The state herald., 1920-02-06
SERIOUS UNREST AMONG FAR
MERS THREATENS FOOD SUP
PLY.

Geus
The Postoffice Department at
Washington has received 10000 re
plies to QUESTIONABLE recently
sent out to 100000 farmers in df-
ferent parts Of the country asking
for suggestions as to the best meth
cd of cutting down the cost Of liv-
ing. These replies indicate that
the agricultural conditions through
out the country are 50 serious as
to cause grave alarm regarding the
nations future food supply. 1t ap-
pears that thousands Of farmers
because of the shortage Of farm
labor, the comparatively low prices
which they receive for their pro-
ducts and the high prices they are
compelled to pay for clothing and
farm supplies of all kinds; and al
so because of the long hours, hard
work, and small earnings incident
to farming planning either to
reduce the acreage cultivated SO as
to produce only enough to meet
their domestic needs, or to abandon
the farm altogether, thus seriously
curtailing the nations food supply
and causing a still further increase
in the cost Of living.
Some Of the replies received by
the Post office Department are as
follows:
One farmer writes: 1.-THE time is
very near when We farmers will have
to curtail production and raise only
what we need for our own use and
let the other fellows look out for
themselves. Labor unions are
more to blame for high prices than
anyone else. People trying to get
pay for what they don't earn.
81 almost fear famine" another
farmer writes. EARN help every
where is flocking to the city, lured
by short hours, bigh wages, and the
promise of good times. Some
fear, is going to suffer il this con-
dition is not remsdied.
"Another letter reads: II sell
butter to the dealer for forty five
cents n pound and the same butter
sells to the consumer for eighty
cents n pound. In the distribution
we lose nearly half and we lose mon
ey on the butter ut the first price.
Such conditions are causing far
mers to leave the farm by the thous
ands. We have reached crisis.
You may ask what we would do with
the middleman. ! would suggest
that it be arranged for them to go
ton the farm and help produce thing
l understand that they might not
relish working fourteen hours q
day. but If We get by the near fuf
ture there will have to be some
useful work done by every one"
A Missouri farmer .erites that he
is working 240 acre farm without
help and that hundreds of other far
mers are doing the same. He de-
clares that "the place to start to
lower the cost of living is to cut
the high wages in the city, which
have called our farm help there.
We need them on the farm to help
increase production and then We
can cut the cost Of living"
Other farmers write:
II am quitting the farm. Work
fourteen hours = day for 81. and
let the middleman get the biggest
share of il. not me-"
81 have just finished figuring up
what the eggs poultry, and cream
that ! sold last year brought me,
and will not be in business anoth-
or year.
''The trouble is the big pay, short
hours, and good times offered by
the cities. All young men of any nc
count go to the city and there are
only II few old men left to farm"
The time is AT hand when the
farmer and the consumer must deal
direct with one another. The mid
dlemen get most Of the profits while
the farmer does all the hard work
"Thc trouble In the price OF every
thing the farmer has to buy is going
up nnd the quantity he can raise
and put on the market is steadily
going up"
-
Fred Carroll, formerly Commis.