The Snowflake herald., 1918-10-25
HIGHER PRICE FOR
1919 WHEAT COP
URGED IN REPORT
Advice Of Only Committee Farm
erS Have at Capital Was
DISregarded.

Chicago, nl-Some very startling
facts are certain to develop as the re-
suit 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-
pointed to investigate the cost of pro-
ducing wheat and to recommend a
guaranteed price for the 1919 harvest,
recommended $246 as a 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 Ad-
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 $246 per Dushel for No. l Northern
Spring Wheat, or it's equivalent, based
On Chicago delivery, be fixed for the
1919 wheat crop"
Need of Higher Prices.
In support of it's report the commit
tee said while it believed the price of
81. 20 per bushel as guaranteed for the
1918 wheat crop was, under all cir
cumstanceS, reasonable, that 1t felt
sure that
"The wheat crop of 1919 cannot be
produced Oh the same basis of cost
for the following reasons: The addi-
tt0Dal 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 ha-.
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
- xr,hn tho cost Of
-four 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, "one 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
~ it stated that in recommending $2.46
MS the guaranteed price for 1919 wheat
they named the minimum that this
nrice does not include cost of fertiliz-
ers that it allows only 8 per cent. in
crease for labor and machinery, where
as the government has allowed 70 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 activi-
t;es at our national capital this COM
.mittee is the only representation the
Northern farmer has. That this rec
ommendatioD, reached after a careful
inquiry, should have been utterly ig-
nored is sure to call for considerable
explanation, especially 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.