Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1920-02-24
Make Producers Of the Useless Mem
hers. Saws Secretary Meredith


In answering questions Of newspaper
men regarding means for reducing the
high cost OF living. Edwin T. Mere
dith, the newly installed secretary oil
agriculture. said that useless employees,
no matter In what line they may be
engaged. must he released from non
productive work and given an oppor-
Itunity to become producers upon the
farm or In the factorv. II this Is done
and IL jobbers and retailers recognize
the harm that must ultimately come
from proiteering ON the farmer ana
content themselves with n reasonable
profit, he said, the question OF the high
cost of living will largely solve itsef
to the permanent good Of all. But M
less the whole country-all business
and all labor-does recognize this as
common problem and do the things
necessary to solve II, he continued,
-less and less will there he Of farm
produce TO divide among the whole
people and higher and higher will go
the price Of that which is produced
"a am surprised" said Mr.. Meredith,
that | should have received the num-
Der OF messages l have, particularly
from daily papers, asking what plans
|, as secretary OF agriculture, have 10
reduce the high cost OF living, mdicit-
ing that the general feeling Is that TINS
is essentially an agricultural problem
IL is. of course, related to agriculture,
but no more than to many other lines
of activity, and l am tempted to De-
lieye that the solution OF the problem
lies more in the hands OF those inter
ested I'm distribution and non-produc-
tive enterprises than IN the hands OF
the farmers Of the country.
"The farmers must certainly produce.
They have produced and will produce
that is their business. They are ON
niece measure basis, 30 given satisfac-
torv conditions they will do their part
las the farmers OF America have III
every situation or crisis that has faced
the country. But this question of sat
Iisfactory conditions Is big one. III IL
not n satisfactory condition Tor tne
farmer TO receive reduced prices for his
nork wheat, hides, while the prices OF
, his machinery. lumber and shoes are
raised. IL does not conduce to pleas
ant frame OF mind on the part OF the
farmer or spur him to greater prouuc'
tion TO be obliged to sell his products
! for half or less than he later sees them
sold for nj retail. The dairy farmers
OF the country wonder II they arr
treated fairly when they receive 80 u
40 cents for butter and see II retail ~
~ cents. The poultry men wonder
r why when they receive from ~ To d
cents for eggs, they retail as high III
n dollar per dozen. The hog grower
. wander IL they are not In a hazaru
ous' business when they buy fencih'
and all other supplies at greatly III
creased prices, and then see their prou
nee fall 80 per cent ana sofa ny 'hen
nj nm actual loss, In answer 10 ne
mand ON the part of the rest oil lh
/ nopulation for reduced cost OF hVlhe
| .The farmers Of America the new
secretary went on, "are WILING 10 NJ
| sume their part 10 the responsipiiitie
ms American citizens In meeting "h
i nroblem Threatening the welfare an
stability Of our country, but this mig
cost of living problem Is "A mutual oi'
j and they ask that II be approacheu y
nil the people rs common propien
= Thev ask that those engaged IN dislr
hn,inn eliminate the lost motion an
4 no, nnt IN great burden upon pr
| duction ms there Is upon II today
other words, they ask that there pe
| odeouate number of producers
wo.ith. and this includes property an
food Of all kinds. and only such nun
| Nor NJ distributors as Is necessary
perform the services required IN,
| ask that the banks, railroads. whoi
sale houses, retail establishments Ia
tories all OF which are vitality nece
cary IN the farmer and recognized
l him as such. he speeded up along WIZ
| Mn, that the work now done by thr'
| mon NAV be done, II possible, by wv
| and the burden Of transportation III
| dis,ribution he thereby lighteneu'
/ the factory executive will speed up u
| nIont that there may he two day
| labor In the supplies, machinery
| what not. that the farmer buys rain
| than three days labor, the article W
| cost the farmer that much less u
credits he increased, and his producti,
STIMULATED. more men stay ON u
farm more men go to the farm.
business men must look to the .
Grafton OF their establishments,
matter In what line they may De
goged. and see that no useless empio
h retained to add to the cost OF q
tr,buting what the farmer now ~
dnces Useless employees must be
leased from non-productive work u
they NAV go into productive work a.
- add TO the sum total that may DE u
tributed among all. -
"Iet us enjoy in America as h'si
- developed system of distribution a
in this | include all the professlo
doctors, lawyers, teachers, as wen
II retailers. transportation, etc. as
now haye, but let us cut out the u
less member, the surplus one here a
there. and give him an opportunll!
become a producer upon the farIn,
In the factory Let us have six.teh
OF our people in production ana 10
tenths In distribution, that there II
unanu