The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1915-12-16
A new FORM
Is DEMANDED
GROWERS'COUNCIL CHANGE WANTED
Body, After Inauguration Of the Shippers
League, Has Accomplished Ends Par
tial Failure Due to Conditions

| oOdhtiS ubd nNOthdy hdc dNNOu
all that can be hoped for under its ex-
| isting state of organization is virtually
the Unanimous opinion of orchardists
and market men alike in the Hood Riv-
er valley.
According to plans of the organiza-
tion tentative campaign of work was
to have been outlined for the Growers
Council at the recent National apple
show at Spokane. However. with the
exception of the proposal that a levy
of one cent per box be made on apples
next year TO provide fund with which
to advertise and open up new markets
for apples, no new steps were taken.
The expenditure of this fund. which
will reach upward of S75, 900, according
to conservative estimatesl of next
years apple crop. will not be in the
hands of the Council. Il is proposed
that the money be spent by the Ship
pers' League, an organization COM
posed of representatives, of shipping
agencies. who will have as an advisory
board three men. one each appointed by
the clearing house associations and COM
mercial organizations of the cities of
Portland, Seattle and Spokane.
This being the status of affairs with
the Growers Council, it is openly ar
gued by local representatives of the
organization that there will in the fu-
ture be no need of an active participa-
tiun of the Council, and it is fairly
we'll indicated that the Council will
pass out of existence at the next annu-
al meeting. to be held in January, un-
less 1t is given some stimulus that at
present is not foreseen.
considered from the standpoint of
its aims at the time OF its organization
last winter" says A. d. Moe, the local
member of the Board of Control of 10,
"the Growers Council has been a fail
ure. We have heard much of the plans
that have been outlined, but in Hood
River, and from what can gather it
has been similar in other districts, the
organization has been one in name
only. The Board of Control has been
dummy one, and for this reason | feel
sure that the 10 men composing it will
refuse to continue such relations be-
cause of the possibility of some future
action on the part of some element of
the Council that may bring an unmerit-
ed criticism to Them"
The view of Mr.. Moe may be said to
be typical of local fruit growers who
participated in the meetings of last
winter. Because of lack of something
tangible in its makeup, there has been
recent rapid falling away from the
federation of growers.
While individual growers are opposed
almost to man, to the proposed cent
box levy on next years apple crop, it
may be that when they become more
thoroughly acquainted with the manner
in which the money will be expended
there will be change of mind. Tru-
man Butler, member of the executive
committee of the Council, as elected
last winter, states that in deliberations
with advertising men, recognized as
national authorities, it has been pointed
out that general advertising cam
paign will bring direct beneficial re-
suits to all districts. The Hood River
men opposed to the general appropria-
tion, are willing to go the limit in ex-
plotting Hood River apples. They de-
clare that general campaign of pub
licity for northwestern box apples will
be of no value locally. Because of past
publicity the Hood River apple grower
and market man feel that the district
has gained prestige in the market for
its principal commercial varieties of
apples, Spitzenburgs and Newtowns,
and that the proposed general cam
paign will tend to dim the brililancy of
this prestige.
However, says Mr.. Butler, "those
posted on the psychology of advertising
declare that instead of moving the
fruit districts not SO we'll known as
Hood River and other communities to-
ward the station of pre-eminence now
enjoyed by them, it will advance the
general plane of the entire industry,
and that Hood River, Yakima, Wenat-
chez and Rogue River will be in the
same relative positions of leadership at
the end of an advertising campaign as
at present, although all will be better
known.
With the possible exception of W. H.
Paulhamus, chairman of the executive
committee of the Growers Council, nc
one has given any m0re time during
the past year to the study of the apple
situation than Mr.. Butler and Z. T.
Haskell, the third member of the exec.
utive committee. While Mr.. Butler is
not satisfied with the organization in
its present form, he feels that it has
justified its existence, since its confer.
ences have resulted in the Shippers
League, which in conjunction with the
Councils executive committee, saveC
the fruit growers of the Yakima valley
on their soft fruit crops thousands oi
dollars the past summer by establish
ing the value of the product through
was maturing and being placed on the
market.
Despite the disappointment of Mr.
Butler and Mr.. Moe, neither is critica
of any one individual or body of indi
viduals for the failure of the Council
to meet with the hopes advanced. las
winter. As MIR. Butler expresses him
self, "The Council was formed on |
pinnacle, and since that time has beer
working downward. Because of th'
decentralization of the past years mar
kets, fruit men were grasping a
straws, and they lost all sense of pro
portion"
There was a grand rush from night
mare to participate in solacinl
dream. While the dream of last win
ter's days has not come true, the Wis
ions it brought have brought about di
rect good results through other chan
nels, particularly the elimination o
past cut throat competition, by mean
OF the Shippers League.
Instead of maintaining a Growers
Council, who by action of its member
in all northwestern fruit district
would control the market price o
northwestern box apples, there is
| growing sentiment that the Council