South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-10-10

The steady downward trend in
urices for agricultural products OBJ
servable during the past few
rsonths gives no reason for panic
among farm producers. Whatever
he demand for automobiles and
lewelry. the farmer may take COM
fort in rejecting people must eat
and will continue 20 buy food IN al
most normal quantities That bust
ness depression and weakness in all
markets do have certain influence
upon food products Is admitted. The
farmer must avoid Cutting the mar
lSet in this transition period, through
fear OF loss and thus demOraliZing
u Higher prices Will reward lu-
dicious holding now. where the pro-
ducer's financial circumstances per-
NIT. The early fall. a period imme-
diately following the harvest, always
brings declining prices in the grain
markets unless conditions are eX-
cetionai Credit sources owe the
farmers support in any reasonable
effort TO market the new crops as
they are needed and can be accom-
mOdated.
The farmer has one consolation
III 1t be a consolation. No one can
accuse him Of exacting an unfair
margin OF profit on corn at $1.OO
and wheat at $500 a bushel. He is
losing money on crops produced at
very high cost-all as a part-per-
haps an exaggerated part-in the re-
adjustment which must extend 10
retail trade just as II has affected
producers.
View Suggestive.
The last issue of The Americas a
foreign trade magazine published by
the National City bank, contains a
very interesting discussion of the fu-
ture Of American agriculture, writ
ten patiently from the standpoint OF
the city business man, but for this
reason all the more refreshing and
suggestive. Ii emphasizes the need
OF "A national agricultural policy and
a means Of overcoming abnormal
fluctuations in the price of farm
products. The farm problem Is pri-
marily not economic but social, the
writer points out. and the farmer
must take steps TO make farm labor
more attractive. Rapid transpor-
tation Will have much 10 do in
starting a back-to-the-farm move
mcnr. The time may come when
many farm hands Will live in the
nearby town or city and commute
back and forth.
The article contrasts the methods
of industry and agriculture in the
face OF a dull market and declining
prices The farmer curtails prOduc-
tion and waits for prices 10 revive.
while industry more often seeks to
reduce cost Of production through
the introduction of new machinery
AS a remedy the commentator rec
omm ends some com bination Of the
farmers attachment 70 the land and
his practical knowledge with the
sort OF manag eria1 experience and
administrative methods that have
made industry so great At present
81 is hard 10 interest large investors
in the possibilities of farming.
The plan Of the Nav York Dairy
mems league 20 utilize milk refused
by the manufacturers. who are dis
posing Of large stocks on hand made
with high priced sugar is an in
stance OF the bulwarks farmers
must erect through cooperative en-
terprise 10 protect themselves
against the fluctuations Of a mar
ket Influenced and too often manip-
Ulated by others. The Dairvmen's
League Cooperative association is
operating IA farmer-owned milk
plants Similarly farmer hanks
must enter the field If existing ia
ciittes prove insufficient.