The nonpartisan leader., 1921-05-02

~----- - attended by representative farmers
elected from % grain growing states the market
ing plan proposed by the Committee of Seventeen
and described in the last two issues of the Leader,
was adopted as drafted. A national sales agency
established under the of the United States
Grain Growers, Inc. This is nonstock, nonproft
corporation, to be controlled by 81 directors.
Membership in the United States Grain Growers,
Inc. will cost farmers $40 each. Upon joining each
farmer will sign contract with his local coopera-
tive elevator or, if there is local cooperative
elevator, with local grain growers association, to
sell his surplus grain for the next five years The
local elevator association in turn signs contract
with the U. S. Grain Growers Inc.
To the grower himself is left the option of selling
his grain as he does today or of pooling it, If the
grower decides to pool he has the broadest possible
further election as to method. He may join local
pool of all or part of his neighbors. He may pool
all of his crop any portion of it. Local pools may
join district state national pool grower may
choose to join the national pool direct not to join
it at all. In short, pooling machinery is provided
and the grower may use it in any way he chooses
or not at ALL
Southern wheat growers attempted to have the
plan changed, so as to provide for the compulsory
pooling of all or portion of the crop. The compu-
sorry pool is the plan followed successfully by the
California fruit producers.
The argument of the friends of this plan was that
it would give the farmers much more power than if
each farmer were allowed to sell as Individual.
1t pointed out that this plan had proved sue
cessful in California
The argument of the opponents of this plan
that the grain farmers were not ready yet to be
tied to such hard-andfast methods and it was point
ed out that the grain producing industry was spread
much wider areas than the fruit producing in
dustry, making it difficult to adopt stringent
rules that would suit all sections. .:....
Both amendments for compulsory pooling were
voted down by votes of approximately two to one
The majority of the North Dakota delegates voted
for the compulsory pooling, believing that the need
noSSihla
thoroughly driven into the farmers of their section
WILL USE ALL EXISTING r..
COOPERATIVE MARKET AGENCIES
The strong point of the Committee of Seventeen
plan is that it will use every agency already built
up by the farmers for the sale Of their grain.
Every country elevator is eligible to into the
SYSTEM provided it is cooperative in form and in
principle and those that not at present cooper
atve in form will change their form to adopt the
true cooperative principle. The Equity Co-Opera-
tive exchange, which now operates terminal ele-
vator at St. Paul, will come into the system, thus
giving the United States Grain Growers, Inc, one
terminal elevator at the start, while other elevators
may be leased.
North Dakota delegates at the convention were
unit in urging the sale of North Dakota state
bonds so that the stateowned terminal elevator at
Grand Forks may be completed at the earliest pos.
sble moment to give additional elevator capacity
free from the influence of the grain gamblers.
While the Nonpartisan league, political or
ganzation, has taken part in shaping the grain
marketing plan, its leaders have worked with the
representatives of other farmers organizations II
every effort. to make the plan a success =Unitet
States Senator e. #. Ladd member of the
Committee of Seventeen which studied the market
ing system for several months and then drafted th
plan agreed upon. f. B. Wood, member OF tn
Leagues national executive committee, and Lieu
tenant Governor Howard R. Wood of North Dakot,
were both delegates to the ratification meeting q
Ks Chicago.