COMING TO HIS OWN? 15 



who grow it. The war surely brought the farmer to 

 his own in respect to a new consciousness on the part 

 of the world's food users of their utter dependence 

 upon him. 



2. The war revealed to the farmer more clearly 

 his duty as a member of society. He has seen as never 

 before his obligation to strain his back to even severer 

 toil for the sake of those so dependent upon him. 

 Heretofore he has naturally been more concerned with 

 his rights with getting a fair and just return for his 

 labor. He has not felt a keen personal sense of obliga- 

 tion to supply food for people who can't grow it for 

 themselves. Now the deepest parts of a nature rich 

 in feeling have been touched. The farmer has been 

 asked to produce, not primarily for profit but for a 

 great cause. And has the farmer responded? In- 

 deed he has responded. If America's part in the war 

 is ever adequately written, one of the great chapters 

 will tell of the way in which the farmers who stayed on 

 the land, working under the greatest difficulties, met 

 the " call to the colors." 



3. But the war also revealed a vacant chair at the 

 nation's council table the chair of the farmer. 

 (And here let us recall the writer of Ecclesias- 

 ticus.) The United States Department of Agriculture, 

 with its great machinery and its staff of trained and 

 able men; its auxiliaries, the agricultural colleges and 

 schools; and particularly the new but effective system 

 of county farm bureaus verily raised up for the 

 great hour all have done an effective and indis- 

 pensable service in the crisis. Groups of farmers have 

 from time to time and to an increasing extent been in 

 consultation with responsible officials of government 

 and their counsel been made effective. Nevertheless 



