East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1920-12-04
Farmers Can Aid Themselves
as Well as Business by Help
ing to Liquidate Dealers
Supplies Says w. [. Thomp-
son.
PREDICTIONS MADE FOR
BRIGHTER CONDITIONS
Strike Talk is Declared Unfair
in Broken Market Situation
and Government Action is.
Believed to be 0btainable.

Believed to be 0btainable.
Radiatig optimism and bringing pre-
dictions of better conditions in the
general world Of business, w. L.
Thompson. president Of the American
National Rank. arrived this morning
from Portland to look after interests
here In his capacity as vice presi-
dent Of the First National Bank in
Portland Mr.. Thompson has observed
a number of conditions in the grain
trade and had considerable to relate
in this field.
Farmers can help themselves and
the grain business III general by taking
up the BUY a BarrelIof Flour" move
ment. Mr. Thompson believes. Farm
ers likewise are entitled to credit from
their bankers. They have not sold
because they could not sell. The far
mer must take his lower price of
wheat as a consequence Of the general
economic condition which has lowered
the price OF every commodity yet he
deserves ? fair price for his product
PriIs>ary Markets Idle.
These and 'ew other observations
sum up what Nh Thompson ssid in
an Interview with thu East Oregonian.
His statement was as lows:
The present squeeze H. the Chi
cago grain market, and extei.S'"g to
the other markets of the countrS IS
due to the fact that no wheat is mo,
ing into the primary markets. Mort
wheat in the west has actually beer
sold at high prices to the .farmers
than The dealers on the eQast have
been able 10 liquidate either in the
form of flour or wheat for export
Shorts in the Chicago market are
experiencing difficulty in delivering
wheat against their December
tracts. with the result that there is at
present a spread of from 25 to 80
cents between the option price and
cash wheat The additional fact that
within the next week navigation on
the great lakes is due to close viii ma
terially help a. destroy the bugaboo
of Canadian wheat imports.
Economic Conditions C'ted
"The law of supply and demand has
not been the only controlling factor
~ the price oi wheat economic con-
allons nave been largely responsible
Ahe poilcH OF puNlhg from mana 70
mouth Tor 1hllhg only immediate
needs, has to a large extent taken out
of the wheat market all the larger
mills of the country. The mills have
bought little or no wheat because of
the cuf'aiIneht ol iloar purchases.
a possible solution Tor TINS situa-
tion IN the grain business rests largely
win the farmers themselves. The
huy harfei OF flour movement mas
peen started ana II the farmer would
eet pehlhd ms bN purchasing az once
a oarrel OF more OF Hour as his ability
PERMITS the economic cdnultlon would
ne improved Immediately TO the eN-
tent represen'ed oy the purchases ol
the farmers ana gnfai pupllc'
trses SOLD cooperation.
would suggest that the farmers
ORGANIZATIONS as well as lndNlduais
get hennd TINS 'Buy Earrei Oh Flour
campaign. ieei sure that the press
ol the country would Willingly roster
such movement I@e thinking peo-
PIE Vi tue cttles reaii1e 'hat theii pros
perity depends largely upon me pros
1erlty OF the farmers BACK OF them
ana they VIII PACK up soch move
meht' Is properly presented TO
them
Mr thompson ssld 'hat ihNestlga-
lioh iorIhe past 6O DAYS disclosed that
the safe OF tiour IN 10 pound bags mas
increased
NchltF' Whlie the sale OF 90 pouhd
SACKS mas SHOWN a corresponding de-
crease, rms cohattioh. ne SAID. lhd'-
Gates now the punilc Is ouEing from
nand TO mouth ana making u hdrd tot
the tiour business TO operate
Strike St"r es 'hlaur
Iers for not selling their wheat when