Arizona republican., 1920-01-31
|M|DDLEMth ANU LABOR ARE HELD
 RESP PONS|bLE BY.
 THE PRODUCERS.
Thousands of Farmers Are Planning to A b a II d o Il Farms, Says Report by Assistant Postmaster
lRepubilcan A. p. Leased wirel

Republican A. P. Leased Wirel
 WASHINGTON. Jan. Manifestations of a widespread spirit of unrest and dissatisfaction among the farmers of the country, so threatening as likely to disturb the existing economic con officials is to be revealed in more than 10000 replies to a questionnaire recently sent out by the postoffice de- partment.
 The replies as thus far digested were summarized in a report prepared by George l.. Wood. superintendent of the postoffice apartments division of rural mails and read to the senate postoffice committee today by James I. BIacksiee, fourth assistant postmas- ter general. The views of the farmers were obtained by the broadcasting of 100000 copies of ouestionnaire throughout the agricultural states, asking for suggestions whereby 1he postoffice department might aid in cutting down the cost of living.
 Set Forth Unrest Causes
 Answers to the questionnaires have been coming in since the middle of December at the rate of a thousand a day and while a small percentage of them are from well satisfied farmers, 1 having no suggestions to make, the great proportion, summarized by of ficisis, show the major complaints of the farmers in numerical order to be: 1
 
 the farms, hired help and the
 farmers children have been Iured
 to the city by higher wages and
 easier living.
 High profits taken by nnddienen
 for the mere handling of food pro-
 ducts; and
 Lack of proper agencies Of con
 tact between the farmer and the
 ultimate consumer.
 Many of the replies, said one official ! h1h falt as many as fifty per cent. indicate that the writers contemplate either leaving their farms or curtailing acreage un- der cultivation, because of one or more cause of the growing feeling against non producing city dweliers.
 Is Grave Menace
 Commenting tonight on the replies, Assistant Postmaster General Biacks lee said:
 Such a condition at time when the predominant cry Is Tor proudctioii and still more production. can nol put constitute a grave menace
 Before the senate committee, he the situation as uis- nuieting and portentious of disastrous This opinion was ex- pressed by MT. Blacllslee, after a mem her. of the comrnitte had remarked that the replies seemed to have come l mostly from a bunch of bolshevists.
 Excerpts from number or letters, taken at random from the more than 70 600 already on file at the postoffice : showed the trend of thought among at least considerable proportion of the farmers of New Eng : and. the middle western states, ( Georgia, and the eastern aSricuiturdi ' section.
 The time is very near" wrote [ 'armer at East Chatham. N. Y, when : We farmers will have to curtail pro | iuction and raise only what we need . Or our own use and let the other $ elbows look out for themselves Labor Inions are more to blame for the high I prices than anyone else People are rying to get pay for what they dont i arm .
 Declaring that the whole onus | of the high cost of living rests with the middle man, Missouri producer advocated the establish
 ment of municipal markets to be served by parcel post direct. T sell butter to the dealer for 45 ents pound.' his letter said. "ano : he same butter sells to the consumer or so cents a pound. In the distribu ion we lose nearly half and we lose V money on the butter at the first price. such conditions are causing farmers 0 leave the farm by the thousands. ye have reached crisis. You may slx what we would do with the mid ]. leman. I win suggest that it be ar |. anged for them to go on the farm q nd help produce things. 1 understand { hat they might not relish working 14 :. ours day, but if we get by the near q uture there will have to be some use II ul work done by every one.'
 Declaring that he works a 240-acre s arm without help and that hundreds e f other farmers are doing the same. h Revere Missouri, man declared that he place to start to lower the cost f, f living is to cut the wages in the c, ity, which have called our farm help :. 1ere.'
 His return for last year averaged s To-, man said. q hope soon to see the :, and. If not, then I am quitting for 2 ne. Work IA hours a day for $1 and v t. the middleman get the biggest part ls { it? Not me- u
 ''I have just finished figuring up what the eggs. poultry and cream that l sold last year brought me-" another farmer said, land will c not be tn the business next year, D The tendency away from the farm to Fy e city was blamed by another middle Il estern farmer for the high cost of N ing. r .sIf you Twill reduce the cost of liv- m B. another farmer said. ..curtail the m 'ssibilities which are now afforded T pital to hoard and profiteer under ts ke legislation-then efforts will pro- if ice results. W