Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1920-06-16
Delaware County Farm Bureau
ARMERs, SOCIAL RESPONSIBLE.
TTY

ARMERs, SOCIAL RESPONSIBLE
ITY.
The social responsibility Of the
srmer in 1920 is to run the nations
srm plant at full capacity. This does
lot mean that the farmer must break
lis neck to take care Of the other
Ilow. But it does mean that he has
10 moral right to let the productive
power OF his farm lie idle In the hope
,flmaintaining high level of prices
because of an inforced scarcity Of
goods. Just such dog-in-the-manger
policy it is that has sometimes cast
dark blot upon the history OF or
ganized labor in this country. It Is
this point on which the farmer has
in some instances condemned union
labor, not because he is lacking IN
sympathy with all proper steps toward
collective bargaining. Now the farm
er cannot himself adopt like policy
of restriction of output and methods,
of force to get a large return from
this smaller supply Of food and cnotn-
ing materials
The farmers organization that leads
Z its members into campaign OF THIS
sort foredooms them to a bitter ana
losing fight because they are pulling
against the streams of fundamental
economic forces. If an artlflclai
scarcity Of farm products is brought
about the resulting high prices Will
harm business as a whole out OF all
proportion to the benefit the farmer
can get from higher prices on a small
output With such high prices lead
ing to strikes, the closing of factories,
and the impairment Of our foreign
markets, because Of our high pro-
duction costs, the farmer will IN the
end have to accept the lower prices
in the midst Of an economic depression
accept loss for himself and the merit
ed hate of his fellows.
Hence campaign Of reduced pro-
duction is not one which the loyal,
level-headed American farmer will
y adopt when he has taken time 10
think the whole matter through.
Efficiency First.
On the other hand, he does not want
to lump in and produce the biggest
volume Of farm products he can, and
then let events take their course. he
must recognize the probability II not
the certainty of declines in prices
from their wartime level and act ac-
cordingly In planning to meet this
inevitable situation, he should, instead
of trying to force the prices up, by
y restriction of output, exert every Ell
fort to protect his own net returns
and standard OF living by making his
efforts in the production and delivery
of his product to the consumer so
efficient that costs will be held down
to the lowest possible minimum.
This means skillful feeding, good
seed selection, proper tillage. shrewd
farm management careful accounting,
efficient market. organization. II
means the production OF crops and
livestock in the proper proportion so
that no particular set OF prices may
be unduly depressed. 1t means care
in the handling of machinery economy
in the use of feeds and other supplies
1 Of cooperative organization for the
Improvement and simpiification OF To-
cal shipping arrangements. II
means keeping out of schemes that are
calculated to yield some promoter a
profit rather than affecting real bene-
ii to the farmer, and of avoiding the
purchase of equipment or supplies
lust because the salesman was good
talker.
These Of course are all generalities
We must get down to the practical de-
cision by careful reading and study
Of our individual farm situation and by
thorough discussion in our farm bur-
eau and other organized meetings.
A Good Standard Of Living.
Finally, when the farmers have put
their own house in apple pie oE9er
have nut in their best ticks unselishly
and intelligently, they can stand forth
through their accredited representa-
tiyes and say: I'VE have produced as
abundantly as we could. have given
long hours of close study to the feed
ing and clothing Of our own country
and the producing of surplus for ex-
port, For all this we say it is only
right that we be granted prices that
make possible the maintenance OF an
American standard of living and the
farms of Iowa. We shall use the
strength that comes of large organiza-
ton, not to hold up other classes Of
citizeSs, but to uphold the best ira
ditions of rural life in America and
to make it prosperous because it is as
efficient as it can be made"