the purpose of trying to reach and influence every individual in the community. It means that "some church is to be responsible for every square mile." When a community is overchurched, it means giving up the superfluous church or churches. When a church is needed, it means a friendly agreement on the particular church to be placed there. This movement for federation is one of the most promising in the whole religious field, because it does not attempt to break down denominational influence or standards of thought. It puts emphasis, not on the church itself, but on the work to be done by the church for all men-churched and unchurched. It is possible that all parts of the country are not quite ready for federation, although a national church federation movement is under way. But it hardly seems necessary to urge that the spirit of cooperation among churches, the diminution of sectarian strife, the attempt to reach the entire community, must become the guiding principles everywhere if the rural church is long to retain its hold.

The rural church must be more completely than now a social center. This means not so much a place for holding social gatherings, although this is legitimate and desirable, but a place whence constantly emanates influences that go to build up the moral and spiritual tone of the whole community. The country church of the future is to be held responsible for the great ideals of community life as well as of personal character.

2. There should be a large extension of the work of the Young Men's Christian Association into the rural communities. There is apparently no other way to grip the hearts and lives of the boys and young men of the average country neighborhood. This association must regard itself as an ally of the church, with a special function and a special field.

3. We must have a complete conception of the country pastorate. The country pastor must be a community leader. He must know the rural problems. He must have sympathy with rural ideals and aspirations. He must love the country. He must know country life, the difficulties that the farmer has to face in his business, some of the great scientific revelations made in behalf of agriculture, the great industrial forces at work for the making or the unmaking of the farmer, the fundamental social problems of the life of the open country.

Consequently, the rural pastor must have special training for his work. Ministerial colleges and theological seminaries should unite with agricultural colleges in this preparation of the country clergyman. There should be better financial support for the clergyman. In many country districts it is pitiably small. There is little incentive for a man to stay in a country parish, and yet this residence is just what must come about. Perhaps it will require an appeal to the

heroic young men, but we must have more men going into the country pastorates, not as a means of getting a foothold, but as a permanent work. The clergyman has an excellent chance for leadership in the country. In some sections he is still the dominating personality. But everywhere he may become one of the great community leaders. He is the key to the country church problem.

11. PERSONAL IDEALS AND LOCAL LEADERSHIP.

Everything resolves itself at the end into a question of personality. Society or government can not do much for country life unless there is voluntary response in the personal ideals of those who live in the country. Inquiries by the commission, for example, find that one reason for the shift from the country to town is the lack of ideals in many country homes and even the desire of the countryman and his wife that the children do not remain on the farm. The obligation to keep as many youths on the farms as are needed there rests on the home more than on the school or on society.

It is often said that better rural institutions and more attractive homes and yards will necessarily follow an increase in profitableness of farming; but, as a matter of fact, high ideals may be quite independent of income, although they can not be realized without sufficient income to provide good support. Many of the most thrifty farmers are the least concerned about the character of the home and school and church. One often finds the most attractive and useful farm homes in the difficult farming regions. On the other hand, some of the most prosperous agricultural regions possess most unattractive farm premises and school buildings. Many persons who complain most loudly about their incomes are the last to improve their home conditions when their incomes are increased; they are more likely to purchase additional land and thereby further emphasize the barrenness of home life. Land hunger is naturally strongest in the most prosperous regions.

When an entire region or industry is not financially prosperous, it is impossible, of course, to develop the best personal and community ideals. In the cotton-growing States, for example, the greatest social and mental development has been apparent in the years of high prices for cotton; and the same is true in exclusive wheat regions, hay regions, and other large areas devoted mainly to one industry.

While it is of course necessary that the farmer receive good remuneration for his efforts, it is nevertheless true that the money consideration is frequently too exclusively emphasized in farm homes. This consideration often obscures every other interest, allowing little opportunity for the development of the intellectual, social, and moral qualities. The open country abounds in men and women of the finest ideals; yet it is necessary to say that other ends in life than the mak

ing of more money and the getting of more goods are much needed in country districts; and that this, more than anything else, will correct the unsatisfying nature of rural life.

Teachers of agriculture have placed too much relative emphasis on the remuneration and production sides of country life. Money hunger is as strong in the open country as elsewhere, and as there are fewer opportunities and demands for the expenditure of this money for others and for society, there often develops a hoarding and a lack of public spirit that is disastrous to the general good. So completely does the money purpose often control the motive that other purposes in farming often remain dormant. The complacent contentment in many rural neighborhoods is itself the very evidence of social incapacity or decay.

It must not be assumed that these deficiencies are to be charged as a fault against the farmer as a group. They are rather to be looked on as evidence of an uncorrelated and unadjusted society. Society is itself largely to blame. The social structure has been unequally developed. The townsman is likely to assume superiority and to develop the town in disregard of the real interests of the open country or even in opposition to them. The city ex, loits the country; the country does not exploit the city. The press still delights in archaic cartoons of the farmer. There is as much need of a new attitude on the part of the townsman as on the part of the farmer.

