The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-12-31
GRAIN BELT FARMERS
DlSFAVOR A STRIKE

While not favoring grain strike"
or any set price, sentiment among or
ganized farmers in the great agricul-
tural States of the middle west runs
strongly toward holding back grain as
far as practicable for better prices, ac-
cording to canvass made in Chicago by
the Illinois Agricultural Association
Reports were received by secretaries
of State Farm Bureau Federations in
Missouri, Minnesota, South Dakota,
Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Wiscon sin
and Kentucky. In no case did State
federation report it had advised
strike
Need of credit facilities to enable
farmers to hold their wheat if they
want to was pointed out from several
States. One State secretary wrote he
was using the present conditions as
an argument in favor of the farmers
getting into the big marketing game in
such a way that they will be able To
finance it and to store considerable Of
the grain as it is offered"
"The attitude l have taken in the
matter is this" wrote D. H Lutte, CT
Lincoln, Neb., secretary of the Ne
braska Farm Bureau Federation, "that
it is wront to set an arbitrary price OF
So bushel and that it is hardly ad-
visable to ask tire farmers to hold their
wheat unless we are in a position to
help them on the financial and stcr-
age ends of the game. But do tell the
farmers that | believe wheat will be
higher and that it would be good
thing to hold it if they are in posi-
ton to do So"
Writing that the South Dakota
Farm Bureau Federation "does not be-
lieve a wheat strike necessary or de-
sirable for the country" Secretary P.
]. Crandall, of Huron said, "our meth
cd of handling the situation is to fur
nish farmers with accurate informa-
ton regarding the wheat market to
help them in determining what action
is best for their needs. The farmers
will hold their wheat off the market
without a doubt if they are able to
get credit which will allow them to
carry their products. The credit stu
alton is the key to the whole matter.
We are advising that the world wheat
situation warrants holding of the crop
il credit allows and using our best eff
forts to help bring financial relief"
Officially the Missouri Farm Bureau
Federation has made no recommends
ton, A. ]. Meyer, at Columbia, ex-
ecutive secretary, wrote. ''As indi-
viduals," he added, "all members of
our executive committee take the at
titude that where farmers can afford
to hold wheat they should by all means
do so. This is on he theory that pres
ent prices are about as low as we can
reasonbly expect them to go. Since
we are not in a position to guarantee
So wheat, we can hardly advise farm
ers to hold for 3d."
The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Fed
Grafton does not endorse STRIKES" as
a means of controlling the price of
farm products, wrote Secretary C. A.
Peters, of Rosendale, Wis. accord
ing to the present situation in regard
to wheat we believe that the low prices
are unjustifiable and that it would DE
good business policy for the farmers
to discontinue heavy marketing and
allow the market to adjust ITSELF
From Iowa, E. H. Cunningham, of
Ames, secretary of the Iowa Farm
Bureau Federation, wrote. 1--WE realize
that it is the most difficult thing to
hold grain and we do not recommend
that it be held to arbitrarily force
prices to unreasonable height. Of
course, we have no credit system
whereby we can hold all the grain of
the country, but we are advising our
farmers to slow down in marketing
for the present until this period Of de-
generalization in prices has somewhat
recovered"