32 THE GREAT WAR 



These " Star " farmers are practically all of 

 them members of the various agricultural asso- 

 ciations in the country. They and other societies 

 criticize the Bills in Parliament which deal with 

 agriculture; but they do so with small effect. 

 The reason is, that they pride themselves on 

 being non-political, and hence become practi- 

 cally mere debating societies. Valuable dis- 

 cussions on agricultural subjects are carried on 

 generally by a few and the same persons, who 

 speak on almost all occasions. 



The writer, during his thirty-five years' ex- 

 perience in the House of Commons, has been 

 continually struck with the small consideration 

 given to agriculture by successive Governments. 

 The reason is, that being created on Party lines, 

 Governments pay little or no attention to non- 

 political bodies. 1 



As an instance, nearly every agricultural 

 association has passed resolutions, some of them 



1 Agricultural associations on the Continent, with 

 which the writer is fairly well acquainted, are actively 

 political. They interview and write to candidates for 

 Parliament as to their views on agricultural matters, and 

 their votes depend on whether or no the replies are satis- 

 factory. 



