Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1919-06-20
co-Operatlon viii Be Food solution.


remedy for the high cost of living by DR..
A. F. Woods. president of the Maryland
State College, in an address at the City
Club of Baltimore recently on THE Prob
lem Of Feeding Baltimore"
All reforms, DR.. Woods maintains. do
not rest with the farmer, and he argues
that producers, while dependent upon the
consumer. are not so to the extent that
the consumer depends upon the satisfac-
tory progress of the agricultural industry.
we all recognize, he proceeded, 1.-THE
present inefficiency in the. production of
crops. Farmers realize they must contin-
ally increase their yields and thereby re-
duce costs. and they are making wonderful
progress. You are directly interested in
promoting all agencies that will make our
agricultural industry profitable. and which
will promote those things which will make
country living more attractive and salts
factory, but you must 60 farther than this
you can greatly aid in the distribution
problems. You should make study of
it reaches the city. You should see to it
that only legitimate profit is made for
service rendered and demanded on all
foods after they leave the producers hands.
You should be willing to pay for the SER
vice that you demand in the handling of
food. There is big problem involved in
the fact that the producer only receives
about so to 80 cents of the consumers
dollar. These questions show the great
field for cooperative effort between the
producer and consumer.
THE question of farm labor is most
vexing problem for the farmer. While our
farmers are constantly increasing the use
of labor-saving machinery, yet there will
always be need for certain amount of
good. intelligent farm labor. The farmer
must compete with the industrial centers.
yet the prices he receives for his products
will not permit an approach to the wages
that are being paid for intelligent work
men in this city today. You cannot blame
the workmen in Baltimore county, for in
stance, for leaving the farm at a wage of
So or So day and engage in industrial work
at SIS or So day. 1t is true that our wages
in the past have been too low, but there
is limit above which the farmer cannot
60 without greatly increasing costs. be-
lieve in good wages. believe the farmers
should be able to continue to pay good
wages. They must do it if we are even to
expect our food products to remain at any
thing like the present level. This is a
problem in which you business men can be
of inestimable service to agriculture.
II believe in organization. Everything
worth while in this world has been accom-
plished by organization. 1t is the COM
mon sense method of accomplishing results
in every walk of life. Everything is done
by organized effort. but organizations of
farmers. of laborers, of capital, of consum-
ers who only organize to protect their in
terests, il they combine only for the pur-
pose of getting their rights, they all will
miss their great opportunity which is to
IF organized labor does not use its pow
er TO make labor more efficient to render
greater services, then it will die sooner or
later. Farmers organizations to live and
prosper must also look beyond the farm.
They must consider the consumer and the
various agencies between the producer
and consumer. This does not mean that
they cannot more efficiently serve the
consumer or those using their products by
organization if they have the proper ideals.
Similarly the many organizations in
this city can be a mighty power for good
in promoting more sympathetic feeling
and interest between classes of producers
and consumers
This is not period to encourage class
distinction but class cooperation. Each
industry must learn its dependence upon
the other. This is a period when every
man, every interest, every organization
must think constructively, and to do this
efficiently problems must be attacked in
an OptOmistic state of mind The period
through we are passing calls for the best
that is in u.s. We must think right, we
must have courage, we must have faith
in the good things that are to come.
Above all, we must avoid class dis
elimination and promote a discussion Of
the problems of living to the end that
each class of our citizens will realize
little more their obligations to each other
and to society as whole.
I'VE are aware of the yoke that is grow
ing heavier upon the man who works for
small salary and the present high cost Of
living, but we cannot expect the farmer to
raise food upon a basis of no profit or
even cost Of production.
I'VE must aid the farmer to the limit
to increase the efficiency Of his business
in order to reduce COSTS we must set to
it that no food is wasted and that the
closest cooperation exists between all
forces related to this problem and that
means all the people Of the State.
81 deeply appreciate the courtesy ex-
tended by the City Club and want to assure
your members that the State College and
State Board of Agriculture are ever ready
to cooperate with the citizens of Baltimore
in any movement that will result in a
benefit to the people and the State"
Elsewhere in his address DIR. Woods
paid high tribute to Maryland farmers
for their response to the call of the Govern
ment for more food during the war period
Maryland. he pointed out. had been asked
for 10 per cent increase in both wheat
acreage and hog productions. THE farm
ers responded" he said, by giving 10
per cent increase in wheat acreage and
IL per cent increase In hog production.
even under most trying circumstances.
These figures, however. represent some Of
tho hridhf nhaaea of the status of the in