Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1916-09-29
GERMAN METHOD
OF FARM SALES
Consumer Deals Directly with
Producer.
FARMERS GIVEN NUMBERS.

They Register at . Bureau. Giving List
Of Wares and Priess-Heussvsivss
Order From Lists. and Products Ar
Forwarded by Parcel Post.
The United States should BY all
means adopt the German method Or
direct dealing between farmer ana
consumer. said David Lubin. Delegate
Of the United States to the lnternation.
al Institute Of Agriculture at Rome.
Italy. In a forceful speech before
number Of business men and market
experts In Philadelphia the other day.
direct Dealing Between Producer
and Consumer was the subject OF the
add ess The plan. as outlined BY MIR.
Lubin. proposes to save time. labor
and money by utilization Of the par
eel post service.
I'm speech delivered some years
ago." said Mr.. Lubin. Il said there was
one nation in the world which. II put
to stress, would stand against all other
powers. and that country was Ger
many. The secret of her power lay In
her agrarian system, by which the In
terests Of the farmer were conserved.
| said too. that the weakest nation
from the point of view Of agricultural
policy was the United States.
Farmers Given Numbers.
"ln brief the German system is this:
A farmer comes to certain bureau
and registers. His name no longer
matters. He is given number. say
No. 40. The products which he sells
are listed (a) for eggs. ,b' for chick
ems. with the prices he wants for
them. TO this bureau the housewife
comes and orders what she wants at
the stipulated price. No. 40 must keep
up the quality Of the products he sends
or else his customers will quickly turn
to some other number.
1.-THE system Is what shorthand Is to
longhand In simplicity and convent
ence. The German government Is the
most feared autocracy in the world to-
day. because 1t is scientific autOc-
racy. In politics Germany may have its
faults, but economics are blessing
We would do we'll to adopt her won.
derful economic policies.
"This country cannot stand unless
something is done to save the farmer
from being eaten up. The Germans
knew their danger. They reasoned that
the farmer Is the natural conservative
and balance wheel Of II nation and
that as long as his table Is supplied
and he is contented the Radicals and
Socialists might talk as much az they
liked.
"a way presents itself for the build
ing up Of the proposed service on effet-
tive economic lines. That would be
the appointment Of federal commits
sion to take the matter up. the COM
mission to obtain the testimony Of
farmers and consumers. devise a
working system. and for a time have
the guidance Of its operation"
Pittsburgh Starts Plan.
Following the lecture was a general
discussion. the prevailing opinion be-
ing that the plan proposed by Mr.. Lu-
bin had many desirable features and
that something would have to be done
to remedy the prevailing market situa-
ton.
DR.. Joseph Krauskopf. who followed
Mr.. Lubin. deplored the present condi-
lions Of city life. with crowding In
slums. But it is useless" he said,
Ito cry back to the land until we ad-
wise system that makes it profita BILE
for man to 60 back. Let us read the
warning In the fact that in the state
Of Pennsylvania alone there are $500
abandoned farms"
In Pittsburgh $1,000 has been appro-
priated to give the German system a
thorough trial. At the close of the
|, meeting arrangements were made to
appoint committee Of Eve to consider
he feasibility Of starting the system
Of direct dealing In Philadelphia.