Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-02-05
SPIRIT OF UNREST
SEXES FARMERS
So Threatening 1t May Disturb
the Existing Economic Struc-
ture-GOvernment Gets In
formation by QUESTIONABLE
10000 REPLIES RECEIVED
Mig Wages Lure Utred Help Away
Middle men Take the Profifs-->" Ade-
guate Agency Of Contact betwee"
the Errmer aud ultimate Consumer

WASHINGTON. Ian. 80. indications
,f a widespread spirit of unrest and
dissatisfaction among the farmers or
th, country so threatening as likely
to disturb the existing economic struc-
lure. Is considered by government Of
ricials to be revealed in more than
10 600 replies to n uuestionna5re recent
ly sent out by the postoffic.e depart
ment
The replies as thus far digested
were summarized in a report prepared
by George l. Wood superintendent OF
lhe postoffice departments division OF
rural mails and read TO the Senate
postofficn committee to-day by James
/ Blakslee, fourth assistant postmas-
Ter general The views of the 10000 or
more farmers were obtained by the
broadcastirg OF 200 900 copies of a
QUESTIONABLE throughout the aSrIcul-
!ura States asking for suggestions
whereby the people might aid the de-
partment in cutting down the cosl' Of
living.
WHY FARMING DOESN'T PAY.
Answers 10 the questionnaires have
been coming in since the middle of De-
eember at the rate of thousand II
day and as summarized by officials
bhOw the maJOr complaints OF the laitn
ers in numerical order to he:
Inability to obtain labor to work the
farms. hired help and the farmers
children having been 'ured to the city
Sy higher wages and easier living.
High profits taken by middlemen for
the mere handling of food products and
TACK of proper agencies of contact be-
tween the farmer and the ultimate con-
Nmer
Many of the replies. said one official.
who had looked over them probably as
many as so per cent. indicate that the
writer's contemplate either leaving the
farms or curtailing acreage under cul-
aviation because of one or more Of the
three major grievances and because of
,he growing feeling against on-produc-
ing city jewellers.
PRODUCTION THREATENED.
Commenting tonight on the replies.
Assistant Postmaster General Blakslee
said
Such condition at a time when the
predominant cry is for production and
stil more production cannot but consti-
iute a grave menace"
Before the Senate committee he charac-
ierized the situation as ''disquietng and
portentious of disastrous consequences "
This opinion expressed by Mr.
iBlakslee after "a member of the Senate
committee had remarked that the replies
seemed to have come mostly from a
bunch of Bolshevists."
Excerpts from number of letters taken
nj random from the more than 40 vm al.
ready on file at the postoffice department
showed the trend of thought among al
least a considerable proportion of the
FARMERS of New England the Middle
Western States. Georgia and the eastern
Agricultural section.
FLAMES rApOp IrN,oHe
me 'nne 10 very neal wrote iat'ht'
'' ~ ""e we '"i'',
WIN nave W ia" p'o"u''''" '"o
"se o.'s "n'' we heeu ior our o"h
rse ana iet the olher leho"s look out
Sor themselves LABOR unions are more 10
D'arhe ioi 'ne "ish prices imam anyone
Else feopie are trying TO get pay for
W,;, tmes 9 s. e na,. ,,,..,
other farmer said.
II almost fear = famiua Farm, b.I,
EVERYWHERE is Hooking IN tho cltv I,,rea
bv short hours nigh wages ana III,
orouise of , good ,in,a con,aon. l Fam
is coins 70 suffer if This condi,ion is M,
remedial shortly"
cave ,,,,e "
i''1 'iiDDEENi-'.>
Declaring that the whole onus OF the
nigh cost or living rests with the mid
uieman, another Missouri producer advo
Gated the establishment of municipal
markets 10 be served by parcel post
direct
II sell butter to the dealer for A., cents
a pound" his letter said and the same
butter sells to the consumer for so cents
a pound In the distribution we lose
nearly half and we lose monev or
the butter at the first price such con.
ditions are causing the farmers to Ieav,
the farm by the thousands We have
aIneu ci,S's' 'ou may ask what W.
"ou'u oo WIN 'he rhlddieman. VIII sue
sest 'hal De arranged Tor them TO &c
On the farm ana help produce things
UNDERSTAND mat they might not relish
Norhihs ~ hours DAY but II we get b,
me near ruture there VIII have 10 be some
nsefui work done by everyone
ONE MAN WORKS 30 ACRES
DecIarine tha+ bo ,.or,,s , o,o
.i,hout baIn and ,hot h,,s,-, 'a' f"
r.rn,ers ara doina ,,a us VI olhei
80, aoo,asaa .,.r ie'efe