alarming increase in the price of food, which have lately attracted so
much attention in America, are largely due to the fact that those who
cultivate the land do not intend to spend their lives upon it; and
without a rehabilitation of country life there can be no success for the
Conservation policy. Therefore, the Country Life movement deals with
what is probably the most important problem before the English-speaking
peoples at this time. Now the predominance of the towns which is
depressing the country is based partly on a fuller application of modern
physical science, partly on superior business organisation, partly on
facilities for occupation and amusement; and if the balance is to be
redressed, the country must be improved in all three ways. There must be
better farming, better business, and better living. These three are
equally necessary, but better business must come first. For farmers, the
way to better living is cooperation, and what cooperation means is the
chief thing the American farmer has to learn.

FOOTNOTES:

[9] In the capital of Virginia, to take one notable example, I have
witnessed a perfect ferment of social activity at one of the gatherings.
It brought together such an ideal combination of the best spirits in
both rural and urban life that I anticipate some striking developments
in rural civilization which will surely extend beyond the borders of the
State.

[10] I may mention Raiffeisen, Luzzati, Rocquigny, Bishop Grundtwig,
Henry W. Wolff, the Rev. T. A. Finlay, S.J., and most of the leaders in
agricultural organization in Great Britain and Ireland.

[11] See above, page 31.

[12] It may seem a small matter even for a footnote, but an unambiguous
terminology is so important to propagandist work that I must mention a
somewhat unfortunate use of the word 'cooperation' which prevails in
official and pedagogic circles. We hear of cooperative demonstration
work, cooperative education, cooperative lectures, and so forth.
Whenever a Government or State department, or an educational body works
with any other agency, and sometimes when they are only doing their own
work, they use the term, which is of course grammatically applicable
whenever two people work together--from matrimony down. If the word in
connection with agriculture could be retained for its technical sense,
so long established and well understood in Europe, the proposed movement
might be saved a good deal of confused thinking. Might