Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-01-07

Farm Improvement ASSOCIATION HAVo
secured from f. G. wolcott Of Wash
ington, ID. c., assistant to United States
Food Commissioner Herbert c. Hoover.
J answers to certain list OF questions
\ affecting farm interests. which have
arisen because Of the war.
The questions include price fixing.
control over farm labor, guarantees OF
meat prices, farm credits. regulation OF
farm machinery prices, and the grain
problem as 1t affects the allies
The six questions, and the answers
Price Fixing.
| Question: Is there going to be any
further price fixing on farm products!
] Answer: We are not In position
to answer definitely. No one knows
The president has Just issued mes
sage and a bill is to be introduced IN
congress authorizing the president TO
fix prices upon all Of the principal COM
modities that enter into farmers
business. We recognize that you have
! q grievance. You do not want prices
| fixed upon farm produce until some
price control can be placed upon most
| of the goods that enter into the farm
| er.s cost Of production such as farm
machinery, fuel and fertilizer.
We have urged upon congress the IN
justice Of selecting one or two COM
modities The purpose Of price fixing
wherever resorted to as an emergency
measure, shou,S be chiefly to stfmu-
late production. We are not afraid OF
insuring liberal profits to the farmer.
| Such a bill as the president proposes,
if passed by congress. will give this
power to be lodged with the president.
Whether the president will delegate
that mower, IL granted by congress- TO
the food administration. do not know.
No>controI over Farm Labor.
Question: What can be done about
farm labor? We can not produce our
mex. years output without more farm
labor.
Answer: The food administration
has nothing to do with farm labor. The
question of farm production lies whoi-
" with the departments OF agriculture
and labor at the presidents request.
Mr.. Hoover however, has protested
against taking Of skilled farm HANDS
from the farm. He has continually
drawn to the atteEtion OF the presi-
dent the vital necessity of increasing
the production of the country's food.
We IRE fully aware Of the difficulties
arising from shortage OF farm labor.
The American farmer must realize
the tremendous responsibility that
rests upon his shculders. Europe
absolutely depends upon him to relieve
the worlds food shortage because the
destruction Of shipping by the U-boats
has separated Europe from the mors
distant wheat and meat producing
countries, Australia, India, and Arsen-
tine. Starvation and famine have ex-
listed In several of the countries -oI
Europe FOR more than two years. ana
we have the only available surplus
supply of food. We must ship from our
abundance to save Europe. The Amer
.can farmer must be protected at any
cost. and If supported he can be de-
pended upon to show as much patriot
ism and courage as any class IN the
country, The Canadian farmer has set
US an inspiring example. In Canada
Is per cent of the farm labor has been
absorbed by TIE army, and yet the
production last year was greater than
the wear before. In this country onD
per cent Of the farm labor has thus
far Joined the army. 4 believe our
farmers will show their patriotism and
conrae &c in this worlds crisis and plant
this spring for bumper crop every
thing the land can produce: II taxes
less labor 10 plant than to harvest ana
the nation the federal government ana
state government must stand ~ mex.
fall and help harvest at the lowest
possible cost 10 the farmer Let the
farmers organizations insist upon help
to harvest. This war Will be won oy
the side that can maintain It's 1000
supply at reasonable prices the long
est This is the determining factor
with labor, that first feels the pinch.
So in the last analysis victory rests
with the American farmer and our ar
my at the front, The United States
government must stand back OF both
or lose the war.
No Guarantee on Beef Priess.
Question: Are you going to guar
antee the price Of beef, as you have
| hogs?
Answer: We are not planning to
guarantee the price Of beef. There IS
a popular misconception about the
nrice OF hogs. Strictly speaking there
IL no guarantee on hogs. The sales OF
hog meat to our associates In the war
ore SO great that by controlling inc
pr,ce at which these are made we are
able to standardize the price to an
extent and p.aintain the ratio between
corn and hogs. We attacked the PROD
/ lem BY calling together the represent
awe hog raisers in the country ana
asked them to appoint commission TO
| suggest ways and means OF sumulat-
In. the production OF hogs and protect
ing the industry.
The commission recommended mat
minimum price OF $3.50 be hxed on
nork. and that the ratio Of 10 to be-
tween corn and pork be established 70
| commence when the pigs were iai.
rowed In the spring We nave heiu
strictly to the commissions recon-
mendation, and the results are gratify-
inr and encouraging. You must re-
member that the control Of the packers
i aid not 70 into effect until Dec. l.
we had set up the ratio Of Is to ! on
that date the hogs would have Deen
rushed Into the market Tor Killing m
stead OF being bred.
You must remember also that the or
\ ranization Tor the purchase :;Sssss ser ser
I'm Nv our associates in the war, thru
which we hope to standardtze the
price, is only Just perfected. This ma
chfnery had to be installed gradually,
a lorder to prevent serious break IN
the hog market. We have SUCCEEDED ~
holding the price OF hogs above slo.ev.
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