Bisbee daily review., 1920-01-31
SEE DANGER IF
 FOOD SHORTAGE
Continued from page 1


 for the merchandising of food prod ucts; and,
 Lack of proper agencies of contract between the farmer and the ultimate consumer.
 To Cut Production
 Many of the replies, said one of- ficial who had looked over them, probably as many as 50 per cent, in- dicate that the writers contemplate either leaving their farms or curtail- ing acreage under cultivation, be- cause of one or more Of the three major grievances and because of the growing feeling against non-produc- ing city dwellers.
 Commenting tonight on the replies, Assistant Postmaster General Biakes- lee said:
 Before the senate committee, he chSracterized the situation as dis quieting and portentous of disastrous consequent ces. This opinion was eA- pressed by MT Blakeslee after a member of the senate committee had remarked that the replies seemed to have come mostly from a bunch Of Bolshevists."
 Excerpts from a number Of letters, taken at dandom from the more than 10000 already on file at the postof- lice department, showed the trend of thought among at least a considerable proportion of the farmers of New England, the middle western states. Georgia and the eastern agricultural section.
 Blames Labor Unions
 The time is very near" wrote a farmer at East Chatham, N. Y.. when We farmers will have to curtail pro- duction 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. Peo- pie are trying to get pay for what they don't earn"
 Declaring that the whole onus of the high cost of living rests with the middleman, a Missouri producer ad- vocated the establishment of muni- cipal markets to 0e served by parcel post direct.
 Make MiddIeman Work
 "I sell butter to the dealer for 45 cents a pound" his letter said. "and the same butter sells to the consum- CT for so cents a pound. In the dis tribution we lose nearly half and We lose money on the butter at the first price. Such conditions are causing farmers to leave the farm by the thousands. We have reached a crisis. You mak ask what we would do with the middleman. I will suggest that it be arranged for them to go o1 the farm and help produce things. I un- derstand that they might not relish working 14 hours q day, but if we get by the near future there will have to be some useful work done by everyone"
 Declaring that he works a 240 farm without help and that hundreds of other farmers are doing the same. Revere, Missouri, man declared that the "place to start to lower the cost of living is to cut the wages in the city, which have called our farm help there"
 His return for last year averaged one dollar a day for himself. a White water. Mo, man said. 'I hope soon to see the farmer and consumer go- ing in hand If not, then l am quit ting, for one. Work fl hours day for $1 and let the middleman get the biggest part of it? Not me"
 The tendency away from the farm to the city was blamed by another middle western farmer for the high cost of living.
 q attribute great deal" he wrote, Ito the good times in the city. Te young men can go to the city and get big pay for eight hours work while farmers have to work 14 to 16 hours a day at hard manual labor. All Of the young men in this vicinity Of any account go to the city and there are ..,i.. fn,,- nld mon left fn form '