The Mena weekly star., 1919-02-13
HOW sELFISHNESS LOST AND
 WON. AND WON AND LOST.

ton high, cotton growers must curlai their acreage.
 In other words, create g situation where the consumer who is financial ly able to pay high price can be forced to do so--and the one who cannot, must go without
 And also, leave acres idle, and thousands of laborers, who yet must live, and somehow pay the prizes high, perhaps flor food-or go with out.
 There's a lot of food for thought in this sort of thing and, somehow it rather emphasizes the selfshness that pervades and often rules human ity.
 Not so very many months ago there ppeared--because of the war "a danger of food shortage, particu- larly of wheat. The wheat owners, the flour mills, mostly in the North, saw the situation quickly, and the prices of all wheat products shot sky ward, and there was actual danger that these inflated prices would bring great suffering among millions of people. Certainly they would en- rich many thousands beyond any call of justice.
 Then our government wisely stepped in and set maximum prices for wheat and it's products. and high as these were, they were far below the point at which they were certain iy going if left to the desires of the holders and spectators.
 And there arose a great howl. The Northern farmer, the cry went, was being deprived of his natural right to get as big price for his wheat as was possible in the markets of the world.
 But the rule stood
 Then came the threat that these same farmers would not raise wheat would, in other words, sit back up- on their idle acres and let the world suffer unless high prices were as- sured.
 And again Uncle Sam stepped in and this time set the price for the future crop at something near twice the normal, tho far below the greedy desires-and, to secure the grain the world needed, or seemed to need guaranteed that price.
 The growers were not satisfied they grumbled and growled-but the price was more than they had ever dreamed of getting in other days, and great acreage was planted enough, our statesmen hoped, to meet the demands of the war, feed the ar mics, our own people and keep mil lions of less fortunate from starva- tion.
 Then the armistice, the release of shipping, and ready access to great crops in other nations. and certain drop, normally, in the demand for, and price of wheat.
 But here Uncle Sam, having given his promise to the wheat farmers, must make good--and he prepares to pay as much as one thousand, two hundred and fifty million dollars to these same producers in keeping his word. Of course, this means just that much tax on the American people but the wheat farmer will get war prices for his grain.
 But what about the cotton farmer of the South, who must help to pay this vast excess profit?
 To tell the truth, he's in a pretty bad pickle-aad here's the story:
 When along last fall cotton was selling around 35 cents pound, and hundreds and thousands were hang ing back for 10 cents, and there was lots of talk of 50-cent cotton. there came out from Washington word that the government contemplated setting a maximum price on cotton The general idea seemed to be that S5 cents would be near the price to be set, and then a rumor that shook the South mentioned 25 cents, and for
 
 days officials high and low were fran tically denying any such idea. But the South, Ike the northern wheat section, objected to any restriction on cotton prices, and went into mysteries over the idea, and such roar went up that the authorities finally dropped the matter entirely.
 And the armistiee came along and upset the cotton market, and cotton, being without the support of a gov ernment guarantee, slipped and slip. ped. and now even 25-cent guaran.