The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-12
DEMAND CHANGES
IN GOVERNMENT
WHEATLISTINGS
Charge Present Standards Pc
naIize Every Grower.
Senate Committee Approves
Statements of Delegates.
WHEAT AVERAGE ONLY S1.5O?
Adverse Weather Has Injured
Crop, Is Explanation.
Income of Farmers Family
Averages Only s31s.22 Yearly.
SYMPATHIZE WITH CONSUMER
But Producer Has Decided To
Look Out for Self.
Miller Can Buy Poor Wheat
Cheap, Sell Flour High.
Adverse Weather Has Injured
Crop, Is Explanation.
Income of Farmers Family
Averages Only S31s.22 Yearly.
SYMPATHIzE WITH CONSUMER
But Producer Has Decided To
Look Out for Self.
Miller Can Buy Poor Wheat
Cheap, Sell Flour High.

Washington Aug. 12.-Demand for
a change in wheat standards. which
are "defraudins" the farmers, was
made by the senate agriculture COM
mittee today in a statement signed by
a majority Of the committee, including
Democrats and Republicans.
The committee action is the result
of protest from farmers thruout the
United sta ties. who fear they will suf-
Ter heavy losses this year.
Can't Bring Over S1.5O.
While approving efforts to reduce
the cost Of living, the committee ex-
planned that the farmers interests
must be safeguarded.
Hundreds of millions Of bushels of
wheat have been shriveled by heat this
season, 1t was stated, and under pres
eut grading rules cannot sell for more
than S15O a bushel. Milers, however,
plan to gather up this grain and make
It into high grade flour to sell at
prices based on No. l wheat the state
ment said.
AT this time we shall insist on a
change in the wheat standards so as
not 10 penalize every grower of
wheat" the committee announced.
The producers are defrauded and the
consumers receive no benefit"
Lay Demands Before Barnes.
Chairman Gronna will lay the cum
mittecs demands before julius
Barnes. head OF the United States
grain corporation.
The committee also complains that
discounts on lower grades of wheat
are too large" and that the farmer
gets less than the difference in quality
warrants.
The committee issued the statement
20 put the farmers case before the
public. Senators signing it were Chair
man Gronna, North Dakota; Smith,
South Carolina, Curtis, Kansas; Cap
per. Kansas; France. Maryland; Har-
r.son. Mississippi: Ransdeu, Louisiana,
md McNary oregon.
congressman and representatives of
fr ner organizations probably Will
the statement later.
Give the Farmers Side.
In the statement, designed to give
the farmers side of the high cost OF
living question, the committee said 1t
believed grave injustice was being
done the farmer and might con
tnue to accumulate and seriously in
jurc not only agriculture, but the en-
tire nation as we'll"
while entirely sympathetic with
the hardships which present prices
cause the people OF the city," said the
statement. farmers are no less con-
cerned with their own economic situa-
tion.
The powerful machinery Of the
government is now being set in mo-
tion TO bring TO Justice those who are
guilty. But II must be remembered
that this drive is coming at a time
when the great staple products of the
farm are going TO market and that in
selling the wheat crop. for instance,
the farmer is selling his entire sea-
sons labor. This is an experience
with which the farmer is very familiar
and he instinctively connects il with
the interests which in the past have
pyramided their profits up on his pro-
nf IA 81
keting season.
$3.50 May Be Average.
"Mr. Julius H Barnes of the United
States grain corporation, openly state,
his policy to resell wheat. curtau oul
foreign shipments and use the resal,
OF wheat to help control the domestic
market price against further ad
vances.' The result Of such policy. to
gether with the manipulation OF a sys
tenn OF grades and standards has beer
to reduce materially the farmers in
come and to deny him access to a fre,
market where he can secure aetna
cost of production. 1t has placed tn
city consumer in a position where h
is now eating bread produced by tn
labor of the men, women and chill
dren of the farms Of this countr
when they have not been able I
count their time as a proper charge 4
making up the cost sheet of produc
tion. They should know that OWN
TO manipulation in administering tn
grades and standards, together wit
the damage done by hot weather (
the maturing crops. the winter whea
producers are receiving as low q
SIBO a bushel for their wheat-ne
the S2.05 which Mr.. Barnes gives as
theoretical average-and that tn
years crop may average not owe
$3.50 n bushel net In the productio
OF wheat as in other crops. labor er
ters in the last analysis as the chic
item Of cost and city people shoul
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