CHAPTER VII

THE TWO THINGS NEEDFUL

Summary of diagnosis and indication of treatment--Chief aim the cooerdination of agencies available for social work in the country--Numerical strength and fine social spirit abroad, but leadership needed--Mutual interest of advocates of Conservation and of rural reform--The psychological difficulty due to predominance of urban idea--Roman history repeating itself in New York--The natural leaders of the Country Life movement to be found in the cities--The objects of the movement defined--Two new institutions to be created; the one executive and organising, the other academic--The National Conservation Association qualified to initiate and direct the movement--Possibly an American Agricultural Organisation Society should be founded for the work--The chief practical work the introduction of agricultural cooperation--Necessity for joining forces with existing philanthropic agencies--Suggested enlistment of country clergy in cooperative propagandism--The Country Life Institute, its purpose and functions--Reason why one body cannot undertake work assigned to the two new institutions--The financial requirements of the Institute--Summary and conclusions 145

THE RURAL LIFE PROBLEM