COUNTY FARM DEBT ADJUSTMENT COMMITTEE IN SESSION 



"Their purpose to save farm homes from foreclosure." 



Adam Smith's Christmas 



Ho'w Farm Debt Conciliation Committees Have 

 Served in Bringing Creditors and Debtors Together 



replittl Smjtli. 

 to ^'ive up the 



/7 T was December, 19>2. Ail.un 



IJI Smitli drove his team over the 

 \^_y stales of the Farmers Coopera- 

 tive Elevator, climbed down from the 

 wai;on fillcxl with corn, and greeted Man- 

 ager Brown. 



"That finishes it, jim. What's the price 

 today .^' 



"Twenty-two Chicago on Number 

 One," answered Brown. "What's wroni;. 

 Adam.-' In trouble.' ' 



"Nothin' else but," 

 "Look.s like 111 have 

 farm.' 



"Creditors pressing?" 



"Weil, yes, but I don t blame them. " 

 said Smith. "I'll soon owe two years 

 taxes and interest, and I am behind two 

 installments on principal. Carrie has 

 worrit*! herself sick about it. ' 



">X'hat are you coin' to do. Adam? 



'"I don't know,' was Smith's reply. 

 "Farmin s all I know." 



"This load comes to S~.-(). saiti 

 Brown, glancing up from his figures. 

 He readjusted his glasses and looked at 

 Smith. He visioned his friend moving otT 

 the farm upon whicii he was born forty 

 years before. Where would he go? What 

 would he lio.-' What would become of 

 the two boys and a girl, yes, and of 

 Carrie, Adam's wife? For a lew mo- 

 ments neither Adam nor jim spoke. 

 1 hen a light shown in |im's eyes. 



"Have you talked to the I'arni Ad- 

 viser? ' he .iskeil Smitli. 

 .■ VN'o, I don't want to bother him with 

 m) troubtes. How could he help.'". 



Well, lit mii;ht suL'Liest a wav out . 



It wasnt a very happy Chirstmas at 

 Adam Smith s house that year. C'arrie 

 was sick, and Adam hesitated to take his 

 troubles to anyone. 



On the afternoon of March 11th. the 

 wind was from the northea.st, and a wet 

 snow began to fall. 1 he mercury tlropped. 

 Snow plows patrolled the highways. 

 By ten o clock in the evening the wimi 

 had switcht'il to the north, and drifts 

 were piling high. 



Smith heard a knock. He opened the 

 door, and Andy Oleson. county farm 

 adviser, entered. His trousers were, wet 

 and frozen, his feet were numb, and his 

 ears were white. Adam helpeil Anilv 

 remove his toat. packed his frosted feet in 

 a tub of Snow, and helil snow to his 

 ears until the color returned. .Then he 

 maile a pot of coffee. 



The two men talkcil until after miil- 

 niglit. and Adam explained his predica- 

 ment to Andy. Then he lighted the 

 lantern and put on his wraps. 



Coin to the barn." he said as he 

 stepped out of the door. 



Andy pulled a little closer to the fire, 

 filled his pipe again, and sat thinking. 

 Adam s story worried him. yet he realized 

 that the farmer s troubles were about the 

 same as were being experienced bv hun- 

 dreds of others. 



On May^rd Adam reteived a letter 

 from Anilv. with whiih was enclosed a 

 urcular telling about the appointment b\ 

 the Cio\ernor of the State of a farm debt 

 adjustment lommittee. Atl.iin read the 

 circular thoroughlv. and ilecided to go to 

 \\\i ( ommittee w ith his problem. 



In the meantime, the chairman of the 



county committee called the group to- 

 gether for its first meeting, and explained 

 the purpose of the work, 



"You men have been given a heavy 

 responsibility, " he said, "The Governor 

 has appointed you to serve on a county 

 debt conciliation committee. Whatever 

 work you do will be done voluntarily. 

 B. W. DeBord is here today and will 

 tell us about our work." 



State FDA Supervisor DeBord then 

 explained the functions of the Farm Debt 

 Adjustment (Committee. 'Personnel ap- 

 pointments to the C!ommittee are non- 

 politital, " he .said. "You men have been 

 appointed because you are open-minded, 

 impartial, and public-spirited. As ypu 

 know, many farmers are in danger of 

 losing their farms. 



"The Purpose' of the I'ann Debt 

 Ad|ustment program is to save farms 

 and farm homes from foreclosure, De- 

 Bord continued. 'You men were selected 

 to serve both creditors anil debtors. A 

 banker, a grocer, a lawyer, and two 

 fanners are on this tommittec. Some 

 committees may have a membership of 

 a postmaster, an insurance man, a dairy 

 farmer, a grain farmer, or representatives 

 of various other types of business. 



"You are broad-minded men, and we 

 believe you will sacrifice to aid your 

 neighbors. You will meet here regularly 

 with debtors and creditors, and give 

 frienilly counsel in an etTcirt to solve debt 

 |-iroblem^ by atiuitable adjustment. You 

 must be fair, ^'ou have no legal author- 

 ity, but your recommendations will save 

 farm homes and assist creditors." 



Thus a countv Farrri Debt Adjust- 



30 



I. A. A. RECORD 



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