigated gloom Publication of the final report however confirms confirms confirms con con- firms the original forecast and if anything spreads the gloom on thicker for it finds 1 There are now farm workers totally unemployed unemployed unemployed with an equal number whose incomes are under the subsistence level 2 2 There will be a further displacement displacement displacement dis dis- dis- dis placement of from to men in the coming decade dec dec- ade 3 Farm population will rise by by 1950 4 Technological changes and improved seed varieties and farming practices will vastly increase in- in Increase increase in In- crease farm production in some of the very lines in which overproduction overproduction overproduction over over- production is now a problem Then it outlines a a suggested program to meet this situation PLAN AID TO MIGRANTS l First suggestion is for a vast rural works program to keep all idle farm hands busy on a soil conservation and reforestation tion program program-a a gigantic affair whose cost was earlier estimated at upward of half a billion a year Great extension of the existing farm security administration administration administration adminis adminis- program for aiding migrant migrant migrant mi mi- mi- mi grant labor is also urged as is extension to farm workers of a law like the wage-hour wage act plus old age and unemployment Insurance in insurance insurance In- In benefits A varied program Is proposed to encourage development of the family sized farm 1 Expansion of the tenant- tenant pur purchase hase program to enable ten tenants and sharecroppers to become become become be be- come farm owners 2 A rule that none but family family family fam fam- ily sized owner-operated owner farms be permitted on tI J p projects and other made w land developments 3 A program for bUying good land in areas now fat In large units and s sinto into smaller farms g It 4 Use of government to buy u lan land from farmers funds fUnd wish K to retire and to resell resen wi who iS to young men who cannot It farms fi find Development of rural in ind Ind s tries possibly through subsidization together subsidIzation together with outright 5 de centralization of existing vT industries into r rural u r a I ar are area I wherever possible is also imS v ur d Coupled with this is a plea fo for vast extension of r a cial or subsistence homestead farming Into fertile territOries where that kind of farming not now known h Lastly it Is urged that be increased con t by e n sion of such devices as the C ion stamp plan and that co n loans acreage control iZ and Conti a sus' sus ll lIlar programs be continued T 1 effect OUTCOME S H UNCERTAIN Y f fAll All of this adds up to a blue blut w print for sweeping changed change far more fundamental set a of changes than anything Rexford td Tugwell ever proposed What will happ happen n to the program thus suggested Is of course extremely uncertain It I depends partly on the way th thi current war situation develop deveto partly on the outcome of the 8 approaching election partly f on n the vigor with which the app culture department pushes pushes' for iii action 5 But one thing Is certain her hen Is the broadest and most co comprehensive com coin piece of soda socIa planning for good or for ilk m that the Roosevelt tion has yet brought forward r I |
