WHY??

Taranaki Daily News, 10 July 1920, Page 11

WHY??

So with America, so with New Zealand. The difficulty of getting people to take up farming work is thus enlarged upon per sub-leader in an American paper:—

"We wonder how many experienced farmers are acting upon the impulse confessed by a middle-western wheatgrower who talked to a Chicago reporter three or four days ago about reduced acreage, diminishing crop prospect, etc! He was a bronze-faced giant, grey with the snows of many winters, but still full of bodily vigor and mental perspicacity. "A little over a year ago," lie said, "I went to town to hire two men. In front of the movie at the afternoon matinee were probably 40 young huskies waiting for the doors to.open; do you think one of them would work on a farpi? Not much. Well, I had a 240acre farm, and two boys of my own, both of whom were on the service. In a few weeks one came home, kissed us all and left for a factory in Detroit. The other was in the navy, and couldn't get out till early this spring, but upon liis return a little while ago he informed us that he wanted no farming in his—he left to work in a mill. What was Ito do? Listen, and I'll tell you what I did do. I sold the 240 acre farm, bought a 20 acre place 'close in' that I can run myself, put most of my money in Liberty bonds—and the world can kick along the best it can. Still I do want to see the time when those young loafers lined up in the front of the movie door 3 will be lining up in front of the newspaper offices waiting for a look at the "help wanted' ads. in the paper put in the office window or in a glass case for the benefit of those who want to read the paper without paying the price." One need not be a pessimist, one needs only the courage and conviction of common sense, to predict that that exact day and condition is as sure to come as a night's darkness follows a day's sun unless there shall be a change in the way of men whereby consumption shall be less extravagant and lavish, and production shall be more earnest and generous.