Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-11-18
Barrett Speaks
AT National Meet
OfFarr1aers 'Ur1ior2
Head of American Farm
Organization Discusses
Conditions at Kansas City
Convention

KANSAS CITY, Mo, Nov. 1.-THE
secretary of the treasury and the
federal reserve board dealt a body
blow to the farmers of the country
when they "persistently, and in
spite of the united farmer protest,
repeat, parrot-like, the slogan of GER
tain financial interests that price de-
clines are inevitable and unavoid-
able" Charles S. Barrett, president
of the National Farmers union, told
that organization here Tuesday in
the presidents address before the
annual convention.
THE farmers are called upon to
make sacrifices not demanded of any
other industry President Barrett
said, land they will decline to yield
to the wishes of certain interests
trying to make them the special vic
Tins of what many regard as arti-
fetal and unnecessary defation."
A committee was named to formu-
late plan sto ask sthe national board
tional marketing board. and to re-
port back to the convention. The
committee includes:
Maurice McAuliffe, Kansas: E. NJ.
Pollard and C. H. Gustafson, Nebras-
ka; Harry Booth, Idaho: H. l.. Be
berry. Tennessee; Walter Mills
Georgia.
Text of Address
Mr.. Barrett said in part:
Agriculture has { been through a
seething caldron since our last an
nual meeting Although singed and
scorched it still survives and con-
tinues to be the most important of
all Industries. the most essential
of all vocations. ! might say here
to the public mind the vast import
ance of the service done for hu-
mainly by the tiller of the soil the
National Farmers Union has played
full part.
The union has done useful serv-
ice in many fields and while it's
specific work is to afford all protec-
ton and aid to its members it has
widened and broadened its domain
and has conferred substantial bene-
fits upon all citizens of this. great
nation.
The National Farmers Union dur
ing the past year has continued in
its work of charting the troubled
ton of great farmers organiza-
ton to discover and make known
the rocks and reefs, the currents and
cross currents, floating mines and
submarines which menace the agri-
cultural interests: New dangers can
I thus be avoided, additional light
houses and harbors of safety be pro-
vided and farm progress made safer
= and generally more secure.
| say troubled seas advisedly in
referring to agriculture because
where can one point to an industry
comparable to it in Importance which
is subjected to such buffetings?
refer not only to the intemperances
of nature as drought, flood, tempest.
frost, the ravages of insect pest and
blight, but also to those body blows
to agriculture which are dealt by
human forces.
Body Blows Dealt
The secretary of the treasury and
the federal reserve board deal a body
blow when they persistently and in
spite of united farmer protest re-
peat, parrot like, the slogan of GER
clines are inevitable and unavoida BILE.
As result of such declarations
publicly announced outrageous price
declines have set in.s.The secretary
of agriculture in ansAMdTesS before
the American Bankers associat ton
in October stated that tie recent loss
in value to farmers amounts to two
and a half billions of dollars. Today
cotton. and wheat are selling far be-
low actual cost of production, bring
ing hardships and suffering to thou
sands of producers. 1t is needless
for me to point out that bulk-line
costs of producing cotton in. 1919
were found by the department of ag-
riculture to be thirty-seven cents a
pound, while the foremost authori-
ties of the land have carefully fig
ured the costs of production of
wheat for last year at about $3.50.
1t is well known that the costs this
year have. been heavier than ever
before. Deflation has come with a
vengeance. 1t is a deflation due to
human causes. There is under rather
than over supply of cotton and
wheat. The world needs our food.
Idle mills in central Europe need our
cotton. Certain government officials,
have made it impossible to finance
our crops and while making gloomy
predictions, refuse to permit the war
hnance corporations to function. In
this great crisis through organiZa-
ton we can meet these body blows
to agriculture and the Farmers
Union will continue as in the past
to bear its full share of the under
taking.
to know the evil effects of agricuI-
tural deflation They should know
that the farmer in selling his great
staple crops is harvesting the result
of an entire years labor. The farm
er has but one turnover in the wear.
The price of his leeds. seeds fertiI-
fzer, farm machinery and what he
has paid for extra labor all are fixed
by forces beyond his control. He has
borrowed money from his banker to
finance his operations and under the
present unfair system his crops are
forced on the market regardless of
fair prices in order to liqudate these
loans. The manufacturer and mid
dlemen have many turnoVerS of cap
ital annually. What is a loss to-
day may be a gain tomorrow The
very nature OF their business is based
on assurances and hedges against
acSS, CnA HXln9 OF sale and resale
prices Of their goods and Of passing
the costs on to the consumer
Price Reduction
Much is being said of price reduc-
ton i'll certain great Industries. such
as sugar, textiles and leather. but
which have piled up billions in the
form of dividends, treasury stock
and SURPRISES To them price de-
clines mean very little in view of
the enormous profits which they have
made and yet make. How different
was the treatment given them to
that received by the producers CT
the two great farm staples, where
cotton went down and the govern
ment wouldn't help to bring it up,
and where wheat went up and the
government brought it down. Wheat
was selling for about and over SO
bushel at the terminal market
when the government fixed a mini
mum price at the terminal of $3.50
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