Morris tribune., 1919-12-19
SUPPOSE THE FARMER SHOULD
STRIKE
CONTINUED from Page 81

ganized, must stamp them out. They
will constitute the bulwark against
Bolshevism.
1t was only few years ago that a
Wall Street f1nancier, talking to a
reporter who told him that the public
had right to know and hear from
him, replied: "The public be
damned" This statement had much
to do with setting in motion all the
undertaking Investigations and trust
busting that have been on the boards
for the last fifteen or twenty years.
WHAT THEY SAID TO CONGRESS
To appreciate what all this has to
do with the farmer and the farm
bureau declarations, one has to ex-
anime the statement that the five
representatives made to President
Wilson and to Congress. For it all
has to do with the high cost of liv-
ing and with the price received for
farm products. Let me review their
argument, considerably abridged.
'The high cost of living is not due
to the original price of the farm
product to the grower" these men
said in their statement; NOR to the
storage of meats, fruits, eggs, veget-
ables and poultry in the season when
these are produced in surplus against
the season of short supply. It is not
due to expectation of food and cloth
ing, nor to exports of manufactured
goods and farm machinery, nor to the
failure of the farmers to produce to
the limit. The farmers have
extended every energy to pro-
duce to the last kernel and
pound of grain and meat pro-
ducts needed to feed a hungry
world. The operation of the short
hour day in industrial centers and
talk of shorter hours and ever-ad-
vancing pay has made it well-nigh
impossible for anywhere near the
normal supply of help to be main
tanned on farms.
Despite destructive attacks of
scab and rust, untimely heat and
drought, all Of which affected yields
and cut them down materially, and
despite the long hours and strenu-
GUS diligence of the farm, the farmer
has not struck, walked out or other
wise slackened. He has increased his
efforts, extended his operations to
the limit of ability and credit to feed
the world. Now he finds in many
prominent places those who shun the |
eral facts and point to him with |
scorn and malevolence as a culprit."
Now listen to this, next, for it is
all-important:
'"The high cost of living is due
to stagnation in production of man
ufactured goods and prepared food
stuffs. Every labor strike that shuts
down any plant engaged in the pre-
paration of food or the making of
clothing, that shuts down a mine or
a mill, adds to the cost Of living.
''Shortly after strike of the
Union Stock Yards in Chicago and
sale price of fresh meat advanced
fifteen to thirty-five per cent, direct
1y due to the short kill and conse-
quent small supply of fresh meats.
In Chicago 100000 men have been
out of work for months and all build
ing operations have been at stand
still, because the carpenters refuse to
work for ninety-two and half cents
an hour.
''The high cost of living is due to
price manipulation and extravagant
profits of middlemen. For example,
milk-wagon drivers in Chicago struck
for $44 a week and regular commits
sions. The employers agreed to meet
their demands, after announcing an
advance of one cent quart in price
to the consuming public. 1t took
about four-tenths of each cent to pay
the employees and the six-tenths of
each cent was added to the profits of
the distributors.
Food on the table costs all out of
proportion to the price paid the pro-
Queer. Part of the reason for this is
due to short hours and high wages
for labor, part to the exorbitant
prices Of the several middlemen be-
tween the producer and the consum-
er, and considerable part to the
extravagant ways in which city peo-
pie live in ease and luxury.
Brown, of Indiana, told the Presi-
dent how the five of them, with beef
on the hoof selling at eighteen cents
pound, had to pay $11 at a modest
hotel to get meal consisting of
steak, potatoes, corn, bread, butter
and coffee. When Brown saw the
bill he took out his pencil, it seems,
and used up the back Of several menu
cards in figuring. His answer showed
that the farmer received just eighty
two cents of this 81.
EXORBITANT PROFITS ON WOOL
''This is about seven per cent of
the total COST" Mr.. Brown told the
President. ga fifty per cent reduc-
ton in the price Of these products
to the consumer would have lessened
the total cost of the whole meal only