The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-05-29

Guaro,1tee For Producers

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TN all European countries where maximum fooc
i prices have been fixed as a wartime measur,
Of necessity, the various governments have gone
one step further establishing previous TO the tims
| OF planting, the minimum prices the farmer shall
receive for his product. This course IS the only
fair and logical one 70 adopt il there is to be gov
ornamental regulation Of the food supply Of the ma
tion, for it is no more than right that II the con
sunier is to be guaranteed an adequate food sup.
Iply at reasonable cost equal assurance shah be
given the farmer that his return shall not be less
than the cost OF production.
| This point Of view is so logical and so fair that
the reasoning must be conclusive, in the mind OF
any man who looks at the problem from the broad
or angle Of the need of the hour as it applies to
the food supply of this nation and Its allies The
problem is not whether you and will be unable
to buy bread whatever the price, but is question
of rewards to be offered the tillers Of the soil in
order to induce them to husband every fertile acre.
1t applies to sugar production just as much as
| to the growing Of onions and potatoes. Whatever
our danger Of blockade the fact that Hawaii is the
third most important source Of initial supply for
the national sugar bowl is the one thing which is
going to assure the maintenance OF open commu-
nications at all hazard Washington would have
us continue business as usual, turning out ever
increasing crops Of sugar and at the same time
feeding ourselves with some OF the other things
men must eat to live.
The government guarantees a minimum wage
TO every soldier and sailor in Army and Navy.
1t guarantees certain definite income to those
who lend their money to the nation in order that
the war may be financed. certified net interest
payment inviolate to taxation. So much for the
man who fights and the one who buys guns, ships
and munitions for his use But what OF the man
who feeds the nationl Is not the farmer who
grows bushel OF wheat, a bag Of sugar, or peck
of potatoes also doing his share in practical pa
trictism?
Is it justice that the primary producer who has
created some useful commodity without which our
fighting men could not win their battles shall be
left to the ruthless mercy Of spectators who ar
tifcialy reduce the average market values OF that
commodity to such level that the producer earns
nothing while the middIe-man takes huge unearn-
cd profits?
Here is point for food commissions to con-
sicer. Every producer is also consumer, but
there are many consumers who produce nothing
Of any tangible value by the exercise OF their own
Drawn and brain. Can the sheep be separated
from the goats Are the privileges of purchase.
to be safeguarded without regard to the equiva-,
lent rights Of the equally essential producer? IL
il is right that speculation in food be cirtailed in
the interest OF public economy, and the buyer pro-
tected, while the seller remains "fair game"
Our government statisticians have exact knowl-
edge as to the national requirements how many.
tons of sugar, barrels of flour, bales of wool and
cotton, and how many head of livestock are con-
stunned by the nation in normal years, and the is-
cal agencies Of those foreign nations with whom
we are now making common cause in the name
of common humanity, know what supplies their
people will require.
Crop requiremrts can be computed But that
farmers and planters and ranchers shall do their
utmost to fill these gigantic orders for supplies.
without undue risk of producing something that
the buyers pronounce valueess when it reaches
maturity and is offered for sale, here lies one Of
the real mobilization problems. The correct solu-
ton is the establishment Of minimum prices now
for crops to be marketed one, two, or three years
hence.