The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-12-26
Farmers of Oklahoma Be-
long to Association Which
Dmands Better Prices
for Their Grain
OBJECT TO NAME OF
PRODUCTION STRIKERS
ORGANIZATION WILL TRY TO CON
TROL DISTRIBUTION AND
MARKETING THROUGH ITS
OWN AGENCIES

Wichita. Kan, Dec. 25.-The
Wheat Growers Association of Amer
lea, which has been conducting a
campaign to induce growers to with
hold their wheat from the market
until prices are higher, plans to have
midwestern states so well organized
within the next six months that the
growers will be able to control the
price paid for the 1921 wheat crop,
according TO w. ii. McGreevy, secre-
,ary and treasurer.
The association now has a mem
bersh.p Of approximately 100000 in
the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Kan
sas and Nebraska, according to Mr..
McGreevy, who has headquarters
here. The organization will be ex-
tended, he said, ito Minnesota, North
Dakota and South Dakota.
THE purpose of the National Wheat
Growers Association is to control the
distribution and marketing of wheat
through financial and selling agencies
of its own selection at price based
upon cost, plus a fair and reasonable
profit" said Secretary McGreevy.
Not only the wheat growers of our
association but the wheat growers in
general are refusing 10 sell any wheat
at present prices except in cases
where financial conditions force the
sale. For more than thirty days we
have withheld our wheat from the
market until now a large number of
flour mills are idle and the local and
terminal elevators are nearly empty.
The wheat grower feels that he has
practically accomplished what SEEM
ed at first impossible, and is now
encouraged to continue Withholding
Vhis wheat from market in order that
a price which is fair and just shall
be paid him for his labor and money
invested"
Mr.. McGreevy objects to the use
Of the term wheat strike in referring
10 the action of the wheat growers.
Our growers are not striking as Is
commonly meant by the term ne
said. I'VE are still sowing and at
tending 10 the many arduous duties
of the farm. We are only holding our
wheat to be marketed nt any time
the producer may think it at a fair
price" h,
The organization was formed about
n year and a half ago in southern
Kansas and northern Oklahoma. A..
Slaughter of Manchester, Okla. was
the originator and early promoter.
According to its promoters its growth
in the first six months was slow Dut
in the last few months il has been
rapid until the membership has spread
10 every wheat growing county in the
four states organized
The four States now organized (Ne-
braska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas,
in which q membership of 100000 Is
claimed. have 22O,SO6 wheat growers
nccording to Kansas Board of Agri-
, culture statistics.
Forty-flve per cent of growers are
members of the association, accord
ing TO this. Mr.. McGreevy's statement
Is that about 40 per cent of growers
In the wheat sections OF the states
now organized are members.
The four states produced this year
os2 .955 900 bushels out of the total
for United States of 75o,G4s,oO0 bu-
shells.
The addition OF Minnesota. North
Dakota and South Dakota would bring
the production up TO 359, ,003,0OO bu-
shells, or slightly less ahan one-haif
that Of the entire United States.
The Kansas State Board of Agri-
culture recently issued a report ON the
wheat In farmers hands in Kansas
1t says:
This years Kansas wheat crop
amounted approximately TO 1io,ooo'-
900 bushels, according TO preliimh
ary report. Growers now estimate that
of the total production 53.4 percent
or 77,4C6,T27 bushels, Is still In the
farmers hands. At about the same
date last year 355 percent, or co.
600 900 bushels was in possession OF
producers, while in. 1918, IL percent
or O,0OO, 600 bushels, was reported as
held by growers.
Chief among the reasons given Tor
the unusually large amount of wheat
in farmers hands are the drastic drop
i'm price and the car shortage. Re-
ports indicate that probably AZ pc,
cont OF the wheat unsold would have
he.n marketed early had cars been
? availablc. but that wheat Is being
held mainly In hopes of such an up
turn In price as will return a profit
nm exercise of business judgment
which should be as free from criti-
!. cism or excite no more comment than
the actor OF say, haberdasher who
declines TO sell hats costing $40 for
which his customer offers s6."