332 POSSIBILITIES OF THE SITUATION 



in a comparatively few instances, very soon grow 

 weary. 



My own proposals, therefore, go little further than 

 granting to men who are already on the land increased 

 facilities for settling there, and devoting themselves 

 especially to those subsidiary branches of agriculture 

 which have already undergone such substantial develop- 

 ment, but for which, under an effective system of 

 combination, coupled with improved marketing condi- 

 tions, there ought to be still further opportunities. A 

 certain proportion of townsmen might be absorbed, 

 but any wholesale migration would, I fear, prove 

 impracticable. 



Within this more limited scope there is clearly room 

 for action in regard to the establishment of a larger 

 number of persons on the land, whether on the 

 particular lines I have recommended or otherwise. 

 But any action so taken should be regarded as forming 

 part only of a National Agricultural Policy, directed to 

 putting the agricultural industry of the British Isles 

 on an improved basis. When the other countries of 

 the world are doing so much for the advancement of 

 their own agricultural interests and very largely with 

 aspirations towards our own markets it behoves us to 

 be on our guard to do all that we can for the improve- 

 ment of our own position. That this position is already 

 stronger than is generally assumed has, I trust, been 

 established by the facts I have here presented ; and 

 though I am not favourable to undue dependence on 

 State-aid where the principle of self-help will suffice, 

 there are directions in which practical assistance might, 

 and ought to be, given by the State. 



Personally, I should not be disposed to support the 

 idea that the State should provide large sums of public 

 money for the creation of a large body of peasant 



