The Service of Uncle Sam

All of us know that Uncle Sam means well by the hundred million members of his family, but few have any adequate appreciation of the many varied forms in which Uncle Sam lends a helping hand. His service is apparent everywhere in city, town, village and farm—and in the great desert wastes and mountain heights. It is worth while to take a sweeping survey of the whole field of Uncle Sam’s helpful operations:

HELPING THE FARMER. Uncle Sam supplies a wealth of information about the planting and growing of crops, with crop estimates and statistics of agriculture. He supplies weather reports and gives helpful information on the control of destructive insects and birds—also on the fostering and improving of live stock. He gives advice on forest lands and forest fire protection. He helps in building rural roads and assists in farm management and in the procuring of farm help. He advises the farmer in marketing and in rural organization and farm finance. He gives information concerning diseases prevalent in rural districts. He supplies courses of reading for farmer parents, and assists in the work of rural schools. He spends large sums of money in administration work in the Department of Agriculture to help the condition of the farmer, the farmer’s wife and the girls and boys on the farm. He directs their education and shows them how to improve their living conditions. His office of information supplies documents full of valuable practical suggestions for the farmer.

HELPING THE SETTLER. Uncle Sam reclaims desert lands and places them at the disposal of settlers. He encourages the establishment of homesteads and conducts forest service and geological surveys to develop land and make it valuable.

HELPING THE BUSINESS MAN. Uncle Sam gives assistance and information to almost all businesses—and carries on, at enormous expense, special work for the Mining, Fishing, Fur, Lumber and Shipping Industries. He pursues scientific experiments with agricultural products and develops water power for commercial use. He protects the business man with the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Reserve Board, and the Interstate Commerce Commission.

HELPING THE WORKING MAN. In the Department of Labor a vast amount of Service is devoted to securing employment for laborers, supplying information concerning labor conditions, pursuing practical investigations for the safety and health of the working men. He acts as a community organizer, advising and supervising, and is a mediator in disputes on labor questions.

HELPING THE IMMIGRANT. He greets the immigrant with an intelligent and careful scrutiny as to his health and general welfare. He opens the eyes of the immigrant to his opportunities in the United States, and helps him to get employment. He instills in him ideals of industry, integrity, and good citizenship.

HELPING THE NEGRO. Uncle Sam supplies statistics and detailed reports concerning the education of the Negro. He gives assistance to the Negro farmer, instruction to the Negro woman and children in home economics and in school and home gardening.

HELPING IN THE HOME. Uncle Sam pursues investigations and gives advice concerning the practical problems of the home. He is ever inspecting foods, drugs, meats and the quality of milk and water. He will permit no foul or tainted food or drink to reach the mouth of the mother or children. He carries on an employment bureau of service, giving information and advice. In the lives of children Uncle Sam’s helping hand is ever to be found. He prepares publications and gives information and conducts courses for the education of children in all branches of knowledge, stimulating, particularly, vocational education, in agriculture, and in the trades and industries. For the protection of children he enforces the Federal Child Labor Act, and to keep them well and healthy he has devised enticing plans for outdoor occupation in school and home garden, that they may be sound, healthy and fit for worthy citizenship.

If you want to know anything about the management of the country; if you want to make the most of yourself as a citizen, write to Uncle Sam.

THE MENTOR