Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-01-31
FARM SITUATION IS Tense
DISSATISFACTION INDICATED
IN QUESTIONABLE REPLIES
sehnfc Post-Omcc Committee Told
FARMERS Threaten to Cut Pro-
ductioD or Abandon Farms.
TBy hsyocin,cd pross.l


WASHINGTON. Jan. 3o.-Docrcascd
i Urn production next year and CON
due On incr1nse In the cost Of living.
predicted before tho senate Post-oif,co
Committee today by James I. HlalSsieo,
More than sS' toooo oa
lucsti onnaircs sent 10 farmers he
smia. indicate a condition "disauiet.ins ne
Qucnccs."
~ report summn rizins tho contents
Geo ,mG Iar Wood answers prcpared by
Division OF Rural Mails. was read 10
III the e committee nit, e., by MIR: Baksioe. Dc
try. were tired Of receiyInr-' M ,o, S"G IN
turns for long. hard periods of TOT,
while city dweliers lived in ease ana
hours the report said that many OF
.hc replies received indicated thai
hundreds OF farmers have resolved to
either Quit the farm entirely or great
~ decrease production next year.
Majority Make Complaint.
Complaint was. made In i majority
OF the replies. the report said. OF the
pared with the low return 70 the
farmer. indicating an entirely dispro-
nnrtionnte profit for thc middle man.
labor required OF tho farmer and his
COMPENSATION with those OF tho urban
tc, OF which the farmer bitterly com
plains, setting forth tho soft and lux
urious living Of tho latter as compared
with the hard and bare living or tho
toll and produc" for the striker. Tho
profitecr and the short-hours. high
wage man.
\ comment by a member OF the com
Imittce that The replies socnch 20 br
mostly from bunch OF Eolshevis;s."
Mr. Bk,ks!ce replied that such a state
and that In his opinion the situatiou
Was extremely serious.
To- t1.f 4.
indicated in the wood report 10 h.
on" of the chief complaints OF .hn
6?rm sf fsr D' inE6r ihat 'h9 shor,
antaEonism on the part o' the pro.
ducer toward the city dwcil"-." the
report said that The "grcat demand In
and short hours, is driving thc farm
hired help and the "a rmcrs. boys and
girls 10 the city.
High Costs Anger Farmers.
Tho high cost OF wc.i rinG apparel az
staples not produced on ths farm, OF
farm implements and fertilizers, al!
or whtch seem TO have Allied the farm
crs' mind with discoura gcmcnt and re-
sentiment. is certain 10 result in the
curtai!in"nt Of food production" The
ncclarinr That the letters received
others arriving dntly. contained ALARM
Ing Information that the country ought
TO know tho report said tina, The
replies disclose such state OF mind
and feeling on the part OF many pro
duccTS and such spiric Of aRta;onisrl
toward their fellows who dwell in the
citiss. as - give cause for grave ap-
rrchcusion
The time Is very near" wrote u
farmer ct East Chatham, y. y. when
". farmers Will have 10 curtail pro-
duction and raise only what wn need
FOR our own use, ana LOT tho othcr
fellows look ont FOR themselves. Labor
unions are moro 20 blame for the high
prices lhan any ono else. People are
trying 10 set pay for wha; ;hcy don;
earn
Hears From Misxouri
Writing from Palmyra, Mo. another
farmer said: Il almost fear famine.
Farm help everywhere Is hocking TO
the c!iy, urged by short hours. high
wages and the promise OF good time.
some ono. ] fear, is going TO suffer II
this condition - not rcmcdicd shortly
HIS return for last year averaged 81
day for himself. II Whitewater, Mo-,
man said. adding:
IL hope soon TO sec tho IA rlncr and
consumer going hand IN hand. If not.
then am quitting, FOR one. Work
fourteen hours :, day for 81 and lct
the middlcman get the biggest part
Il have JUS; finished figuring W
what the cEgs, poultry. ana cream
that cold last year brought me" an
other farmer said. and | VII! not he
in the business next year"
AMEDiNAn rn0n iAsnnnrc