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THE 



ILLINOIS AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION RECORD 



To advance the purpose for which the Farm Bureau was organized, namely, 

 to promote, protect and represent the business, economic, social and educa- 

 liomti interests of the farmers of Illinois and the Nation, and to develop 

 agriculture. 



THI STATE FARM 

 •UREAU PUM.ICATION 



EUROPE - SKID ROW OF THE WORLD 



^^ President CliaJes E. Sli 



unian 



THE Europe of today and Chicago's West Madison 

 Street "Skid Row " seem to have something in com- 

 mon. The beggars along our street of forgotten men 

 have a new approach. The old 

 plea of "A Dime for a Cup of Coffee" 

 brought too many offers to buy the 

 coffee. One night during the holiday 

 window shopping season I was ap- 

 proached by a young man with a hard 

 luck story and the request for 1 2c sub- 

 way fare. When I offered to walk 

 with him down to the ticket window 

 and buy his fare, he hastily withdrew 

 his request and hurried down the 

 street in search of ready cash without stipulations. 



Most European countries are in desperate straits today 

 and their people face starvation. Most of our returning 

 experts and observers tell us that in addition to hunger, 

 one of the great handicaps to reconstruction is the broken 

 spirit of the people. 



The American people, and farmers in particular, are 

 extremely generous and always ready to help those in dis- 

 tress. Certainly, we want to do everything possible to pre- 

 vent starvation abroad. However, we must be very careful 



lest we start an international WPA that will hinder rather 

 than hasten recovery. 



The political leaders of Europe are like the Skid 

 Row beggars, they want our money 

 and food without any stipulations. 

 Your organization is opposing this 

 type of dole program and insisting 

 that the most effertive aid that we can 

 give, beyond immediate starsation re- 

 lief, is through a program designed to 

 help restore the productive capacities 

 and self respect of the people. 



Our experiences during the past 

 15 years "should convince us that, 

 whether used in connection with a farm program, the 

 WPA, the OPA, or any aid to Europe program, a subsidy 

 or direct charity payment plan is a dangerous opiate. It 

 destroys individual initiative and self respect. 



We have a choice to make. We can use our dollars 

 as a shot in the arm and possibly bear the responsibility for 

 converting Europe into a huge {Permanent Skid Row or, 

 on the other hand we can follow a less popular course, and 

 insist that our continued aid be conditioned upon sound 

 reconstruction plans. 



xxxxxxxxxx 



FEBRUARY, 1948 • VOLUME 26, NUMBER 2 



lUINOIS AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION OFFICERS and BOARD OF DIRECTORS (By Cengrettienol Distrkn) 





PiMidanl, Charles B. Shuman SuIIiTon 



Vic«-PrMidanl. Floyd E. Morrii BuUalo 



Sccrstary, Paul E. Mathiam -..Jlinsdala 



Field Sec. Geo. E. Melxger Chicago 



Tieaauret. B. A. Cowlei Bloomington 



Comptroller. C. C. Chapelle Chicago 



General Counsel. Donald Kirkpatrick Chicago 



1st to 11th Earl M. Hughes, Woodstock 



12th. _ C. I. Elliott, Streator 



13th - Homer Curtiss. Stockton 



Uth _ -Otto SteiieY, Slronghursl 



15th Edwin Gumm, Galesburg 



lEth BusseU V. McKee, Varna 



17th _ E. T. Culnan. Lincoln 



16lh John T. Evans, Hoopeston 



19th 



20th 



21st 



22ad 



23rd _, 



24th 



2Sth .:AU>ert Webb, Ewing 



Milton W. Warren, Mansfield 



K. T. Smith, Greenfield 



Dcm L. Clarke. New Berlin 



J. King Eaton, EdwardsTille 



Chester McCord, Newton 



Lyman Bunting. Ellery 



Editor, Cresten Fester. Ats't. Editor, James C. Thomson. Field Editor, lewis A. Reisner. 



The Illinois Agricultural Association RECORD is published monthly by the Illinois Agricultural Association at 1501 W. Washington Road. Mendota. 

 lU. Editorial Offices, 43 East Ohio St., Chicago, 111. Entered as second class matter at post office. Mendota, 111., Sept. 11, 193S. Acceptance lor mailing 

 at special rate oi postage provided in Section 412, Act of Feb, 28, 1925, authorized Oct. 27, 1335. Address all communications for publication to 

 Editoriol Offices, Illinois Agricultural Association RECORD, 43 East Ohio St., Chicogo. The individual membership fee of the Illinois Agricultural 

 Association is five dollars a year. The fee includes payment of fifty cents for subscription to the Illinois Agricultural Association RECORD. Postmaster: 

 Send notices en Form 3578. Undeliverable copies returned under Form 3579 to editorial offices, 43 E. Ohio St.. Chicago 11. HI. 



FEBRUARY, 1948 



