Show U II Why a Farmer Should r. r Buy BUT and Keep War Bonds I by hy W w. E. E Grimes Head Dept of Economics and Sociology Kansas State College Manhattan l Kansas A A MERICAN farmers more than any other voter business roup typify typify typify American freedom nd American Ameri Ameri- can democracy The farmer of America has the right right and and e er r- r that right right to to conduct his bus business and live Jive his life as he chooses lIe He must and does accept accept accept ac ac- ac- ac responsibility for the success successor s sor or failure of his business and the well being of his family The production production production pro pro- of his farm in large measure measure measure meas meas- ure is a reflection of his ability and ingenuity and initiative under our system of free enterprise and individual freedom This is the essence of American democracy cy American democracy did not just happen It was established by long and constant struggle against the forces that would have prevented it It is a heritage from our forefathers who fought for it It can be maintained only by continuing continuing continuing con con- the fight for it This fight goes on whether we are at war orin orin or orin in peace It is the constant struggle struggle struggle gle to make democracy work To Tomake Tomake Tomake make it work every citizen must do his part as a member of a freedom loving freedom acting people Democracy works if we make it work Today there are forces that would destroy the freedom of the American farmer and his family and md the freedom of every other person who loves and cherishes our democracy These forces stem from three sources First are those outside the borders of this country that are attempting to tear away the very foundations of our democracy and to make farri farm farmers ers and all other businessmen he tl e henchmen of dictatorial powers Under such a rule the job of the farmer would be to carry out the orders of the dictator It is to prevent prevent pre pre- prevent vent this that the boys from our cur farms and cities are fighting on battlefronts throughout the world This answer to tl this s threat Is it is-it it shall not come to pass Within our country forces are ever seeking to undermine the democracy democracy de de- which permits freedom loving farmers to conduct their farms in peace and with profit These are the forces which encourage encourage encourage age inflation with its soothing but deadly effects Price controls ra ra- ra- ra I of scarce goods limitations of credit repayment of debts and the purchase of War Bonds are some of the weapons being used against these enemies that strike from within These are the weapons weapons weapons ons of the home front The tl third rd source of forces that tend to destroy American democracy democracy democracy racy are those which undermine the stability of our farms and oth t businesses which typify sowell so sowell sowell well the J f h American de de- de- de Our lur democracy can beno beno be beno no than its component parts If the business stability of American farms is impaired our democracy totters Under our system system system tem it is the responsibility of the farmer to maintain his own business business business busi busi- ness and most American farmers do so They are repaying debts avoiding new excessive debts and buying War Var Bonds from their in in- in comes The Income to American American- agriculture in 1943 19 was more than nineteen billion dollars the dollars the highest highest highest high high- est in all history Income in 1944 probably will be equally as large It is to be expected that a sizable proportion of this high income will willbe willbe willbe be invested in War Var Bonds Bonds invest invest invested ed in the democracy which makes it possible for the thc typical Ameri Ameri- American can family farm to exist American farmers have been buying War Bonds and they will continue to buy them and to hold them after they are arc bought They appreciate democracy cy The American American American Amer Amer- ican farmer is dc deeply and practically practically practically cally patriotic His patriotism is the kind that says sars little but does things He has a vision of the theda da day when the boys will return from foreign battlefronts when the threat of foreign dictatorships is wiped out for keeps and when stability within our country is as as- And he realizes th that t the financial stability of his own farm business plays an important part partin in this struggle to defend to maintain maintain maintain main main- tain and to strengthen democracy So S he buys Bonds and holds them pending the day when the purchasing purchasing purchasing pur pur- chasing power which they represent represent represent sent can be used to further strengthen the American farm of which he is a part and thus his farm may play its part in maintaining maintaining maintaining main main- a strong and vigorous democracy democracy democracy de de- de- de in the America he loves U. 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