The Future of the Farm Worker. 109 



making profit out of their labour. Unless the industry 

 can be made more productive and leave a larger margin 

 there is no surplus out of which improved conditions for 

 the workers can be secured. 



I have endeavoured to show the conditions under which 

 this greater productivity may be sought. I do not hope 

 for any substantial improvement with our present system 

 of farming or with the present units of production. Unless 

 we can reduce the net costs of production, and eliminate 

 the waste of distribution, we cannot hope to make any 

 adequate advance in the conditions of the mass of the 

 workers. The industry cannot afford to carry the present 

 bankrupt system of landlordism, or to find livings for the 

 inefficient farmers, if it is to give reasonable conditions 

 of living to the workers. We have to get rid of mere 

 rent receivers and profit makers, and turn the industry 

 into a social service before the future holds any reasonable 

 hope for the workers. 



While I am under no illusions as to the power of trade 

 unions or Wages Boards, I would guard against any idea 

 that I think the workers should relax their efforts. Within 

 the limits inside which they are effective there is urgent 

 need for better organisation of the workers in their trade 

 unions. They have their part to play in forcing the pace 

 of change in the industry. It is not a coincidence that 

 the most efficient farming is to be found in the highest 

 paid districts. I will go so far as to say that the higher 

 wages demanded have been one of the most important 

 factors in forcing more efficient farming, rather than that 

 higher wages have been a result of better farming. Even 

 if the workers should find that they are forcing wages to 



