126 ECONOMIC ESSAYS IN HONOR OF JOHN BATES CLARK 
and other industries. That such a lack of balance exists at the 
present time is seen in the disturbed price ratio; z.e., the ratio 
between the prices at which the farmer sells his products and 
the prices which he pays for the things he buys. The present 
ratio is less favorable to the farmer than it was in 1913. In so far 
as the unfavorable price ratio is due to an unwise utilization of 
the land, it suggests another angle to the problem of land 
planning. 
A national land policy means national land planning and 
recognition of this broader scope of planning is steadily growing. 
We are progressing beyond the stages of city, regional, and state 
planning to national planning. As evidence of this trend we may 
cite a recent conference called by the Federated Societies on 
Parks and Planning to consider the basis of a sound land policy 
for the nation. It may also be mentioned here that a still higher 
ideal is to be sought—namely, world-wide planning with respect 
to natural resources. Such a step would remove one of the 
primary causes of international conflict and contribute to a more 
lasting condition of peace. 
Land planning is thus rightly considered to be central and 
pivotal in land economics. It furnishes a key to some of our 
most difficult problems. The relation of land planning to the 
problem of balance is obvious. Planning may have further bene- 
ficial influence in reducing costs involved in land holding and 
land utilization. Planning and classification, based on scientific 
research, are thus the necessary guides to proper utilization of 
our land resources. 
No one familiar with the current problems in city and country 
can fail to appreciate the significance of land utilization and 
other topics discussed in land economics. The whole middle west 
is greatly disturbed now by low prices of agricultural products. 
One of the causes for distress in agriculture is the unwise utiliza- 
tion of land, one of the results of which is relative overproduction 
of certain staple, agricultural crops. Another form of unwise 
utilization of the land is seen in the fact that we find farms that 
are too large and farms that are too small, resulting in 
uneconomic production. 
When we turn to cities and study their growth we find unwise 
utilization of the land, causing inconvenience and enormous daily 
losses. as well as countless human tragedies. Take, for example, 
Sil 
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