Show AND MACHINES by many the plight of agriculture as well as that of other basic industries is blamed on the introduction of machinery which has displaced manual labor at the present moment it seems that this indictment of the machine age is well founded but without the aid of modern machinery it is pertinent to inquire what would be the condition of civilization today one recent student of economics points out that if we were forced to return to the old hand methods of production both in agriculture and industry it would be impossible to have the standards of living either rural or urban which exist at present before the age of machines daily living was in a primitive state the obtaining of food clothing and shelter was about all anyone could hope for there were little opportunities for recreation rea tion amusement or culture for the great mass of the people there were no motion pictures no automobiles no radio no electric conveniences no leisure farmers of fifty years ago enjoyed none of the comforts and conveniences which the machine age has made possible for them the backbreaking toil which farmers of a past age experienced perien ced is unknown today no longer do they cut wheat with a cradle or thresh it with a flail they have been emancipated from most of the drudgery of former times so in spite of the complaints which we hear on every hand it must be admitted that the farmer of the present is much better off than his father or grandfather ever was machines have been a blessing to the farmer in spite of the temporary overproduction of crops which they have made possible in recent years |