The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1919-06-07
WHAT WILL THE RICE FARMERS
DO WHEN UNCLE SAM LETS COZ
(By Ben /. Brooks
rnai, Published at Beaumont, Texas:

Beaumont,
The farmers started harvesting their crops last August
knowing just what They going get for their product not
only at the beginning OF the but all through the harvesting
period Will they know next August what the price in No
vember January? viii thcyod their higher prices or
lei of fast harvested? And if they do hold it, will they
have any guarantee thai The price will so up that will even be
maintained at The figure at which the market opens?
Barring OF course The disappointment caused by the pre-
ponelance OF tower grades owing to The wet harvest
IeIS knew ast fall Just where they at when they first put
their binders into The field They were released Of all worry
anxiety and uncertainty regarding the market They knew that
they would get certain price and while thought this price
TOO low the fact remains that whole money was made in
than in previous in spite of The handicap of the worst
harvesting seasons in the history of the industry.
But what about The situation fall after the Food Admins
Iatlon enqu1es control of he industry? Will the farmers
them to dump their on The market at whatever is offered them
for it? Will they listen The arguments that will be forhconng
that with The government orders for thing past there
will be bigger supply can be consumed at home and will th
let The price OF foreign rice govern their homegrown superior
American prodc? Will they let price offered for clean rice
the last word regarding what they to receive for rough?
The experience of the past taught the rice farmers
several lessons or at least they should have learned number of
valuable things from ii.
In the first place concusvely demonstrated that
entirely feasible for the rice farmers 10 have every of
rice Suea ana marketed under one organization There has been
no confusion and no delay except perhaps in few isolated and
unavoidable in the marketing of the crop The organization
built in few short weeks started under full speed finished
"hou ayh8 resembling an application OF brakes during the
whole The road travelled anything smooth but the
men at the wheel guided saebecause they experience
ed drivers.
And therein lies the of he whole thing In most cases
the men who have for the past eight months handled every sack of
rice sold who have been serving rice farmers in the
ootern rice growers association instances for that many
years or longer And years crop be marketed
in The name of the United States Food Administrations an
other years be just efficiently graded marketed these
same men under the direction of the Southern Rice Growers
ISOLATION, which is the farmers themselves.
There every reason to believe that the rice growers realize
this and this lesson that is worth good deal more to them
than one years rice crop The future of the growers lies
Interpretation Of this phase of the situation.
Reports from different sections rice be-from Texas
louisiana and encouraging for the coming
Of the farmers toward the Southern Rice Growers Association
we have been informed that the biggest membership the history
of the organization would be signed up In some cases the in
crease will be 100 per cent
1T is merely matter of education down section
marked Southwest Louisiana booster for the organization "W
have really had only about per the growers in our
community in the association in the past have had majority of
he acreage. is the little felowhe farners-ho hold out
they must have shown them in the right way and by the right
that they need organization bad as the organization needs
hem They set in their ways and they accustomed
ong just as their fathers and their pandaers did But when
educate them 10 they will be loyal have
We are going to sign these small farmers this
ear unless am greatly mistaken Already they coming
nqufnS about The plans have for next and they
shown interest in the Growers Association
ready this than they usually do during the whole year
hey have had The good Judgment 10 Join The association previous
easons should say the outlook is very encouraging
The Southern Rice Growers Association has the past
ured the services OF The best they could get to handle the
oca business at the milling points the belt In cases.
course their Judgment had weak link in it, but hiatt to be
expected Only time can make anything approach the degree of
PERFECTION desired But the woods combed far and wide for
0ntS the with The result that the best timber
ible used building the structure that has credaby met
II requirements With the old experienced men, who have stood
he ga Tor years in the association the blood
nto it, there will be organization next that will
mighty being efficient it possible to make it, The
ocaon will endeavor to continuance of the of
hose who have served their first the past season.
shown such credabe ability and strong nducenent will
ered them to enter the employ of the association when Uncle
am announces that his hands are off
SO there why the coming will not
prosperous and smooth for the who grows
ondton prevailing of All that is necessary for
ne to gel into the back up organization The operations the
eason conducted by 100 per cent organization Give the
outhen Rice Growers organization of that kind they
ccompsh anything they They set fair price on
ice and they have united mebershp they will get price
egrdess oanyhng under the fhey have only seventy
cent of the acreage under conro they will still dominate the
naon they have the past few but the prospects
that they will have considerably than before this
and will be able to accomplish than before for their
lembers.
Give yourselves gentlemen through your organization
undivided support The 100 per cent membership
ncle Sam has had the past and the things you
ain will be astonishing than the operations the
ouhen Rice Committee to the who said the beginning
s lit can't be did, What you have done for patriotism
for the benefit OF your bank account Sign have
already done and do your duty by your negbor and your
Elf
Savot-Gibbs T. F. in France. They will make