PREFACE vii 



generation and monopoly has grown rich and pow- 

 erful under it. Monopoly now prefers regulation. 

 It is a guarantee against competition and govern- 

 ment ownership. The farmer cannot secure relief 

 by his unaided efforts. Nor can the consumer. Re- 

 lief will only come when the conditions surrounding 

 agriculture and the means of distribution are radi- 

 cally altered. This can only be done by law. And 

 legislation will only represent the producing classes 

 and the consumers when the monopoly interests 

 which now control our life are driven from power 

 and the state becomes an agency of service, of co- 

 operation, of a new freedom. When people rather 

 than privilege rules, then the food problem, the agri- 

 cultural problem, the social problem will be open 

 to solution. 



I have received valued assistance in the prep- 

 aration of this volume from Miss Gertrude Bor- 

 chard, assistance which I desire to acknowledge. 



Frederic C. Howe. 



New York, September, 1917. 