This leads us to say that the country ideals, while derived largely from the country itself, should not be exclusive; and the same applies to city and village ideals. There should be more frequent social intercourse on equal terms between the people of the country and those of the city or village. This community of interests is being accomplished to a degree at present, but there is hardly yet the knowledge and sympathy and actual social life that there should be between those who live on the land and those who do not. The business men's organizations of cities could well take the lead in some of this work. The country town in particular has similar interests with the open country about it; but beyond this, all people are bettered and broadened by association with those of far different environment.

We have now discussed some of the forces and agencies that will aid in bringing about a new rural society. The development of the best country life in the United States is seen, therefore, to be largely a question of guidance. The exercise of a wise advice, stimulus, and direction from some central national agency, extending over a series of years, could accomplish untold good, not only for the open country, but for all the people and for our institutions.

In the communities themselves, the same kind of guidance is needed, operating in good farming, in schools, churches, societies, and all useful public work. The great need everywhere is new and

young leadership, and the commission desires to make an appeal to all young men and women who love the open country to consider this field when determining their careers. We need young people of quality, energy, capacity, aspiration, and conviction, who will live in the open country as permanent residents on farms, or as teachers, or in other useful fields, and who, while developing their own business or affairs to the greatest perfection, will still have unselfish interest in the welfare of their communities. The farming country is by no means devoid of leaders, and is not lost or incapable of helping itself, but it has been relatively overlooked by persons who are seeking great fields of usefulness. It will be well for us as a people if we recognize the opportunity for usefulness in the open country and consider that there is a call for service.

L. H. BAILEY.

HENRY WALLACE.

KENYON L. BUTTERFIELD.
WALTER H. PAGE.
GIFFORD PINCHOT.

C. S. BARRETT.
W. A. BEARD.

Mr. THOMPSON. Mr. Jackson.

Mr. JACKSON. Speaking for myself and the Grange, I associate myself with the previous statements and your opinion. In the interest of time I would file the statement that we have.

Mr. THOMPSON. Without objection, it is so ordered. (The statement referred to is as follows:)

STATEMENT OF JACK JACKSON, OF THE NATIONAL GRANGE

We, of the National Grange, believe that developments of recent years, and the promise of even more significant changes in the immediate future, have created a great need for special study, appraisal, and consideration of problems affecting rural America. We, therefore, appreciate this opportunity to make a few general statements regarding our support for H. R. 11844 and other identical bills providing for the establishment of a Commission on Country Life.

Our support for H. R. 11844 is based upon the following resolution approved by delegates to the 91st annual session of the National Grange, held in November of last year:

"Resolved, That the National Grange urge the appointment by the President of a new Country Life Commission to study existing conditions in country living, with the objective of pointing up and helping to solve some of the problems of the changing rural scene."

Those who have studied the need for this legislation all agree that studies and recommendations made by a similar Commission some 50 years ago, contributed much toward the development of rural America as we know it today. This earlier Commission stimulated thinking which resulted in improved rural mail service, roads, schools, health programs, libraries, churches, and many other facilities to rural people. Thus, the Commission helped greatly in meeting the challenge brought on by social, economic, and technological changes of the past several decades.

However, members of this earlier Commission were unable to foresee many of the problems which are now confronting rural America. We are now confronted with a completely new set of developments which we must consider in planning for the future. Problems affecting rural America today, and in the future, are far more complicated than those of the past. Figuratively speaking, the entire world has grown smaller. Our entire population is far more mobile than ever before. This increased mobility has transferred many of our social, economic, and spiritual problems from the urban to the rural

areas.

Many of today's farmers are part-time businessmen and many businessmen are part-time farmers. Business and professional men often live in the country, while many modern-day farmers make their home in the city. So, in many areas we no longer have completely separate rural and urban problems. Instead, we have a multitude of brandnew rur-urban problems, which must be considered in the light of their effect upon rural America, and even upon our American way of life.

In the past, most of our rural programs have emphasized the scientific and the material. Recent developments make it imperative that we give more thought to the social and spiritual aspects of country living. We believe that programs involving social, spiritual, economic, and material sides of country living should be coordinated; thus, the job to be done is bigger than any one segment of our social, economic, or political structure. It is too big for Congress, the farm organizations, the church, and any other one group. It is a job that will demand the best thinking of leaders interested in every phase of rural living.

For example, problems that will definitely affect the future of rural America include:

(1) Land use.-Land is one of our most important natural resources. Heretofore, our supply of productive land has been ample but land is one of our resources that cannot be increased. A stable supply of land must be used so as to meet all future needs for food production, industrial developments, housing, highways, military uses, and others.

(2) Water conservation.-Here again, our needs of the past but this is no longer true.

supply has been ample for the All indications are that an in