Carolina Watchman

THE NEED FOR COOPERATION GROWS

The farmer who believes that because government is seeking to do certain things for him, he needs do nothing for himself, might ponder these words of Governor Henry Morgenthau, Jr., of the Farm Credit Administration: "I believe in cooperation both as a way of advancement and as a necessity for the American farmer. I don't believe any new form of economy or new regulation of production will ever make it less necessary. It is more likely to increase the importance of it."

Agricultural cooperation means that the farmer, in association with his fellows, is taking definite steps to help himself--and is adopting the soundest and most proven means of achieving a given end.

The government itself recognizes that--and the careful reader of recent farm legislation will be impressed by the emphasis laid on cooperative methods. Indeed, Mr. Morgenthau says that the new system amounts to a chain of banks is going to help by providing necessary financing for cooperatives. The government is going to help by providing necessary financing, and the rest is up to organized farmers.

During three years of depression the membership rolls of the established cooperatives have constantly grown. During the next few years--the years of recovery--their rate of growth should be immensely accelerated. If that happens, and all indications are that it will, agriculture faces a bright future.