Show f IsMALL S SMALL A tOWNS TO NS USA U.S.A. If l i a aJ Life Program Seeks Improved J Stan Standards lards 0 of Living By EARLE HITCH I J Released by Features Concerted action aimed to develop an improved rural life must I f be launched on a widespread scale if small town America is to sur- sur That is the motivating factor behind the rural life e movement move move- ment an energetic program which now is getting under way throughout America and which eventually will attempt to reach all i small towns annd rural communities of the nation Aim of the program is a better rural life an attempt to make the country a better place in which to live and work Rural problems have been discussed for years and various solutions have been pro pro- posed Experience has shown that the best results come from local action planned b by the people on their home grounds Aroused Citizenry Needed Before action can be expected community consciousness has to be bei i aroused There must be determination deter deter- Rural America to act At Stake Then plans have to be ma made e. e The I. I plans that do the No 2 most good are In a Series made to fit the local si situation tua tion f All rural communities communities communities do not need the same things nor can they go about getting what they do need in the same ways The rural life program is simply simply simply sim sim- ply this a re recognition that the nation needs to add new features features features fea fea- tures to its rural economy This is because the types of rural labor la labor labor la- la bor are chan changing ing Machinery has changed farming and in r some areas farm land has worn out Some men who once worked at farming are having to turn to other occupations The present system of farming fanning is isar istar tar ar out of balance Too many farmers farmers farmers farm farm- ers are living on slim fare Of the farmers in the United f t A mss Machinery is h revolutionizing our farming system and our whole rural j economy Power is taking the place of 0 oft r t men on U. U S. S farms the plowman o of f old rapidly is s vanishing from the scene States only the top third are enjoying enjoying enjoying enjoy enjoy- ing the present level high-level incomes for agricultural produce The lower lower lower low low- er third about two million are averaging averaging averaging aver aver- aging no more than a year This sum does not provide an adequate adequate adequate ade ade- quate standard of living for happiness happiness happiness happi happi- ness and health Cities Too Concerned From the standpoint of national stability there is urgent need for solutions which will prevent great numbers from being forced off the I land There is need to give those in inthe inthe r the lower brackets encouragement I and help to make them self sustain sustain- ing Growing numbers moving to cities add to job competition there and and make heavier unemployment risk risks in times of business slumps Thus the cities as well as the rural r are areas s have cause to be concerned I j Consequently leaders leaders' in public affairs aft afI af- af t I fairs lairs are growing more disturbed as they witness 1 1 The continuing shift of po population population pula- pula tion from country to city r I p 2 Th The e decline of bf the country church which always has been beena a strong m moral ral force in the nation 3 2 A declining standard of living in inmany 1 i many rural homes from which j f comes the bulk of our population growth I The government acting through congress and the department of l e V h Vine as C been hoon cr iv u in nrY her u g b b g t p I and various organizations and agencies are following programs of r r- r rr r r f-r R RURAL AURAL AL AMERICA JW J J Jf f NEEDS MORE I i I SMALL INDUSTRY v. v s s Rural America needs new oc occupations lions and nd more small industries New rural occupations must be developed to provide pro pro- provide ro- ro r vide employment away aUlay from the fields their own Among them are the f Farm Bureau federations the Cooperatives cooperatives coI co co- I operatives the Farmers' Farmers Union the f National Grange and Protestant I and Catholic churches acting I through the town and country deI departments departments de de- de- de of the leading i I I I M FM I Nt THIRD In i 41 ir rl FARMERS UNITED STATES Income di dl- from farming is unevenly vided Only the top third of 01 the nations nation's nations nation's na tul- tion's farmers are reaping the th Present hi high level h level incomes for agricultural agricultural agricultural tural produce The middle third are lire making about a year while the th lowest third average crage no more than a year car according to estimates from census census cen cerl- sus statistics based on 1944 reports All these organizations are agreed on general objectives Briefly these objectives are 1 1 To provide more opportunities for earning a good living in the country To establish better rural health 2 and rural hospital services 3 2 To provide more rural recreations recreations recreations and better uses for rural leisure To discover civic ivic and cultural 4 outlets that will add to a feeling feeling feeling feel feel- ing of appreciation of the importance importance importance tance of country life and the country country country coun coun- try home The work to be done in this broad program does not concern farm people alone Every small smalltown smalltown smalltown town has a stake in it Whether the towns of the future grow in importance or languish depends I on keeping a happy and satisfied satisfied satisfied satis satis- fied population both in the towns themselves and the country roundabout Ways to do this are what the leaders leaders leaders lead lead- ers of local community enterprise will have to discover A knowledge of what has been done by communities ties that have made notable progress progress progress ress will be of interest to small communities everywhere particularly particularly particularly those in a mood to do like like- wise Future articles in this series will tell about some outstanding small community programs |