Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 19, Number 1, DeMotte, Jasper County, 3 December 1948 — Warn Farmers To Put Cash In Homes, Not Land [ARTICLE]

Warn Farmers To Put Cash In Homes, Not Land

Planners Urge Rise In Living Standards Rather Than Buying Land At Shaky Prices Washington, Nov. 28. The National Planning association suggested to American farmers today that they invest their current agriculture boom profits in better houses, equipment, education, medical care, food, and clothing or their families and refrain from buying farm land at inflated prices. Such a course, the association’s agriculture committee said, not only will be wise for farmers, but will be in the best interests of the United States as a whole. The private research group published a report entitled “Can Farmers Afford to Live Better’’ by Dr. Lowry Nelson, professor of sociology at the university of Minnesota and member of the agriculture committee. He found that farmers “are prosperous now as but- their prosperity is still so new it is not yet reflected fully in their standard of living.” “Doing Very Well” Altho not every farm family is participating in this unprecedented prosperity, Dr. Nelson asserted, most of those who produce for the market are “doing very well.” He concluded that farmers now can afford to live better because the present economic situation makes it possible for farm families to enjoy some of the conveniences and “amenities of living,” which previously they felt they could not afford. Dr. Nelson commented however, there is much room for improvement, citing as “appalling” the number of farm homes in the United States without electricity,, private bathers, flush toilets, and running water. “For a large part of the farm population at the present time there is no excuse of low income for not providing houses and home conveniences for their families on a par with town and city homes,” he remarked. Others Have Stake Dr. Nelson and the committee emphasized that this situation is not solely the farmer’s problem because people who do not live on farms also have a in the farmer’s decision as to what to do with extra cash. For example, the committee said the national welfare and economy would be affected if farmers built the approximately 2 million homes they need, repaired the other 2 million requiring it, put in electrical and plumbing' improvements, bought modern farm equipment and purchased household conveniences such, as refrigerators. Cheryl Zeck and her father, Ff'ed Zeck celebrated their birthdays Sunday evening at their home by enjoying a birthday supper. Cheryl was one year* old the 28th and her father, we don't know his age, but his birthday was the 29th. Mr. and Mrs. John Mission visited friends in Mishawaka Saturday.