Norwich bulletin., 1920-08-06
Especial to The Bulletin

SIOrrS, COnn.. AuR. -0.-FOOQ Tn Amer ica will never be cheaper than it is today. said S. L. Strivings, vice president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, in the course of his address on "Agri- cultural Problems Ahead" here this aft ernoon. The price of food instead of going down will take a trend upwards, due to conditions prevailing in this coun- try today when help is scarce and veg es are high and may go higher.
 Over six hundred persons in the arm ory hall listened to this statement in si- lence but applauded when the speaker announced that the time must come when the farmer receives just compensation for the hours he devotes to his work, equal to the wages received by labor in the cities.
 MT. Strivings stated that the American Farm Bureau Association now numbered in it's membership thirty-two states of the union and each state association working in common with the national or ganization for better returns to the farm CTS for their output The greatest prob lem ahead in agriculture to be solved he said. was for the perfection of a na- tion-wide Farmers organization and to get cooperation to solve how this can best be done to be of most benefit to the farmer. The farmers do not wish to be considered in a class sin ply as farmers, but do desire to be known as American citizens with the interest of their coun- try at heart, desiring to learn more about this country, it's problems and benefits to be obtained. Another problem the farmers face is the betterment of the transportation facilities of the country as through this way only can goods be marketed properly. People in the cities little know the danger the country fac es if one crop was lost but when it is taken into consideration that the world is but a few months ahead of starva- tion even in normal times the danger must be materially greater today.
 The aim of the Farm Bureau Associ- alton is to aid in marketing the crop to the advantage of the people growing it and also to the advantage of the con- sumer. This can only be done by cutting out the profiteers who take the money difference between that which the farmer receives and the ultimate price paid by the consumer. Who today sets the prices in the country he asked? Without doubt it is the spectators. Why should these few men set the price offered the farmer for his goods while the millions and more farmers cannot set price themselves. Who knows better than the farmer the just price to ask for their produce? By forming some organization to get produce on the market direct to the consumer the farmer can get fair price and in the long run the consumer will benefit. States such as Connecticut whose farms produce only a small portion of the pro- duce consumed, the problem of supply the demand must be met and the farm CT cannot market direct as this is bus mess he knows nothing about. It is the plan of the association to organize a na- tional board placing upon it such men as he fada serve banks, secretary of agriculture of the United States, several prominent men, and big agricultural men. In this manner with so many interested. involv- ed no deals could be made without the public being let in on them. This board could pool the goods and sell them to the consumer the price will be less, and such things as gambling on crops will be done away with and forced up prices be- come a thing of the past.
 Nations Greatest Industry.
 Agriculture is the nations greatest in dustry and study of conditions should he made. Research work must be done in this country and in Europe to get at the bottom of things and learn the why of them. When this day comes agricul- tural problems will be to a great extent solved for the betterment of the farmer and the country at large
 Social life in farming communities is another big problem and such things as schooling for the children should be taken uD. Connecticut. he stated. had done much toward bettering the condi- spect was far ahead of many other states of the union.
 The question of labor in agriculture is acute. Help is scarce in this country but a remedy must be found. Labor organ izing is good thing, he said, but when labor tries to limit production in this country it is treading on dangerous ground. The time must come when peo- pie must do an honest days work for an honest days pay, and this condition does not exist in the country today to a great extent. Due to the shortage of help many farms are now lying idle, many of the big farmers having left this country for Carada where lands are cheaper in comparison and farming is said to be better. The loss of these farmers means more to the people in the cities than to the farmer as it lessens production. Living conditions are affect ed and the question faes the country as well as to what will become of the farms when the houses now standing Se- come unfit for occupation. The ques- tlOn or reDullUlnS CdIIS attention 10 the high prices prevailing in the country for lumber and labor and with the form CT coming almost entirely from the states of the west the transportation question again confronts the people.
 The Wage Question.
 The question of wages also concerns the farmer. Unless prices paid for his products are high enough he cannot pay the wages as earned in the cities by labor. The eight hour day is now be- coming nationwide and labor demands overtime for all over that time How about the farmer that works sixteen hours or more a day should he not re- ceive just compensation for his labors even double time for overtime equal to pay for work in othe= lines. Farmers are not demanding something over their rights They should be paid for their work, and it is the work of the American Farm Bureau Association to bring about these things through the abolishion of the spectators and handlers of produce who only force prices upward, giving no benefit to the farmer who produces the crops, and forcing the consumer to pay for costs that never existed but that is simply made in speculation and profiteer- ing
 Morning Events.
 With the first appearance of the sun the grounds at the Connecticut Agrcul-