The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1921-01-28

OF the WOOL pools IN the country and
they were trying to find a way out
of the desperate plight of the wool
producers. 1t was the natural thing
for them to go to Federation head
quarters for help. All have confidence
in this national organization of farm
ers. They asked that they might unite
their pools in the marketing depart
ment Of the American Farm Bureau
Federation, and they agreed on the
man to place in charge, Mr.. Fawcett.
The wool pools in various states
have been made possible by local farm
bureaus, for those already had the
farmers united in their neighborhoods
with county agents to do the work.
Now the national Federation gives
the farmers of the whole country op-
portunity of selling their wool direct
to the manufacturers of cloth-if they
will only stick together through the
present crisis. The Federation cam
not make them stick-but it is the
one organization in a position to make
it possible for farmers to act unitedly
and in a national way to market a
staple product.
On Safe Foundations.
A good many people can tell you
just how farmers stuff should be mar
keted. Usually the less they know
about it the more certain they are
that their pet scheme is the cure-all.
In refreshing contrast to this is the
attitude of the big men of the Farm
Bureau. They r learners - willing
to act when they come to know their
ground but not before. AS Mr.. Howard
says:
"The new work which we insist upon
as the irreducible minimum for next
year would include the immediate en-
ployment of a cooperative secretary or
head of a bureau Of cooperation, who
must give his entire time and energy
to the various marketing problems.
Marketing is one of the biggest things
which any farm organization must
consider. l think you will agree with
me that there is enirely too much
spread between the price paid the pro-
Queer and the price paid by the con-
sumner. The farmers business is pri-
marily to produce. We constitute one
third of the people Of the country. It
has been the business of the other two
thirds to take care of the t~ransporta-
ton, the distribution and the market
ing. If they fail to do it with that de-
gree of economy which will enable
agriculture to fairly prosper, then per-
haps the farmer himself will be COM
PEELED to venture farther into the field
of distribution and take an tctive in
terest in problems of marketing. That
seems to be the Ease before us at this
time.
"We are going to have an increase
in cooperative marketing in this coun-
try. Not only is the farmer demand
ing it, but the best interests in our
national life feel it should be brought
about. Cooperative marketing is in
the air and it is necessary before we
attempt to spread cooperative market
ing too broadly, to know the sound,
economic principles upon which coop
e~rative marketing must stand if it is
going to succeed. We, as an American
Farm Bureau Federation, must not
get behind any proposal for coopera-
tive marketing unless it is soundly
founded, or we will not succeed"
This is the spirit back of the Com
mittee of Seventeen-the farmers
grain marketing committee appointed
by President Howard at the request
of the leading farm organizations of
the country. He had asked these or
CARNATIONS to meet with the Farm
Bureau last July to consider the sit
uation-to get together and do some
thing along constructive lines. Such
was the confidence all felt in Mr..
Howard and his organization that he
was asked to name the committee.
Perhaps no greater honor or RESPONSE
bility could come to a mar than to be
placed on this committee, charged
with the duty of finding ways and
means of marketing our great food
staple, wheat, so that the farmers may
be paid a fair price for producing it
The future of all cooperative market
ing is involved in the success of what
the Committee of Seventeen may &C
complish.
Various members of this committee
were at indianapolis. 1t was notice
able that they were not rushing into
print or announcing programs. They
are engaged in a great and vital work
la task requiring deep study and pa
tient consideration. They will act
only after they have made sure OF
their ground. Immediate results anG
a higher price for wheat within a week
r a month cannot be expected of them
This brings us to a consideration OF
first importance-the attitude of farm.
ers toward the American Farm Bureau
Federation and it's efforts along mar
!, keting and other lines. The fact is
many of them are expecting too much
too soon-a quick rise in prices for the
, stuff they have to sell.
The business of marketing farm
. products runs into the billions of dol
lars. Methods of handling his bust
[ moss whether ri0ht or Wrnnp- have