Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-04

to insure the farmer not ONLY. arainst
ioss. but against tho possibility of not
making good profit. II was pointed
out to the committee. however, that
prices of farm machinery ana tool.
fertilizer and other costs of produce
tioh might advance SO that even tho
guaranteed price would not mean a
profit
VIII Insure Farmers Front.
:, .masmuch as the protection Of the
farmer Is the main concern OF this
price-hxins legislation, and tho mini.
mum price Is to allow a good prort
over All costs Of production, this IA NOT
prooapie. The provision in the hill
"hich allows for tho fixing OF a maxi
. mum price WAS drawn. however, with
Ills contingency largely in mind II
would make Is possible to AK tho nrIce
OF farm machinery, so that the f,rms,.
could not lose his profit in Increase,
costs. '"eeu
IN the long and earnest discussion
witch proceeded the drawing of the
price-hxtnS clauses In the bill now he.
lore congress. the ultimate copsun,a.
was seldom mentioned. Howewnr 9,
may be applied. the theory OF tho b,,l
as understood 49, the congressman W.,
W hA prices solely with view to th.
farmers welfare. 1t is assumed that
mere VIII then be greatly Increased
PRODUCTION. and that this abundance ,
latioh. the careful supervision of shin.
mcnts and of storage will automatjc,i.
~ take care Of prices
ror example. many farmers thia war
sofa their potatoes for 81 n bushe, an,
aIterward saw those same potatoes
so'a In the market for SO to 81 q busbcl
II Is evident that carriers and poid,,I
men made an exhorbitant pront NJ ~.
expense or both producer and consumer
Under the food administration y,
Planned supposins that minimum,
price mad been fixed, the farmer would
nave gotten perhaps SO for his pot2.
toes. and with careful government s,,-
perVision OF shipment and stor,rst
lhey would have reached the consumer
AZ just enough more than to nav tbs
iesitimatc costs OF distributing them
On arbitrary maximum price upon NO.
.oes: IL may be safely said. will ibs
one OF the last expedients resor,.d -
oE the food administrators
Provision. VIII Ne Fou,.,
Needless to say. these nrico.c.,.
provisions Of the bill VIII bn fourh, ,s
congress and may he strickcr on,
''eh the committee deviated so,ocwh,t
from scientific lines in drawing Then,
ne consensus OF expert opinion seem,
20 De mat fixed or basic price Is tbs
80 nlhiin UNI price is hard 10 en-
iorce' because IL the farmer does mo,
want TO sell his corn. for examine a.
me maximum price. or II the mark.t
price urops below the maximum miro
ne may iced his corn TO his hogs and
sell them. fixed price guaranteed
ny the government. which will assure
the producer OF good profit over ali
COSTS OF production, is considered IN
De inc most scientific method OF nric..
h3ihH: rms sort OF a price was urged
upon me House Agricultural Committee
Wy 'ihord Pinchot, but the congress-
men would not accept It, apparen,Iy
because they were afraid their f,rr.ar
constituents would resent having
unit thus arbitrarily set TO the amour,
they might earn
might be added that ACCORDING IA
pr. a. T. Taylor, who spent soma
months in Europe studying food admin.
istration, the European countries hav.
NOT Deeh able to keep the price OF food
no"n TO the rate OF wages All ov.r
the world the cost OF living has n.en
advancing more rapidly than the rate
Oh wages. war has brought this fact
nome 10 the European governments
lot In order TO keep their Industrial
classes at work making munitions they
nave mad TO pension them. According
10 DIR. Taylor the German government
mas a civil pension list of between
seven and eight million people, who ara
PAID pensions for the stated nurnoso
or making up the difference between
wages and the cost OF living Similar
civil pensions. he says, are paid in IN.
neutral countries OF Holland and
switzerland for the same reason War
by making every man necessary to his
government, has forced the government,
TO take heed OF what is necessary TO
every man.