The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1920-02-06
SPREADING
AMONG FARMERS.

Farmers, in reply to government
questionaries, show resentment with
idle profit-takers of city; threaten TO
eurtail production to get even with
unjust economic conditions.
Indications of wide spread and
deep seated resentment among the
American farmers against the condi.
tions under which they must work
and market their produce is revealed
in the replies of more than 10000
farmers to questionable sent out by
the postal department. In fact, 50
threatening is the attitude Of the farm
ers according to the replies received,
that officials admit the whole econ
omic structure is threatened.
A summarization of the replies were
made in report submitted to the se-
nate postoffice committee by George L.
Wood, superintendent Of the post
office department division of rural
mails on Jan. goth. Mr.. Wood stated
that of 100000 questionaires sent out
into the agric, .itural states, views Of
over 10000 farmers had been obtained,
the intention of the QUESTIONABLE being
to secure suggestions from the rural
producers as to ways in which the
postal department could aid in the
cutting down Of the cost of living.
Answers show the major complaints
of the farmers in numerical order
to he:
Inability to obtain labor to work
the farms, hired help and the farm
er's children having been lured to
the city by higher wages and easier
living.
High profits taken by middlemen
for the mere handling of food
products.
Lack of proper agencies Of con-
tidCt UclWtcu tNc ldIiHcf anu tuo
ultimate consumer.
Many of the replies indicated that
I the writer's contemplated either leav-
ing their farms or cultiyating small
Ter acreage because of one or more
Of these three major grievances and
because Of the growing feeling against
nonproducing city dwelelrs.
One postal official stated:
"Such condition at time when
the predominant cry is for production
and still more production cannot but
constitute a grave menace"
i Excerpts from number Of letters
taken at random from the more those
on file at the postoffice department,
showed the trend Of thought among
at least considerable proportion Of
the farmers of New England, the mid
die western states, Georgia and the
eastern agricultural section.
"The time is very near" wrote q
farmer at East Chatham, N. Y, "whsn
we farmers will have to curtail pro.
dnction and raise only what we need
for our own use and let the other fel-
lows look out for themselves"
Declaring that the whole onus Of
the high cost of living rested with the
middleman, Missouri producer ad-
vocated the establishment of munic.
ipal markets to be served by parcel
post direct.
III sell butter to the dealer for 40
cents a pound" his letter said, "and
the same butter sells TO the consumer
for 80 cents pound.
"You may ask what we would do
: with the middlemen. l will suggest
that it be arranged for them to 70
on the farm and help produce things.
/ understand that they might not re-
: .ish working fourteen hours day,
: but If we get by the near future
t there will have to be some useful
Q work done by every one."
The tendency away from the farm
| to the city was blamed by middle
{ western farmer for the high cost Of
living.
~ attribute IL great DEAL" h,
s wrote, ''tc the good times in tn,
cities. The young men can 20 to th,
Y city and get big pay for eight hour,
y work, while farmers have to worl
:. fourteen to sixteen hours day a
l. hard manual labor. All Of the youn,
!, men in this vicinity Of any aceoun
It move to the city, and there are onl,
u a few old men left TO farm.''
( Declaring that while the farme
had TO take what the commission maj
and retailer would pay hbn for HI
y product, he was compelled to pa
10 whatever the dealer asked for HI
n. clothes. farm machinery and otho
N necessities, another farmer said:
"Tarmers work from twelve To Il,
n teen hours day. City labor work
or six TO eirht hours n dav The c,t