LINE OF LEAST RESISTANCE 37 



we find that practically all of them came into 

 existence with the beginning of the twentieth 

 century. At the same time the class of im- 

 migrants from Europe began to change. 

 They were no longer tillers of the soil. They 

 were cheap labor, drafted by expanding man- 

 ufacturing industries. During the decade 

 closing the last century we welcomed three 

 million souls, mostly immigrants from the 

 south of Europe. During the first decade of 

 the present century we tripled the number. 



This abrupt change in the character of the 

 national life must have reacted on the basic 

 industry that of supplying food for hungry 

 mouths. That is the phase of the situation 

 with which we have to do here. It is respon- 

 sible for the new problems that face our Jere- 

 miahs, who are beginning to turn their faces 

 toward the land. 



Farming in any country must first pass 

 through its pastoral stage, the stage when 

 each unit is sufficient unto itself. But sooner 

 or later it develops into an industry having a 

 surplus to exchange, an industry which must 

 be conducted according to business principles. 

 Each farm eventually becomes a producing 

 plant, subject to the same requirements as the 



