Middletown transcript., 1918-10-26
HIGHER PRICE FOR
! 1919 WHEAT CROP
. URGED IN REPORT
Advice Of Only Committee Farm
ers Have at Capital Was
Disregarded.

Chicago. In.-SOme very startling
facts are certain to develop as the re-
sult of a resolution offered in the
House Of Representatives by Congress-
man Anderson, Republican, Of Mime
sofa. calling for an investigation OF
the report that, early in August, the
Agricultural Advisory Committee ap-
p0inted to Investigate the cost of pro-
ducing wheat and to recommend a
guaranteed price for the 1919 harvest,
recommended $2.4C as minimum
price to be guaranteed for 1919 wheat.
The report and recommendation,
when brought to light, will disclose the
following facts: After four days ses-
sion and hearings, the Agricultural Adj
visory Committee, with seventeen OF
twenty-four members present, by the
unanimous vote Of those present, passed
the following resolution to be trans
mitted to the Secretary Of Agriculture:
"Resolved, That it is the sense OF
this Committee that minimum price
of So per bushel for No. l Northern
SDring Wheat, or its equivalent, based
on Chicago delivery, be fixed for the
1919 wheat crop"
Need Of Higher Prices.
In support of its report the commit
tee said while it believed the price OF
500 per bushel as guaranteed for the
1918 wheat crop was, under all cir
cumstances, reasonable, that 1t felt
sure that
1.-THE wheat crop of 1919 cannot be
produced on the same basis OF cost
for the following reasons: The addi-
tional cost Of commercial fertilizers
and clover seed, which are necessary
to many sections in the successful
growing of wheat the increased cost OF
farm machinery; the increased cost OF
accessories and repairs; the increased
cost Of fuel and lubricating oils for
the tractor engines used in preparing
much of the land; the increased cost
of skilled labor used in running such
machines; the increased and increas-
ing cost of all common labor, both be-
cause of higher wages due to lessened
supply and of rapidly diminishing ef-
ficiency: the increased demands OF
labor for improved living conditions,
which must be met by the building OF
houses for the occupancy of married
men, they being the only class now
available in any substantial number
for farm work."
The report further stated that on
the basis of $2.46 wheat the cost OF
flour would be increased only one dol
lar per barrel over the cost Of flour on
the basis Of 1920 wheat, and that the
average yearly consumption of flour Is
less than one barrel per capita.
Surely" says the report, zone dollar
per annum cannot be regarded as an
unreasonable advance in the cost OF
living, considering the level of wages
already reached under war condi-
tiOns."
No Profit Allowed Farmers.
Although this was the official recon-
mendation of the committee, informal
ly 1t stated that in recommending $2.46
as the guaranteed price for 1919 wheat
they named the minimum; that this
price does not include cost of fertiliz-
ers; that it allows only per cent In
crease for labor and machinery, where
as the government has allowed 25 per
cent. for these items in fixing prices
in other industries; and that, finally,
It allows the farmer no percentage OF
profit at all.
OF all the multitude Of commissions
and committees handling war activf-
ties at our national capital this COM
mittee is the only representation the
Northern farmer has. That this rec
ommendation, reached after careful
inquiry, should have been utterly ig-
nored is sure to call for considerable
acknowledgement in view of
the tender solicitude shown the cotton
planter who Is making nearly 200 per
cent. profit on the basis of his present
prices which the administration re-
fuses to regulate.