The Robesonian., 1917-06-28
ELIMINATE MIDDLEMAN

Mai. A. ]. McKinnon of Maxton
Thinks Food Bill Should be Amend,
ed 40 As to Provide That the FOOD
Committee Make Contracts Direct
with the Producers for Their Pro-
aucts-This Would Greatly Encour-
age the Farmers to Produce Larg-
er Crops
Washington Special to GREENSBORO
Daily News, June 26.
A. ]. McKinnon, Of Maxton, who
Yesterday conferred with Secretary
of Agriculture Houston, stated that the
government food control bill might do
s0ell IL it was amended SO as tO pio.
vide that the food committee make
contracts direct with the producers
for their crops. Mr.. McKinnon says
If this is done it will greatly encour-
age the farmer to produce larger
rrops because he would know what
ne would receive at harvest time and
at the same time the middleman or
commission merchant would be elimf-
mated. This, the Maxton chief be-
lieyes, would not only result in bet
ter prices to the producer but would
mean that the consumer would get
his food supplies at much lower
price than at present.
Mr.. McKinnon said:
81 have some lumber interests and
have offered to put our entire out
put at the command of the govern
ment and have been negotiating WITH
the lumber committee here. / do not
wish to offend anyone at this time,
but l believe the food bill should be
So framed that it will authorize the
food committee to buy the govern
ment food requirements direct from
the farmers by contracting direct
with them to grow their crops for
the committee and at fixed prices
that would insure the farmers fair
profit. This would encourage the
farmers to make greater effort to
croduce more food.
taThe government would then have
a guarantee of sufficient supply and
would know where to get it and at
what price it would pay. This meth
od would eliminate the miodleman
entirely The demands of the gov
eminent during the war, in my judg-
fnent, would be great enough to JUS
6fy it in establishing direct dealing
with the producer and leave out ev-
cry item of trade expense, or middle
mems commissions that can possibly
be left out. l am thoroughly con-
vinced that such direct dealing with
the farmers would greatly encour-
age them to put forth the greatest
possible efforts along all lines.
eff such plan could be worked out
the farmer who contracted to- grow
food for the committee would know
that when his crop was ready~for the
- mfarket he would get O. aprofitable
price fer it. Three dollar wheat in
April, s10 potatoes in February, when
the man who have produced these
crops disposed of them at less than
half these prices do not encourage him
to increase his efforts at the next
planting time. On the other hand, if
the farmer can be assured by his
. government that his crops will be TAX
en- at a reasonable price at harvest
time, he would put forth greater eff
fort to increase the yield.
81 have talked to a number of SEN
ators about the proposed plan of fix
no a minimum price for food. Quite
a few of them think it a good idea.
My own idea is that if a minimum
price is fixed it should cover all food
crops and give the farmer the ad-
vantage of the highest price avail
able. 1t seems to me that it will be
impossible for the government to
guarantee minimum for many ar
ticles of food and if wheat, for in
stance, has government minimum
and corn, potatoes and other staple
crops are left out, it will certainly
not be satisfactory law"
DVSnnnSia ie A o,,,,o IT.