The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1920-02-04
UNREST FOUND
AMONG FARMERS
POstOffice Department Sends Out
Questf0nnaires. Thought Of Famine.

disturb the existing economic StruC-
ture, is considered by government off,
cials to be revealed in more than 40,-
600 replies to QUESTIONABLE recent
ly sent out by the postoffice depart
ment. The replies as thus far digest
ed were summarized in report pre-
pared by George l.. Wood, superin-
tendent of the postoffice departments
division Of rural mail, and read to the
senate postoflice committee today by
James l.. Blakeslee, fourth assistant
postmaster general.
The views of the 10000 or more
farmers were obtained by the broad
casting of 100000 copies of question
naire throughout the agricultural
states asking for suggestions whereby
the postofice department might aid in
cutting down the cost of living.
Answers to the questionnaires have
been coming in since the middle of De-
cember at the rate of 1000 day, and
rs summarized by officials show the
major complaints Of the farmers in
numerical order to he: Inability to OBJ
tain labor to work the farms, hired
help and the farmers children having
been lurcd to the city by high wages
and easier living, high profits taken by
middlemen for the mere handling Of
food products and TACK Of proper agen-
the ultimate consumer. Many Of the
replies, said one Of those who had
looked them over, probably as many as
so per cent, indicate that the writer's
contemplate either leaving their farms
or curtailng their acreage, because Of
the growing feeling against nonpro-
ducing city dwellers.
Commenting tonight on the replies,
Assistant Postmaster General Blakes-
lee said: Such condition at a time
when the predominant cry is for pro-
duction, and still more production, can
not but constitute grave menace"
| Before the senate committee, he
characterized the situation as dis
quieting and portentous OF disastrous
consequences" This opinion was ex-
pressed by Mr.. Blakeslce after mem
ber Of the senate committee had re-
marked that the replies seemed to
have come mostly from bunch OF
bolshevists."
Excerpts from number Of letters
taken at random from the more than
10000 already on file at the postoflicc
| n o,t,,, f.l> tl,n
thought among at least considerable
proportion Of the farmers Of New Eng
land, the Middle Western states and
| the agricultural section. THE time is
Catham. N NJ. when we farmers
| will have to curtail production and
raise only what we need for our use
and let the other fellows look out for
themselves Labor union arc more to
blame for the high prices than any one
else. People are trying to get pay for
what they don't earn
Writing from Yalmyra, Mo-, another
farmer said: II almost fear famine,
farm help everywhere is flock ing 10
the city. lurcd by short hours. high
wages and the promise OF good time
Some one. fear, is going to suffer II
this condition is not rcmedied short
lly"
Declaring that the whole onus OF
the high cost Of living rests with the
middle man, another Missouri pro-
ducer advocated the establishment of
municipal markets to be served by
parcel post direct. II sell butter to
the dealer for As cents pound" his
letter said "and the same butter sells
| to the consumer for so cents pound.
IN the distribution we lose nearly half
and we lose money on the butter at
| the first price. Such conditions are
causing the farmers to leave the farm
| by the thousands. We have reached
crisis You may ask what we would
do with the middlemen. / will suggest
that it be arranged for them to go to
the farm and help produce things. !
understand that they might not relish
working Ia hours day, but if we get
| by the near future there will have to
| be some useful work done by every
one"
Declaring that great evils confront
| us today" says a letter, reduce the
cost of my foodstuffs to the consumer,
you must first furnish me with first
class labor at reasonable wages and,
second, you must eliminate thousands