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new tasks. They deserve well of the Republic, and those who wish 

 to go into farming, who have had any experience which would make 

 such an occupation probably profitable for them, must be furnished 

 every opportunity. The Nation and the states will unquestionably 

 come to their assistance and every feasible thing will be done to secure 

 for them the opportunities they seek somewhere in industry or in 

 agriculture. 



STILL PIONEERING THE COUNTRY. 



Of course, this country is not yet filled up. In a sense, we are still 

 pioneering it. It is estimated that there are 1,140,000,000 acres of 

 tillable land in the United States and that only 367,000,000 acres are 

 actually in cultivation. Of course, much of the best land, especially 

 that most easily brought under cultivation and in reasonably easy 

 reach of large consuming centers, is in use, though much of it, possibly 

 85 per cent, is not yielding full returns. Extension of the farmed 

 area will consequently be made with greater expense for clearing, 

 preparation, drainage, and irrigation, and for profitable operation will 

 involve marketing arrangements of a high degree of perfection and the 

 discriminating selection of crops having a relatively high unit value. 



We must consider this whole question in the light of tha recent past 

 and of the probable future developments. Many people think too 

 much in terms of today. How many of you realize that this Nation, 

 in the 15 years from 1900 to 1915, gained a population of 22,000,000, 

 nearly three-fifths that of the Republic of France, a Nation with 

 producing and consuming power probably greater than that of any 

 South American country. It is estimated, also, that since the Euro- 

 pean war broke out our population has further increased nearly 

 3,250,000, largely through natural growth. We have taken care of 

 this population. Those who have wished to farm have found places. 

 Doubtless we shall gain 15,000,000 or 20,000,000 in the next fifteen 

 years, and these, too, we shall take care of. These, too, will benefit 

 from agencies working for the betterment of rural life which, in point 

 of scope, personnel, financial support and effectiveness, excel those 

 of any three nations in the world combined. It is an urgent duty of 

 all these agencies to assist those who are entering upon agriculture 

 for the first time. 



PROBLEM ONE OF EMPHASIS AND SELECTION. 



What else stands out for consideration in the field of readjustment? 

 I am now thinking, of course, of agriculture. Is it likely that many highly 

 promising, novel, and original things can be suggested and put into 

 practice? Agriculture probably was the best prepared interest in the 

 Nation when the war came on. Through wise provision the country 

 had secured an organization which was ready to function in all 



