THE RURAL HOME 321 



has its little mounds from which the father cuts the long grass 

 and weeds, and over which the mother allows herself time for 

 the luxury of tears. A conference with our overworked country 

 doctors would reveal the many causes for a high death rate in 

 naturally healthy regions. The city slogan "save the babies" 

 might well be extended to the country. 



I will frankly confess that I had much more reason for confi- 

 dence in the milk which I used to buy in bottles in the city than 

 I have now that it comes from our own cows. I have obtained 

 tolerable conditions through strikes and boycotts, refusing for 

 days to accept milk until the stables were properly cleaned. 

 That I have been successful in these hazardous domestic enter- 

 prises is entirely due to my family's sense of humor, which has 

 never yet failed me. I could not advise my neighbors to resort 

 to my methods, although their need is greater than my own. I 

 am sure the course pursued by Moses would be better for family 

 tranquillity. 



It is a usual thing, when the summer exodus comes, for the 

 newspapers and family physicians to warn city people of the 

 probability of finding contaminated water and unsanitary con- 

 ditions generally in the country. There seems to have been little 

 thought of the helplessness of the women and children who are 

 compelled to live (or die) in those regions. One must conclude 

 from the universal warning that the problem is a National one, 

 calling for new legislation and its enforcement. 



I have mentioned our roads. In certain stretches they are 

 tragically, laughably, hysterically rocky. In other stretches they 

 are punctuated with stumps. Few women would venture to drive 

 a team over them for any distance, although the men, through 

 practice in driving, are able to cover the rough miles at a remark- 

 ably good gait. 



It is a matter of record that on the ground of bad roads alone 

 the Government has so far refused our community free rural 

 delivery, although there are many men who could easily qualify 

 as carriers, covering the territory in the time required by the 

 Government and serving ninety families three times a week. 

 Don't you think, Mr. Secretary, that bad roads are a very good 

 reason for having a free delivery of mail? Isn't it better for 

 one responsible man to go over the road than that ninety families 



