Evening journal., 1917-03-01

~ ERE is editorial from the Wall Street Journal
Al that should make strong appeal TO every Della
ware producer and consumer:
Agitation OF threatened food shortage brings the
usual crop political remedies. The governor OF New
York reported avorng legislation that would au-
thorize the State 70 seize al food supplies Congress
began 10 ger interested and talk OF embargoes again
the front Such remedies might be effective for
the immediate present but no further In TACT they re
sembe the practice OF the rural quack who. not being
able diagnose gave the patient something TO
throw her into commissions because, he said, i can
cure htsr
Embargoes state seizures. and State food dictators
are not needed here now or at any time THOSE who
should recall these things have been tried where II
anywhere they would succeed. AS as Il was real
lied that the Kasers luncheon party in Paris would
have TO be cancelled steps were laken os = most rs'
orous control The result has been nat failure.
The trouble Is the human element is not correctly es.
timated Farmers will plant and cultivate II the full
fruit OF their efforts Is to be taken from them. Neither
will they pay hands high wages 20 induce them TO
work simply that state commission with its swarm
of political appoinees may distribute the harvest re-
suit Any Interference in this way is sure 70 Lessen the
farm supply.
Neither is it best TO eliminate the mlddemsn. lie
comes in great deal Of abuse, all of which Is not
entirely undeserved But he anecessiy Tor the pres
en at least Food products cannot be quickly and eco
nomically distributed by the red tape method Any man
who advocates that clumsy tool has given the subject
no real study.
From now until the war Ia over and perhaps couple OF
years after the food supply will probably be smaller than
normal and prices high announcement Of every means
of producion h necessary Improvement or the chan
out and the laws enforced when men without con-
science take advantage Of such occasions as tho present
to squeeze potato until tears run from ts every eye
state and federal governments will do the people a,
service n they look after this class OF men, ard leave
the production and distribution to private initiative,
giving only such support announcement and iniorma-
ton will tend 10 larger production and more speedy
transit TO market.
Fully nino-tenths OF the area Of Delaware is in the
hands OF agriculmrists. hortcutursts and darsmen.
wcdo not think that any reasonable who knows
how those men and strive and what they receive
in net profit on their investment and labor will CON
tend for an instant that they getting too much.
Wo feel sure that the thousands OF Deavareans who
have their money and their hopes tied in farms in
rural New Castle Kent and Sussex counties and who
have worked early and late 20 make them pay rea-
sonable returns would resent either national or state
interference looking to the creation Of an arti-
hcially-depressed market at their expense and, IL
might be- 10 their financial ruin.
AS the Wall Street Journal suggests the thing that
Is needed encouragement OF production, rath
than its encouragement by arbitrarily fix
ing prices; systematic and intelligent enlargement OF
the methods of distribution having TO do with farm
ducts and represslve against food spccua-
tors who gouge the consuming public without regard
the low prices they pay to the farmers for most Of
the stuff they raise
Except in instances in which oxorbtant prices are
charged TO consumers by farmers who come in direct
contact with them, IL is not the farmer who receives
unreasonable prices Tor what ne raises TT the Cum-
modities were sold to the public at reasonable ad-
prices paid to the farmer by food and grain
spectators and others the public would have little OF
which TO complain In any event the farmers in Della
ware and other states will not submit to arbitrary
drive at their reasonable prices at the farm at the
nearby station in order that the national State gov
eminent may strike blow at the food spectators
who skyrocket prices after the foodsufs have been
shipped to market for immediate consumption cold
storage. There is not farmer in hundred who
puts his stun in cold storage and there is not
farmer in hundred who sells directly to the
sumner and receives prevailing retail prices matter
whether those prices be high low. Almost inyar-
iably there is big discrepancy between what the
farmer gets for his stun and what,the consumer pays
for t. Nor that discrepancy be accounted for by
freight and trucking charges and eight ten per
cent. commission paid TO middlemen.
The long and the short OF It that the prices are
iuggled in the cities and towns and not on the farms
and it is to the price juggers in the cities and towns
that the government must address itself II anything
OF remedial nature is TO be accomplished. There
is everything TO be lost and nothing be gained by
harassing farmer who already Is staggering beneath
the burden OF increased prices for labor fertilizer
spraying material machinery, fruit and vegetable
packages, rope binder wlne fodder yarn wire build
ing materials and the many other things which enter
into the operation Of a farm.
II unduly repressive measures be applied to him
and his business the inevitable result will be curai-
ment OF production until he is assured Of reasonable
pront from his investment and labor; and curtaled
prodtion is the last thing needed in any effort to beat
down consumers prices to the level OF reason.