FAILURE OF PRIVATE ENTERPRISE 21 



employed. No farmer could charge more than 

 3s. for a farm-tied cottage in lieu of wages ; and 

 milk, potatoes, board and lodging were to be 

 supplied at prices the Board should determine. 

 Orders were issued as to the prices at which 

 milk, beef, mutton, wool, pork, bacon, eggs, 

 veal, potatoes, and fruit were to be sold. 

 Heifer calves were not allowed to be slaughtered 

 to make dainty lunches for profiteers. 



Thus out of the welter of war we see the 

 emergence of Hodge from the lowly position 

 of a farm hand, dictated to and dragooned by 

 farmer, policeman, parson, and squire, to a 

 status as a citizen whose advice and experience 

 were sought, not only by Boards fixing wages 

 and hours, by Food Control Committees, but 

 even by County Agricultural Executive Com- 

 mittees, where he began to appear, though 

 often a lonely figure, seated side by side with 

 wealthy farmers, and adjudicating with them 

 as to whether farms were properly cultivated 

 or not, and in many cases deciding upon the 

 determination of the leases of ill-cultivated 

 lands. 



