The Washington herald., 1920-05-26

which similar commissions of farm
ers met the great economic prob
lens Of the Food Administration
during the war-and with the sane
for farmer, distribu-
tor and consumer. In doing so II
would probably lay emphasis, not
on creating a burden of new gov
ernment agencies. but on better
support to those that already exist
and the determination of a definite
long term constructive policy for
their coordination.
Some Lies Become Facts.
"As to the second matter you
mention, 1 have never considered IL
worth while to waste much time on
scurrilous statements. II the gen
tleman knew anything about the
subject, he would know that every
step by the Food Administration in
relation to the farmers interest was
taken only after commissions of real
farmers and representatives of
farmers associations had agreed
upon the important policies. The
Food Administration was bedeyiled
by sort Of farmer that farms
tho anu as nc was SHOWN
the door, he is still sore over his
inability to conduct the Food Ad-
ministration. Apparently this type
of gentry have the conviction that
il large number of lies are often
enough repeated some will ulti-
mately become facts.
The fact is well known that the
Food Administration furnished the
first occasion in many a long year
When the farmer was given a posi-
tive voice, in the determination of
the policies of his industry. For
instance, the stabilized price Of the
1917 wheat crop was determined by
a commission, the majority of which
consisted of farmers, and the minor
lty of which had in its number
representatives of the trades unions
speaking on behalf of the consumer.
Precisely that the commission
should not be subject to criticism
OF being Influenced either way, the
Food Administration did not par
ticipate in this commissions de-
liberations or in the great respon-
sibility of it's findings. Further
more, the unanimous recomme nda-
tion of this commission was ac-
cepted and carried out to the full.
The price index shows that as a
result of the price named by this
commission the farmer received 143
per cent more than the prewar
average for his wheat.
Through the elimination of spec
ulation and profiteering, from which
both the farmer and the consuming
public had previously suffered. the
government statistics also show
that the consumer paid only 73 per
cent more for his bread. and yet
the index of all commodities was
Sc per cent above the. prewar
averages.
Passed Resolutions.
"-As the acute shortage of the
1917 crop was overcome in 1918 and
1919 no price cOntroi was exer-
cised except to prevent falls below
the minimum guaranteed by Con-
gress. Again the same complete
agreement in the determination of
policies with respect to animal
products was pursued during the
war by special boards of leading
farmers from all parts of the coun-
try.
TT is well known to the gentleman
repeating these statements that the
members of these boards, total
strangers to me until assembled in
Washington, after a years associa-
ton with the Food Administration
unanimously passed resolutions of
approval and satisfaction with the
policies of the Food Administration
and of appreciation of the support
and protection given to the Amer
lean farmer. Documents in all
h
sional Record, available to any mis-
guided person who wishes to mend
his ways.
The answer to all this matter Is
that regardless of great drain of
farm labor, agricultural production,
far from being stif1ed, incrCas
steadily during the period of the
Food Administration; that the pros
perity of the agricultural regions
as whole was never so great as
durin gthis period; that neither our
army or naVgs nor the American or
allied peoples were undernourished
for single day. although our food
exports had to be increased 800 per
cent over prewar amounts to con-
tinue the war; that the consumers
position was protected so that our
government never expended a penny
from the taxpayers pocket. or
otherwise. while Europe expended
billions of dollars in subsidies to
lower the price of food, that this
was accomplished solely by the CO.
operation of the farmers, the
women. and the food trades in a
great voluntary service at a time
when everybody was crying for
force.
Great sacrifices and services wera
called for to accomplish these
things: no doubt a small minority
profited by them: but even IL this
minority goes unpublished in this
world they can never have the pride
of having given national service,
There is. perhaps, some humor in
the fact that instead of devotine
themselves constructive1y to the fu-
ture one group of these gentry
ndizaS