Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1921-02-18
FARM BUREAU FIGHTS
TO OPEN GRAIN PITS
Federation Experts to Meet at
Kansas City to Draft New
Marketing Plans


government to compel grain ex-
changes to admit farmers co-opera-
tive associations to full membership
is the demand of the Committee Of
Seventeen, served on the Federal
Trade commission and the attorney
general and announced this week by
the Minnesota Farm Bureau Fedora
ton.
The Committee of Seventeen, ap-
pointed by the American Farm
Bureau federation and representing
the largest farmers grain selling Or
carnations in the United States, is
working out a nationwide plan for
direct grain marketing by the farm
ers. It's demand for legal action by
the federal government to force
boards of trade to open their doors
to farmers co-operatives is being
used by the Minnesota federation in
it's fight for the public markets bill
now pending in the legislature. This
bill would force the Minneapolis
Chamber of Commerce, the Duluth
Board of Trade and the St. Paul
Livestock exchange to grant equal
membership to farmers cooperative
selling agencies.
Operatives BARRED
A resolution passed by the Com
mittee of Seventeen contains the first
indication of what it's ultimate deci
sion may be. 1t also specifically re-
fused to recognize grain exchanges
as the best means of selling grain.
while not anticipating in any
way the findings of the committee
and not recognizing the grain ex
changes as the best possible method
of marketing grain," the committee
members said, 1--WE unanimously
adopted the resolution" The prin-
cipal grain exchanges of the United
States bar cooperative companies
that distribute their profits in pro-
portion with the volume of business
handled, from participating in the
buying and selling Of farm products.
This prevents the producers from
collectively selling their own pro-
ducts on the markets of the country,
thereby creating monopoly in the
hands of the traders, situation
which is not just and which is not in
harmony with the spirit of American
institutions.
GOVERNMENT ASKED TO ACT
eve call upon the Federal Trade
Commission, the Attorney General or
other public authority to take such
steps as may be necessary to open the
markets to the membership of CO.
operative companies unless the grain
exchanges shall voluntarily do the
same at once"
1.-The Committee of Seventeen"
w. G.. Eckhardt, it's treasurer, said
today, has gone on record publicly
as condemning short-selling. The
marketing plan that is complete will
need to be able to market the grain
crop in spite of the boards of trade
and short selling. When the farm
ers' organizations have control of
large enough percentage of the crop,
then no one will dare to short sell,
unless he has first contracted for the
grain from the marketing organiza-
tions controlled by the farmers"
The Committee of Seventeen will
take it's next big step toward COM
pleting the Farm Bureau Fedora
TONS nationwide marketing plan
when it meets in Kansas City on Feb.
IA.
Promotion of cooperative market
ing and the organization of communi-
ties on a commodity basis of produc-
ton is the object of new depart
ment just established by the Ameri-
can Farm Bureau Federation. 1t is
to use every means at it's disposal to
develop cooperation as the most
effective means of obtaining for the
farmer better and more stable prices
and a regulated flow of his crops to
market. G. H. Gustafson, chairman