The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-02-03
, cutting down the cost of living.

in cutting down the cost OF llvlng.
Answers to the questionnaires
have been coming in since the middle
of December at the rate Of 1000 a
day, and as summarized by officials
show the major complaints of the far
mers in numerical order to be: 1nabil-
itv to obtain labor to work the farms,
hired help and the farmers children
having been lured to the city by
hirh wages and easier living, high
profits taken by middlemen for the
mere handling of food products and
lack of proper agencies of contact
between the farmer and the ultimate
consumer. Many Of the replies, said
one of those who had looked them
over, probably as many as SO per
cent, indicate that the writer's con-
template either leaving their farms
or curtailing their acreage, because
of the growing feeling against non
producing city dwellers.
Means Grave Menace.
Commencing tonight on the replies,
Assistant Postmaster General Blakes-
lee said: "Such condition at time
when the predominant cry is for pro-
ducticn, and still more production,
can not but constitute grave
menace"
Before the senate committee, he
characterized the situation as "dis-
quieting and portentious of disas-
trous consequences This opinion
was expressed by Mr.. Blakeslee after
a member of the senate committee
had remarked that the replies seemed
to have come mostly from bunch of
bolshevists."
Excerpts from a number of letters
taken at random from the more than
100000 already on file at the postoffice
department showed the trend of
thought among at least a considerable
proportion Of the farmers of New
England, the Middle Western states
and the agricultural section. "The
time is very near" wrote farmer at
East Chatham, n. Y, ''wnen we far
mers will have to curtail production
and raise only what we need for our
use and let the other fellows look out
for themselves. Labor unions are
more to blame for the high prices
than any one else. People are trying
to get pay for what they don't earn" "
Writing from Palmyra, Mo-, an
other farmer said: 81 almost fear a
famine, farm help everywhere is
flocking to the city, lured by short
hours, high wages and the promise of
a good time. Some one, fear, is
going to suffer if this condition is not
remedied shortly"
Up to Middle Man.
Declaring that the whole cause Of
the high cost of living rests with the
middle man, another Missouri pro-
ducer advocated the establishment Of
municipal markets to be served by
parcel post direct. II sell butter to
the dealer for As cents pound" his
letter said, land the same butter sells
to the consumer for 80 cents pound.
In the distribution we lose nearly half
and we lose money on the butter at
the first price. Such conditions are
causing the farmers to leave the farm
by the thousands. We have reached
a crisis. You may ask what we would
do with the middlemen. will suggest
that it be arranged for them to &C to
the farm and help produce things. l
understand that they might not relish
working IA hours day, but f We get
by the near future there will have to
be some useful work done by every
one"
Declaring that great evils con-
front US today" says a letter, reduce
the cost of my foodstuffs to the con-
sumer. you must first furnish me with
first class labor at reasonable wages
and, second, you must eliminate
thousands of middlemen who are rob-
bing the people Wholesale
CREDIT WILL GO