Testimony Before the Senate Special Committee on Post-War Economic Policy and Planning (The George Committee)

Excerpts (from Carl Taylor’s presentation): The number of persons who return to farms from the military forces and war industries will depend on the economic opportunities offered by agriculture in comparison to the economic opportunities offered outside agriculture. The only time since the end of our frontier period when there has been a net population movement from towns and cities to farms was in the heart of depression when agriculture became the "poorhouse" for the temporarily unemployed. In all other periods net population movement was away from farms. Unless, therefore, we are to look forward to a nation-wide depression following the war there will be no rush to the land. Undue stimulation to such a movement would be not only stimulation of an unnatural trend but an invitation to agricultural maladjustment and rural misery. These statements are based on the analyses of previous population movements. It is my purpose to present these analyses to the committee. My testimony will be followed by statements by: Dr. Bushrod Allin and Mr. Ray Smith, both from the Bureau of Agricultural Economics. Dr. Allin will make a statement on post-war demand for agricultural products and Mr. Smith will present some of the things the United States Department of agriculture is doing in the field of post-war planning.