Vol. LXXVII. 
Published Weekly by The Rural Publishing Co., 
r!33 W. 30th St., New York. Price One Dollar a Year. 
NEW YORK, JANUARY 4, 1919. 
Entered as Second-Class Matter. .Tune 20, 1879. at the Post 
Office at New York, N. Y., under tho Act of March 3, 1879. 
No. 4515. 
Rural Red Cross Locals and Rural Re¬ 
construction 
Utilize a Great Organization 
N eighborhood groups.— what is to be¬ 
come of the thousands of Red Cross groups of 
war workers throughout the United States, especially 
those in the rural communities? These little groups 
of women war workers have done a wonderful work. 
At the same time they have afforded the means of 
social intercourse so badly needed in every rural 
neighborhood. Now that the war impetus for the 
Red Cross work is over, these neighborhood groups 
be returning from the great war. These spirited 
young fellows will demand more from the social and 
religious life of the country than ever before. Their 
ripened experience will not be satisfied by the usual 
Quiet, serene, don't-care, easy-going attitude of the 
rural communities they so recently left here in 
America. 
WHAT TO DO.—The rural social and institutional 
life must be improved—at once. The folks left be¬ 
hind to guard the “home front” must also he able to 
report a successful going over the top to the end of 
improving the rural world and making it safe to hold 
the men who have fought for Christian democracy. 
States and Canada have already been organized in 
this rural-uplift-through-information plan. There 
are other organizations into which these groups of 
workers may be gathered for the purpose of continu¬ 
ing a united effort for some good local cause. The 
Grange is a well-known and highly useful organi¬ 
zation that should be represented in every rural 
community in America. If no local Grange exists, 
the group of Red Cross workers may be merged into 
a local branch of this great farmers’ organization. 
A pa rent-teachers’ club might well be developed from 
the group, as well as a farm women's club, a co¬ 
operative buying and selling association, a ladies’ 
A Characteristic Rural War Aid Group. Xow Enlisted for Rural Service. Fin. J 
arc in c nger of disbanding. They ought to be kept 
Together. They may make the nucleus of a strong 
community organization in each rural district in 
which they c :ist. 
RURAL L_ VDERS’ OPPORTUNITY. — Here, 
then, is the rural leader’s opportunity. Every rural 
preacher, teacher, superintendent, or any lay leader 
in the church or other social group ought to seize 
upon these local organizations before they disband 
and direct their efforts into the channels of recon¬ 
struction. And there is much reconstruction work 
to be done in rural America. The rural minister 
who merely sits on his job now is not about the 
Lord’s business. Thousands of young men will soon 
It is not too late to begin—it never is. The neigh¬ 
borhood Red Cross local may be transformed into 
an information group of people with the intent of 
learning the best means and methods of bettering the 
community. In very many cases the rural minister 
is in a position to take the lead. 
THE R.C.R.C. MOVEMENT.—Probably as good a 
channel to guide these local groups of workers into 
is the International Rural Church Reading Circle 
movement, which is non-sectarian, non-political, dis¬ 
tinctly rural in its plans and purposes, and free from 
all criticism as a money-making scheme. Member¬ 
ship in the R.C.R.C., as it is called, is absolutely free. 
Many rural community group* in both the United 
aid. etc. Whatever of the many possible turns may 
be taken, the one thought to be emphasized is the 
development of some sort of local organization from 
these neighborhood war-aid groups that sl\all become 
permanent and effective in the great work of rural 
reconstruction. garland a. bricker. 
New York. 
Conducting a Membership Compaign 
Building Up a Farm Organization 
S TATE WIDE CAMPAIGN.—Last Fall the execu¬ 
tive committee of the Mercer County Board of 
Agriculture of New 'ersey, realizing the urgent need 
cf increasing the membership of the Board in order 
