The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1920-01-31
MANY TO QUIT
FARMS OR CUT
CROP ACREAGE
Inability to Obtain Labor Is
Main Complaint,


WAsIlNGTON Jan. n indication
VI u w,dpslr1ad spirit a unrest AMI
d ssatisfactlon Hmohs the farmers ~
the country. 50 threatening as iGciy TO
disturb the existing economic structure
Ia considered by government officials
70 he revealed IN more than 5000 re-
plies TO Qucs,ionnn socently sent
out BY the posioiilcc department,
The replies ~ thus far d.gestcj were
snmfiNfiIcd IN n report prepared by
George l.. Wood. sup rn,endcnt OF the
poS,office departments division Of rural
mats. aud fcad 10 tho senate post
office committee yesterday by James l.
Blakslrr. fuurti assistant postmaster
general. The views Of the % on0 or
more farmers we're obtained by the
bplrdcuHung sf zoo 1cn copies ot .
qu, silonntire throughout tho agrlcul.
lufal states asking for suggestions
whereby the posioifrr dcpartn,n nj
might aid In cutting down the cost OF
living.
General Complaints
Answers 10 the questionu1irss ~ sum
mnri1'd by officials. show the major
complaints OF the farmers In numerical
order 70 b.
Inability 20 obtain labor 10 work
thc' farms. hired help and the far-
mrrE' children GhHving been lured
10 'he city ny higher wages and
easier living
iiirh profts takcn By il.ddlemcu
for the mere handling Of food prod
ucts, and,
.Iack OF proper agencies of ceniar,
btiwesn the farmer and tho ultimate
consumer.
A Grave Menace.
Many Of the replies said one official
who had looked over them, probably
as many as 20 percent. Indicate thai
the writer's contemplate either leaving
their farms or curiaiRng screage under
cultivation because of one or mote
~ the three major grievances and be.
cause Of the growing feeling against
non producing city dtellers,
Commenting tonight on the replies
| Ns'stant Postmaster General Blakslce
sald
"Surh condition ~ time whom
| The Predominant crt Is for production
and sllll more uroducr,or cannot but
| constitute q grave menicc'
Labor Unlons 10 Blame.
| Excerpts from a nunlher ~ letters.
taken at random from the more 'han
| fhowsi the trend ~ thought among
ri least a considerable pro- nr,ipn ~
| the farmers ~ New Ens'and. the middle
western states Georgia and tie eastern
| agricultural section.
"Tne tine IL very near wrote q
farmer OF Eps' Chatham. n y, when
". farmers viii have II curtsll pfodur-
ton and raise crly what we need Tor
our own use. and let the nthrr fellow =
| 1t g.f lkgVpSattAa ais,F nWlgna
ore more 10 blame for tho h'ch prices
| than anyone else, Peonle ate trVirs
| 10 ys, pny for what thsy don't @aru -
DECLARING that the whole onus ~
| the hlrh cost ~ living rests with tho
| mlAdlrnan. - Missouri producer advo.
| cni,i the establishment ot munNtnal
r,stkeD to b. served by parcel ypos'
| direct
| Mlsdlemen Too roqnlsh.
Il sell butter "a the dealer fcS 4.
| renis u pourd' hts letter said 'ana
| the PANE butter sells to the consu icr
| far 40 cents pound IN the dislrihu'
! tnn es lose nearly hail and We lose
money on the butter OF the first price
| ench condl' IONS are causing the farmer
| 10 leave the farms by the thousands
We have reached crisis. You m.S
,sk what We would do with the mid
alrman viii suggest that u he AZ
ranged for 'hem 'n 30 on the farn,
,nd help produce thinrs unAerrand
that they might not relish worktrx four
teen hours day
"'The time Is romias u not here,
| smother letter declared. when the con-
sumer and the farmer ~ill absolutely
| have in deal direct With one another
| The mldilsmcn want lhfgef nrofi'
! lhsn We are ee'iirr while AZ the same
/ Tim. the former dogs re hard work,
=--------v -----v~
schools viii open the winter semester
/ with dancing rlssses Included In the
curriculum QueStlOnnaircs recently
sent to the parents ~ nll punils re-
suited In an Overwhelming scntiment In
| - A...Lna A. IIa snAn..la