II. 

 Some Present -Day Policies. 



Guaranteed Prices. 



I have endeavoured to describe the position of the three 

 classes most directly concerned in agriculture in this 

 country, because in any consideration of the future of 

 agriculture we must take account of the forces at present 

 at work. The position is a very unstable one. Everything 

 points to the landowners finding their difficulties increasing 

 rather than disappearing. Their increasing anxiety to get 

 rid of their estates shows quite clearly that they have no 

 hope of being able to retrieve their position. This is bound 

 to react on the farmers who are in need of improved 

 equipment in the way of buildings, drainage, etc. The 

 farmers are finding that the return to more normal con- 

 ditions in the world market will expose them anew to the 

 competition of the agricultural produce of all the world. 

 They cannot hope to see again the protected markets the 

 War secured to them. Already they have suffered the first 

 shock of falling prices, and prone to pessimism at all 

 times, they are ready to believe the worst. At the same 

 time they are conscious that they have to face a new spirit 

 and power in the workers, and that it will not be possible 

 for them to return to the old conditions of labour. Their 

 problem is how to conduct their industry faced with 

 competition from abroad, and forced by combination 

 amongst the workers and by legislation to observe con- 



35 



