New-York tribune., 1917-05-03
Advocates Federal Control
Over Distribution and
Fixing of Prices
Would Double Crops
Could Be Increased Tenfold
Next Year and Cost of
Living Reduced

uI Itlsdu bcdbuc, i'HiDSthNo NhN pAaN
tically solid political sentiment Of
North Dakota, the greatest wheat
growing state in the Union, and to
somewhat less extent the point Of
view of the farmers Of Montana. South
Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and
Wisconsin, is demanding that the gov
ernnent take over all idle land and
distribute il among the farmers. Also,
he declares, l. must take over the en-
tire system Of food distribution, send
ing the meat packers, commission mer-
chants and food gamblers 10 the
trenches. II the government follows
his plan. he says, the farmers will
double their crops this year and next
year they will increase them tenfold.
They need fair deal" is the way
he puts it.
Eighty per cent Of the farmers %
North Dakota belong 70 the Non-Parti-
san League, which swept its entire
state ticket into Office there last fall,
pledged to a programme Of state own
ership Of grain elevators, -four mills,
packing plants, Of state hail insurance
and state operated rural credit sys-
TEN. The league has spread extern.
siyely since then into the other states
named, and is growing in membership
daily. It's newspaper organ. "The Nom
Partisan Leader" already boasts a cir
culation of 100000. all farmers, rep
resenting vast acreage and a tre-
mendous output Of foodstuffs. 1t has
opened national headquarters in this
city ard is svowedly in national poll
tics.
Says Farmers Need Fair Deal
President Townley says:
"The farmers of America can double
their crops this year; they can grow ten
times as much food next year as they
ever grew in any year before, and they
don't need any advice TO do this-they
need a fair deal.
ut is up 10 the United States gov
ernment whether the years crops shall
be large or small, and it is up to the
same government TO say if next years
crops shall be enough 10 feed not only
the people Of this country, but all the
Allies.
This is what the government must
do TO get all this foodstuff:
"Take over the distribution system.
Take over all the packing plants,
canneries, flour mills. warehouses, ele-
vators and storage plants.
"Take over the idle land held by the
speculating land holders and distrib-
ute it among the hundreds of thou
sands OF farmers who will make this
land productive.
Loan the farmers money with which
to buy seed, equipment and labor.
"Tf the government takes over the
food distribution system and sets the
prices. il will end gambling in foods.
at should set retail price, which
the city retailer would have to charge.
This price would permit the retailer
fair margin Of profit; il would give th4
farmer an amount equal 70 the cost OF
production and fair profit.
Profit Would Pay War Debt
THAT would make the cost of living
lower during the war times than il has
been in the last few years in peace,
and the government could make enough
profit out Of it to pay all the war debt.
"Thc only persons who would be hurt
would be the commission men, food
gamblers. monopolists, including mill
ers, packers and railroads.
Then we could spare all these board
of trade solicitors and gamblers for the
army and navy. In the trenches they
could help the country; in private life
they are the parasites who feast on
other peoples production.
"Take the meat packing industry
from the clutches of the beef barons
and farmers all over the country will
start raising meat livestock and meat
eaters will pay less than they have in
decades.
Gambling in foodstufs has done
more TO lessen production IN America
than anything else. II it is stopped
you can depend on rapidly increasing
crops. You won't have to beg or coax
the farmers to plant larger acresges
They'll do It anyhow.
II can't see how the government can
make prices as long as II permits
gambling. and as long as monopolists
control the food manufacturing, trans
portation and marketing end.
Amy attempt 20 fix minimum price
10 farmers will result in greatly IN
creased prices TO consumers, for the
blood suckers between producer and
consumer will add their toll just the
same.
"Instead OF the government and
bankers and big business men urging
the farmers &c sow more and work
harder. the government ought 70 help
the farmer produce more.
Urges Land Confscation
let the government confscate. pay
ing present value. all cultivatable land
now held by land nogs and divide THIS
land among the hundreds OF thousands
Of men working on farms who can't
buy land.
"There would be no labor shortage on
farms if farmhsnds saw chance 70
get a farm Of their own, and ~ farm-
ers got enough 1or their production so
they could pay higher wages.
81 suggest that the government re-
fuse 20 accept for enlistment men rom
farms. They are needed more for iood
growing than for battledeids. IL takes
wears to make farmer, weeks 10 make
a munition worker.
III you will DO ;hs, America will
nroduce ten times as much food ten
years from now as she does to-day.
Maintain the old system and she won't
produce much more than she does now