and are anxious to extend their country
work in the rural districts. The great army of rural teachers, the
Farmers' Union, and other farmers' organisations I have already named
would gladly cooperate with schemes making for rural progress.

More important, I believe, than is generally realised, from an economic
and social point of view, are the rural churches. In many European
countries, where agricultural cooperation has played a great part in the
people's lives, the clergy have ardently supported the system on account
of its moral value. In Ireland, some of our very best volunteer
organisers are clergymen. Some leaders of the rural church in the United
States have told me that a feeling is growing that an increased economic
usefulness in the clergy would strengthen their position in the society
which they serve in a higher capacity. I know that the suggestion of
clerical intervention in secular affairs is open to misunderstanding.
But here is a body of educated citizens who would gladly take part in
any real social service; and here is a situation where there is work of
high moral and social value calling for volunteers. Nothing but good,
it seems to me, could result if such men, who have more opportunity and
inclination for general reading than the working farmer, would help in
explaining the intricacies of cooperative organisation and procedure
which must be understood and practised in order that the system may be
fruitful.

In addition to its active propagandist work, the central Association
could exercise a powerful and helpful influence in other ways. It
should, of course, keep both the agricultural and the general press
informed of its plans and progress. It should also keep in touch with
the agricultural work of all important educational bodies, and more
especially urge upon them the necessity of spreading the cooperative
idea. The Department of Agriculture would welcome and support the
movement; for I know many leading men in that service who thoroughly
understand and recognise the immense importance, especially to backward
rural communities, of the cooperative principle.

It is not necessary, at this stage, to go further into details. I feel
confident that the work of assisting all suitable agencies, such as
those I have named, and others which may be available, through
organisers of agricultural cooperation and by the spreading of
information, would soon enable the central body to render inestimable
serv