The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-02-21
COMMON SENSE ON
FARM PROBLEMS
BYA. c. TOWNLEY

81. lAlLA Mnn.t rep. IL ne
American farmer IS not demanding
an increased price for wheat that
would mako the already high cost
Of living more burdcnsoms for the
consuming public. but Will be con-
tent II the prices OF other commodt-
ties are scaled down in proportion,
A. c. Townley, president of the Ma
tional Non-Partisan League. said to-
day. Mr.. Townley denied that the
Non-Partisan League intends to sup
port bills recently introduced in
Congress which provide for increAs-
ing the price OF wheat from $3.50 to
S2.75 or 50 a bushei, but said the
farmers organization will support
the Administrators price-nxing
measure.
THE American farmer is patriotic,
not a profi,eer." Mr.. Townley said. He
does not want TO gouge the American
consumer who already has all he
can do TO make both ends meet and
maintain a decent standard Of living.
The farmer does not want the price
Of wheat boosted II il can be avoided.
All he wants. and all the resolutions
OF our St. Paul convention in Sep
TENDER demsnded, is to have the
prices OF what he buys scaled down
IN proportion to the prices Of what
he sells.
Endorsed BY President.
President Wilson has gone on rec
ord as indorsing the justice Of these
demands. This will reduce the cost
Of living all around and give the hard
pressed consumer some real relief.
In my opinion" Mr.. Townley con-
~
prices for wheat will please the
profteers. These gentry think they
can boost prices all around il they
succeed in advancing the cost of pri-
mary commodities and make the far
meT appear to be in their own class.
General prices should be reduced
not increased-but this cannot be &C
eomplished II wheat costs more.
The farmer would not benefit by
So wheat II mill feeds, farm machin-
cry. and other necessities continued
TO advance. II prices of other com
modities dvanced the farmer might
even be worse of with SO wheat than
he Is now with wheat at $2.20 a
buBheL The average consumer GER
fAInly would suffer, for wages always
advance moro slowly than prices
Widespread discomfort and labor trou-
bles probably would result from in
creased prices This should be avoid
ed for the sake Of war efficiency.
Farmer Needs Relief.
The farmer, however. needs so:e !
RELIEF The price Of his principal prod 1
uot was reduced more than % per
cent, but the prices OF what he buys, /
farm machinery, mill feed. harness, (.
groceries, clothing, and shoes. have |
doubled, and in some cases trebled.
Many farmers are hard hit. Al I
though $500 seems a big price for |
wheat. prices are only relative and |
the farmer actually loses monew when I
he is compelled to pay $40 a ton for |
bran and farm machinery has doubled !
in price. Thousands of farmers are in |
such financial shape that they cannot !
put in large crops this year unless |
they get Government aid OF prices Of /
what they buy are reduced.
Farm production must be in
creased. Larger crops are needed to /
win the war. Increased farm produc-
tIon will result II Congress enacts
law demanded by the Administration,
which will make IL possible TO dras-
tically reduce all prices to correspond |
TO the reduction in the price OF
wheat. but II Congress, with the
backing OF the farmers, does not give
me Administration power to compel
great monopolistic middiemen and
ether profiteers to reduce prices, then
IN self-defense the farmer must get
more for his wheat or farm production
VIII fall of.
Hope For Lower Prices.
I hope, and all patriotic farmers
hope, that the profIteers will be COM
PEELED TO reduce general prices so
that higher price for wheat will not
be necessary. Higher prices would
be public calamity. The farmer
would not benefit. The increased price
he received for his wheat would
merely be passed on IN paying more
Tor what he purchases.
Both farmer and the consuming
public would suffer No one would
benefit but few selfish profiteers.
The real remedy for the farmer, as
well as the general public, is not TO
increase the price Of wheat, but to re-
duce other prices"