Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-01-01
Federal Marketing

all large cities for the sale Of perish
able food products, recommended by
the Federal Trade Commission, as a means
facilitating the marketing of farm products
in way that will prove economical and help
full to both the producer and consumer is a
matter that is attracting widespread interest
and discussion.
The scheme, as suggested, involves sys-
tenn of federal licensing of all dealers in
perishable foodstuffs, the idea of this pro-
vision being to enable the federal govern
ment, through the Trade Commission or
some other agency, to exercise control over
the markets.
The suggestion does not contemplate set
ting the government up in the business of
marketing farm products or in competition
with individuals and other Independent
agencies.
The people, we are persuaded, would not
seriously consider, let alone countenance any
such suggestion, but involving as it does fed
eral control that is designed to standardize
prices and stimulate direct relations between
the producer and consumer the plan carries
a general appeal that may arouse a response
in Congress.
The Trade Commission, it seems, has made
a long and exhaustive investigation of the
marketing of perishable food products, and
has brought forth it's recommendations only
after realizing the impracticability of other
remedies that have been suggested for re-
lfeving conditions.
AS the Trade Commission views the mat
ter, the marketing of farm products in
America now involves a tremendous economic
loss running into the billions annually I'm
der prevailing conditions, the producer has
no assurance that his products will reach the
market in time to command fair and ade-
quate price. He must take chance of get
ting any cash return for the labor invest
ment represented by his products What is
true with respect to the producer is also true
Of the consumer, who has no assurance what
ever that required perishable foodstuffs may
be secured when needed and at proper
prices. The consumer must take his chances.
Herbert Hoover is authority for the state
ment that the wastage between the farm and
the table runs into the billions. It is no I'M
usual occurrence for half of a crop to be lost
in single season through the Anticipated
methods of marketing in practice throughout
the United States
The Federal Trader Commission in it's
diagnosis of conditions, corroborates what
leading farm associations have been preach
ing for Number of years, and for which
they have sought cure. The chief causes
of loss to the producer, as viewed by the
farm organizations, are succinctly enumerat-
ed by the Boston Transcript as "(1) Too
many middlemen; GU Gambling in food
stuffs; (3) Inadequate transportation with
high freight and express charges; "a I'M
proper control of fooG in storage warehouses;;
60 Deliberate destruction of foodstuffs'
Cooperative marketing in various locali-
ties, which has been encouraged by farm Or
CARNATIONS, has served somewhat to relieve
the complaint against ''too many middle
men," but these ventures in cooperative
marketing can never prove wholly successful
because
"Gambling in foodstuffs" can and will, in
time, be remedied by legislation that will
prevent speculation boarding and cornering
The question Of transportation is a big
one. The increased freight rates have made
1t Improbable to ship relatively small guam
titles short distances. The remedy for this
it seems is the motor truck but here the
producer is confronted with the problem of
good roads. Fortunately, the construction
OF highways is moving forward throughout
the country and the time is not far distant
unquestioned value in the development of
truck farming
The success of municipal markets in many
of the larger cities has convinced the Trade
Commission of the practicability of it's rec
concentrations. These municipal markets
operated on small scale, have demonstrated
the economy and advantage of more direct
relation between the producer and the con-
sumner.
It is a question as to whether the munich
pal market idea can be extended to national
scale that is involved in the recomm en- d tions
Of the Federal Trade Commission, and this
question. we believe, is entitled to serious
consideration