The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1920-02-07

structure, are revealed in replies to 100000
copies of QUESTIONABLE sent throughout
the agricultural states by the postofice de-
partment."
The QUESTIONABLE asked for suggestions
whereby the postof1ce department might aid
in cutting down the cost of living. In 49,
600 answers, the farmers complained of
inability to obtain labor to work the farms,
hired help and the farmers children having
been lured to the city by high wages and
easier living They also complained of
high profits taken by the middleman for the
handling of food products and of the lack
of proper agencies of contact between the
farmer and the ultimate consumer
For instance, New York farmer wrote:
"The time is very near when we farmers
will have to curtail production and raise
only what we need for Our own use and let
the other fellows look out for themselves.
Labor unions are more to blame for the
high prices than anyone else People are
trying to get pay for what they do not
earn"
A Missouri farmer writes:
Il almost fear famine. Farm help
everywhere is focking to the city, lured by
short hours, high wages and the promise
of a good time. Someone, fear, is going
to suffer if this condition is not remedied
shortly. Such conditions are causing
the farmers to leave the farms by the thou
sands. We have reached crisis"
One editorial writer, while soothing at the
idea of farmers reducing acreage or leaving
their farms altogether as a result of these
conditions, at the same time b1ames the mid
dleman. He says:
The city man hears of acres of potatoes
left to rot because the farmer has contracted
for the sale of his output to a middeman,
who pays the agreed price, but finds it to
his profit to limit the quantity reaching the
consumers market in order to maintain
high price to the dealer
Last summer Chicagoans who sojourned
across the lake saw fruit patches of cult
waited berries in which the fruit ripened,
m1ldeWed and fell wasted on the ground.
When they attempted to buy a few quarts
from the growers they were refused the
privilege. They were told the entire crop
had been sold to midd1emen on strict stipu-
lation that what they did not take should
not be used or reso1d."
L. l. MClCullIl, Ol iowa, the new OeCrc-
tary of Agriculture, when interviewed on
February 2, the day he assumed office, said:
The farmers will produce their utmost
if given satisfactory conditions"
What is the matter with conditions?" he
was asked.
"Matter?' Mr. Meredith calculated, his
eyes fairly blazing. 1T certainly does not
spur farmer to greater production to be
obliged to sell his products for half or less
than he later sees them sold for at retail.
"The dairy farmers wonder if they are
treated squarely when they receive IS to 40
| cents for butter, and see it retailed at IS.
The poultry men wonder why, when
they receive from 40 to so cents for eggs,
they retail as high as ST dozen.
Business men" he continued, 'must see
that no useless employee is retained to add to
the cost of distributing what the farmer
now produces. Useless employees must be
released from nonproductive work that they
may go into productive work. y *
If the entire country, all business and
all labor, does not recognize this as a COM
mon problem and do those things which give
the farmer a fair compensation for his eff
forts, conditions will not improve"