The Detroit times., 1917-01-22
What Do You Think About
the Questions Raised in
This Farmers Editorial?

ject.
If you have blamed the farmer for the
increased cost you are paying for the
necessities Of life, read the editorial by
this farmer, who will convince you that
the farmer has defense.
In places vanNess suggests questions
which he leaves unanswered.
Maybe you can answer them.
If you can. you can answer them
through The Times.
What is needed most to meet this high
cost-of-living issue is THOUGHT, and
free and frank discussion.
The grocer tells us he is not TO blame
The farmer tells US he is not TO blame
Where is the responsibility, then?
Where do you think it is?
Farm help is scarce, VanNess says.
Why is farm help scarce? Why are
the young men leaving the farm for the
cities?
We can get some good out of a consid-
Grafton of these things.
Here is the VanNess editorial:
There has been so much said and written
about the high cost Of living that Il has reached
the halls OF congress and even the White House
The general opinion seems that The farmer is
30 blame.
Entering business place, recently, where an
old couple were making some purchases, and
evidently finding fault with prices, heard the
head clerk say:
do not blame me. blame the farmer
Later he said TO me:
I'VE have to lay II to some one"
People have heard so often that the farmer
n TO blame, however. they have come to think
It true.
shall try to put It in different light and give
my reasons. as a farmer. for the high cost Of
farm produce and the remedy
Last year was a season OF short crops over a
large section Of country.
Beginning about July 1. we had extremely hot
weather. day and night, which continued for sew
eral weeks with the mercury ranging from 90
to 100 degrees and even higher.
Some OF the city people were sleeping on
roofs and in the parks while others were taking
long auto rides OF spending their time at some
lake or pleasure resort
Then was when things happened that make
vegetables scarce and high.
During that time. many a patch OF potatoes
was ruined.
The farmer planted high priced seed. and ap-
piled the knowledge gained from years OF ex-
perience to the care and cultivation and in many
cases did not raise enough for his own use.
This is the main reason people are paying from
$50 to 81 bushel for potatoes
Consumption has so nearly overtaken pro
duction that farm produce will be high.
Think OF the thousands OF men. mostly young
men, who are finding profitable employment away
from the farms, where fifteen years ago com
parativeiy few. II any. were employed of the
farm.
Think OF the number OF men employed in the
automobile factories-and in the care and run
ming OF all kinds OF them: OF the men on the
street car and telephone lines. base ball teams
and in other athletic sports.
The Ford plant laid OF $4,000 men for the
holiday vacation.
That is almost twice the total population OF
this (Cass) county. and We are proud Of our
county. too.
There are about 80 automobile factories in d
troit alone.
The number OF men employed IN any one q
them could care for quite a potato patch, and
raise lot OF feed that would grow the usSr
years supply OF meat, eggs. and butter but
do not think many will be standing In line wait
Ing for Job on farm.
Butter Is high. but the price OF feeds tha
enter into its production are high
have sold butter at 20 cents per 10 aac
perhaps made az much profit as a man woul,
now Of 40 cents. Then wheat bran was SIS De
ton now 1922 oil meal Sic. now $40. corn ..
cents per bu. now rs TO so cents; oats, % cents
now IS To so cents
arm glad TO see factories OF all kinds and n,
people who work In them prosper. but while N,
men employed In cities work-and work hard =
they do not produce any or the articles Of food
You will notice In passing thru the country
the large number Of vacant houses land that j
not cultivated. and sometimes the neglected an
pearance OF farm buildings. but In most case
the farmer lie not 10 blame
The young men are gone. and the rural Dis
tricts are fast becoming the homes of men We
past the prime OF life. while the young men ar
flling up the cities.
In the large cities they can hardly build schoo
houses fast enough and rooms are overcrovded
IN the country attendance Is very small ercep
orhoro achooie ara rcncol{dafcH