NEW DEAL: FIRST PHASES 473 



The work of the county agents varied. Much of it was promotional 

 in nature. In many states they "assumed administrative responsibilities for 

 federal programs which not only provided large benefits for farmer co- 

 operation but also provided definite penalties to insure cooperation." 

 They helped to inaugurate the A.A.A. and to see to it that it continued 

 to function. They helped to explain and interpret the act and the constant 

 stream of administrative rules sent from Washington. In some sections 

 the agents added to, and in others they "almost completely replaced, the 

 old type of scientific agricultural projects and readjusted individual farm 

 management work in accordance with a planned agriculture on a national 

 scale." 



Once these preliminary meetings had been held, the agents set up the 

 local machinery which administered the program. In carrying out the 

 corn-hog and wheat programs, the county agents often were responsible 

 for the appointment of temporary county committees which in turn either 

 appointed or else made provisions for the selection of township or com- 

 munity committees. At times spokesmen for the Democratic party advised 

 in the appointment of these committees. 



These temporary committees were the ones which, under the guidance 

 of the county agents, staged the "sign-up" campaigns and the elections of 

 permanent township committeemen. "The county agent attended most 

 of these election meetings and was responsible for seeing that they were 

 conducted according to Washington rules which not only provided for 

 election by secret ballot but also for the tedious process of nomination by 

 secret ballot." Also, the county agent often served as secretary of the county 

 allotment committee, presumably because of his natural position of leader- 

 ship. This was not the case, however, in those states in which this was 

 against the policy of the state extension service. Where the sentiment 

 against the Farm Bureau was strong, bitter struggles were waged over 

 the election of the county secretary. Frequently the county agent was made 

 secretary for the sake of economy. Some of the agents used the franking 

 privilege freely in the commodity program. This practice created prob- 

 lems, especially when the material that was sent out by the agents was 

 of a noneducational character. 8 



3. Gladys Baker, The County Agent (Chicago, 1939), pp. 69-73; Russell Lord, 

 The Agrarian Revival (New York, 1939), pp. 161-66. 



