Evening journal., 1919-08-13
LEGISLATORS Go
TO FARMERS AID
Congressional Committee
Says Limiting Wheat Price
is Grave Injustice
MEANS BIG CUT
IN THEIR INCOME

Washing IUN, aug. t3-Addresslng
the city people. the agricultural com
mittees OF tile Senate and House Of
Representatives yesterday issued a
JOINT statement saying that a grave
injustice Is being done the farmers Of
the country by limiting the price at
which their wheat shall be sold.
The Senators and Representatives de-
clared that julius II. Barnes. chairman
Of the United States Grain Corporation,
is materially reducing" the farmers
| income and that the Grain Corpora
tion' system Of grades and standards
Is forcing the farmers TO sell their
wheat for nifty and seventy-1ve cents
bushel less than they could receive
In an unrestricted market
Much Of this years crop Of winter
wheat is Of inferior grade, according to
the corporations standards, the state
ment said. and the farmers are receiy-
ing as low as si.i5 a bushel for II.
Chairman Granna announced that a
committee would be named 10 present
the demand TO Mr.. Barnes and repre-
sentatives Of the Department OF, Agrl-
culture in the hope Of having modified
various government regulations by
which the producers are defrauded
and the consumers receive no benefit.
In the statement designed 10 give the
farmers side Of the high cost Of Nv
ing question. the Senate committee
said:
while entirely sympathetic with the
hardships which present prices cause
the people Of the city farmers indi-
vidually and through their organlza-
lions are no less concerned with their !
own economic situation.
"Ihe powerful machinery OF the gov
ernment is now being set I'm motion to |
apprehend and bring to justice those
who are guilty OF cOnspiring TO re-
strain trade and secure undue profits.
10 must be remembered that this drive
is now 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 seasons labor
This is an experience with which
He farmer is very familiar and he in
connects 10 with the interest
which in the past have pyramded their
'roilts upon his production at the
BEGINNING of the marketing season.
Julius II. Barnes OF the United
tates Grain Corporation. openly states ,
lis policy TO resell wheat, curtail our A.,
0reign shipments and use the resale 4
+ wheat TO help control the domestic
market price againls further adv ances
he result of such policy, together n
With the manipulation of a system Of n
radcs and standards. has been TO re- /,
fas Q a..
nd TO deny him access TO FREQ mar
ct where he can secure actual cost Of 3
reduction Il
I'VE believe city people should know Ii
hat the average annual labor income G
( the farmer. including that Of his c
wife and children, as shown by the a
lst federal census, was only S3ls22
They should know that owing TO q
lanipulatiOn in administering the d
rades and standards. together with the u
image done by hot weather 10 the b
aturing crops, the winter wheat pro-
lcers are receiving as low as Sif5 per
Ishel for their wheat-not the s2O5l
hich Mr.. Barnes gives as a theoreti- j
Il average-and that this years crop OK
ay average not more than 81 i5O per =
ishel net
In the production OF wheat as in
her crops, labor enters in the last
lalysis as the chief item Of cost. and
ly people should realize that the ef-
rt that is being made by the author
Y of the government to restrict or
III further reduce the price at the
rm must inevitably lead to denying
g farmer living wages.
We at this time shall insist on a
ange in the wheat standards so as H.
II to penalze every grower Of wheat
lndreds OF millions OF bushels Of
heat have been shriveled by extreme
'at this season, which, under the
esent grading and discount rules.
ay not average the producer $3.50 per
Ishel
Authoritative investigators have
und such wheat 10 be Of the highest |
Hing value, and Il is unthinkable
al farmers should sustain a loss OF
pm flfty TO seyenty-fve cents per
shcl by reason Of the arbitrary
'ndards that have been established.
This wheat in large measure will go
10 the production Of the best patent
urs and be sold 10 the consuming =
bile at prices based on No. wheat. =
e producers are thereby defrauded In
q the consumers receive no benefit" III