ALTHOUGH THE PATTERN OF RURAL TO URBAN MIGRATION IS BEGINNING TO SUBSIDE, THE PROBLEMS OF EMPLOYMENT FACED BY THESE RURAL MIGRANTS ARE CONTINUING. PROGRAMS TO DEAL EFFECTIVELY WITH THEIR RELOCATION AND EMPLOYMENT HAVE NOT BEEN DEVISED, AND EFFORTS TO DATE HAVE BEEN CURATIVE RATHER THAN PREVENTIVE. A PRACTICAL WAY TO RATIONALIZE THE RURAL-URBAN MOVEMENT WOULD BE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SERIES OF "SENDING" AND "RECEIVING" CENTERS IN THE MAJOR AREAS OF MIGRATION. "SENDING" CENTERS, LOCATED IN THE RURAL AREAS, WOULD CHANNEL PEOPLE TO THE "RECEIVING" CENTERS IN THE METROPOLITAN AREAS. THE BASIC OBJECTIVE OF THIS PLAN WOULD BE TO ACHIEVE THE BEST MATCH OF JOB LOCATIONS AND PEOPLE. THUS THE PROBLEMS OF RURAL POVERTY AND MIGRATION WOULD BEST BE SOLVED BY COUPLING THE "CENTERS" CONCEPT WITH AN URBAN AND RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY ADDRESSED TO THE QUESTION OF HOW AND WHERE FUTURE POPULATION CAN BEST BE ASSIMILATED. THIS SPEECH WAS PRESENTED AT THE NATIONAL OUTLOOK CONFERENCE ON RURAL YOUTH, OCTOBER 23-26, 1967, WASHINGTON, D. C., SPONSORED JOINTLY BY THE U. S. DEPARTMENTS OF AGRICULTURE, HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE, INTERIOR, AND LABOR, OEO, AND THE PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL ON YOUTH OPPORTUNITY. (ES)