Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1918-02-15

COhlhlOHly granted TO the great cor
porations producing copper, steel.
cloth, leather. coal, lumber. and
many other things less necessary
than food However burdensome the
price charged by the distributor to
the consumer, what the farmer
realizes is often below the cost of
production But he must get living
prices for what he grows or abandon
the farm. Whether he will or no.
what the farmer will plant next sea-
son is decided mainly by the price
of what he harvested last year. AL
ready great mum ers of farms near
excellent markets lie idle for lack of
living return.
Sustained or increased production
is impossible without the assurance
of fair prices for farm products at
least for the coming year.
Credit Improvement Demanded
Interest rates to farmers for short
time loans should not be higher, nor
conditions harder than are custom
airy for other borrowers of like re-
sponsibility. Millions of acres will
be wholly or partly idle next sum-
mer because the money to buy seed
and subsistence will be lacking.
Many of the farmers thus affected
are tenants whom misfortune will
compel to abandon the farm. The
loans of the Federal Farm Loan
banks are made for long periods and
do not meet the immediate need of
the farmers in raising crops, while
we understand that the Federal Re-
serve banks have taken steps which
make it still harder for the farmers
to get short-times credit.
Sustained or increased production
is impossible without reasonable
short-time credit on fair and prac-
ticable terms.
Farmers Want to Share in RESPONSE
Dlilty OF Winning the War
1t is unwise to deny one-third of
the people of the United States any
real part in handling the problems
of the war. The farmers are con-
stantly told that the war will be won
by the food they supply. Yet the
farmers of America have today little
voice, if any, in deciding the great
questions, even the food and farm
questions, upon which the issue of
the war depends. So far as we have
learned there is not a single genuine
farmer, representative of the or
gained farmers of America, in any
position of authority in the Food Adj
ministratiOn. the Advisory Council of
National Defense, or any of the other
special boards charged with the con
duct of the war When contrasted
with the recognition properly ac-
corded to organized labor and the
vast responsibilities entrusted to the
representatives of organized bust
ness, such treatment amounts to
notice to the organized farmers that
their partnership is not desired
Sustained or increased production
is impossible unless the organized
farmers of America are given a voice
in the conduct of the war comm en-
surate with the Importance of their
part in winning it.
Confidence Must BE Restored
The farmers of America answered
with high patriotism the appeal of
the government to raise larger crops
in 1917. At a heavy cost in outlay
and in labor they added largely to
their production. But in far too
many cases the lack of hands at har-
vest, with other causes, robbed the
farmers of the fruits of their labor,
and the losses which followed hit
them hard. With an average yearly
cash income of but little more than
$500 beyond expenses, at the last
census, they are naturally unwilling
to repeat the same experience in the
coming year Comparing their own
small earnings with the huge war
profits they see on every hand, they
have lost confidence that the govern
ment understands the needs and diff
ficultieS of the farmer Unless that
confidence can be restored, it is use
less to hope that we can maintain
the food production of last year, and
meaningless to talk of increasing it.
1t is imperative to give convincing
assurance that it will be made pos
sible for American farmers to raise
the food without which we can not
win the war