The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-10-27
WHAT OF WHEAT?
Business Interests Concerned
Over Threatened ''Strike."
VIII Back Growers in Holding
Their Crop.
GIVE EVERY POSSIBLE HELP
State Bankers VIII Cooperate
With Wheat Growers.
MOhIer Says 1t Is Common to
Hold Wheat.

Kansas bankers and business inter-
ests today turned their attention to-
the threatened wheat strike. General
expressions indicated corporate inter-
ests of the state would back the wheat
growers in holding their wheat until
market conditions improved.
While the banking interests showed
a decided tendency to favor the farm
ers, there was also a spirit of co-opera-
ton. from the labor organizations in a
statement by w. E. Freeman, presi-
dent. of the State Federation of Labor.
Possibilities of interference doomed in
probable. Legislative action next win
ter to block future strikes.
state Banks Will Help.
Walter e. Wilson, state bank com
missioner, declared the state banks
would give every possible assistance
to the wheat growers. He said de-
mands to move grain would be made
only in cases where local banks are
heavily overloaned.
J.. c. Mohler, secretary of the state
board of agriculture, declared he be-
lieved a majority of the farmers would
oppose any move looking to Stacker
soil action or a strike against the pres
ent low grain market. He SAID the
term strike was misapplied in the case
of the farmers. He said thousands OF
farmers had been forced to hold their
grain and that the slump in prices hao
kept the wheat off open markets.
Earl Akers, president of the Kan
sas Reserve State bank sald the pres,
ent action was not a strike. He said
he felt the farmers had a right to hold
their grain.
personally I believe the prospects
of settling the British coal strike mas
had more to do with the advance in
the price of wheat than the action or
Kansas farmers in holding their grain
from the market" Akers said.
In Sympathy With Growers.
President Freeman of the State
Federation of Labor said the labor in
terests would give their sympathy to
the wheat growers in their fight Tor
higher prices.
see prices come down." said Freeman
1--WE all realize that the farmers are
not responsible for the hlgh retall
prices we have to pay and that the
farmer, like the laboring man, OFTEN
does not get small part OF the prollt
made on the products of his labor.
Expressions of support from bank
ers gave the greatest element OF
strength to the farmer movement In
fighting for higher prices.
There will be no move by TINS de-
Dartment to interfere with the farm
ers' action other than to continue to
try to enforce the state banking laws,
said Commissioner Wilson, land to re-
auire state banks to remain within the
conservative limits of good business
Holding SO Million Bushels.
At present farmers in this state are
holding 90 million bushels of wheat,
according to estimates. Receipts from
Kansas growers have this week fallen
off in all market centers. The move
ment is not restricted to Kansas, but
affects all big wheat growing states.
Behind the so-called strike is de-
mand by the producers for So mar
ket.
Reports from Chicago today reflect
ed the first direct action in the
strike" Kansas City, however, re
ported no widespread curta1lment OF
offerings.
Mothers Statement.
Secretary Mohler issued a statement
decrying use of the depression strike"
as related to the farmer action. In
discussing the situation he said;
by no stretch of the imagination can
the movement among farmers who are
holding what wheat they have left for
profitable price be said to partake of the
nature of strike according to the
popular conception of the meaning of the
term. 1t is a common thing most any
year for farmers to hold more or less wheat
FOR marketing later, in the winter or spring.
between harvests, and if 1t is not the
farmer himself it is someone else other
than the producer. Surely no one will
contend that the farmer must sell at any
stated time, regardless of whether the
price for their product is a profitable one
or not. If there is money in holding wheat,
would it not be good business for the pro-