SOCIAL ADVANTAGES 73 



From a social standpoint it is claimed that the 

 associations have done much to strengthen the 

 feeling of a community of interests between 

 the different classes in rural districts, to invest 

 country life with increased attractions, and to 

 widen the expanse of the agriculturist's horizon 

 in general. Most of the associations are of what 

 is known as a " mixed " type — that is to say, 

 large landowners and small occupiers, farmers 

 and agricultural labourers, will all be members 

 of the same organization, and meet in friendly 

 intercourse to discuss subjects of common in- 

 terest. People have thus been brought together 

 who previously may have been strangers or even 

 more or less enemies. In the relations so es- 

 tablished is seen, in addition to other advantages, 

 one of the greatest safeguards against the spread 

 of socialistic doctrines in rural France, and one 

 of the best possible guarantees alike for friendly 

 settlement of any question that may arise 

 between the various classes, and for the general 

 maintenance of social peace. Many of the asso- 

 ciations have even established boards of concilia- 

 tion and arbitration by which disputes among 

 their members can be arranged ; and many, also, 

 have supplemented their help to the indigent 

 sick, their old-age pensions, and their mainten- 

 ance of orphans, by opening labour bureaux 



