NINETEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VII 419 



ized farmers, which body has had the good sense, as I think, to under- 

 stand that out of the farming population of the United States must come 

 the plan which will cover the whole field. The farmer stands at the 

 bottom and upholds the whole structure. The food producer is the basis 

 of everything, and therefore he is in better position than any other man 

 to prepare and extend a combined plan that will be fair to every one. 

 These are the principles which are laid down: 



"Resolved, That the partial report of the Agricultural Reconstruction 

 Committee of the National Board of Farm Organizations be adopted, and 

 that the committee be instructed to submit its final report at the earliest 

 practicable moment to the executive board, which board shall ransmit 

 said report, with its amendments, if any, and its recommendations, to the 

 constituent bodies of the National Board of Farm Organizations for ap- 

 propriate action upon the same. 



"PRELIMINARY REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF FORTY-EIGHT, 

 ADOPTED JANUARY 4, 1919. 



"Whereas, Agricultural reconstruction is an inseparable part of the 

 long, difficult and intricate task of readjusting our lives, our customs, and 

 our institutions to the new, broader and less selfish outlook created by 

 the world war; and, 



"Whereas, Reconstruction is as wide as the nation and its problems 

 impossible to be solved from the narrow standpoint of any interest or 

 any class; and, 



"Whereas, The future of our form of government, the development, 

 prosperity and happiness of our people, and to no small degree the safety 

 and welfare of the world, hang upon the manner in which the people of 

 America shall deal with the problems of reconstruction; and, 



"Whereas, Old problems as well as new are involved, including as the 

 foundation of all others that greatest material problem of humanity, the 

 use of the earth and its resources for the greatest good of the greatest 

 number for the longest time; and, 



"Whereas, No other body of our people touches the earth so closely as 

 the farmer, none other is so essential to the welfare of all our citizens, 

 and none so large in numbers and in service; therefore, be it 



"Resolved, by the Agricultural Reconstruction Committee of the 

 National Board of Farm Organizations, meeting in Washington, D. C, 

 January 4-6, 1919, that it is right, wise, appropriate and opportune that 

 the farmers of America should prepare and publish a general plan for 

 reconstruction after the war; and be it further 



"Resolved, That said plan should be based among others upon the 

 following facts and principles: 



"1. That any hasty solution of this great question is almost certain 

 to be unbalanced and unjust, and that the plan finally adopted must be 

 based on thoro knowledge and full consideration of the essential facts 

 both at home and abroad. 



