Imperial Valley press., 1921-08-05
Entire State Supports Growers
In Senate Fight For
8 and IS Cent Duty

San Francisco-Making their last
desperate stand in the Senate to win
from Congress the absolutely neces-
'ary minimum almond tariff duty OF
re and fifteen cents, 1000 California
farmers cultiyating almond orchards
are rallying statewide support to
their aid in the fight which means
prosperity or financial rain TO 50 many
)f them.
Defeated in the House. despite the
energetic efforts of TIE entire Cali
tornia Congressional delegation, the
states almond farmers are confronted
With a critical situation with the heav-
est crop in the history OF California
llmond culture ready to be harvested
md no assurance that the American
,hellad almond market will be ade-
!uately protected for them.
Tie House wrote into the Fordney
ari1 bill q four and twelve cent duty
III uIsheiled and shelled almonds, 4
bitter disappointment to the almond
growers, whose demands for five cents
IN unshelled and fifteen cents on she'll
ID almonds were the absolute mini
mum necessary to protect tie Ameri-
an shelled almond market for Ameri-
an farmers.
Our last hobe lies in the Senate"
ieorge w Pierce, the seventy-two
lear old president of the California
Almcnd Growers Exchange declared
lere. Our faith is pinned on Sena-
.ors Hiram W. Johnson and Samuel NJ.
Shortridge, who We feel certain can
'onvince Chairman Boies Penrose and
)ther members of the Senate Finance
Committee Of the justice and merit OF
)ur claims for the minimum five and
ifteen cent rate On our two Cali
iCrLia senator's now falls the burden
of saving from the disastrous effects
d competition with the peasant grow
cGs Of Southern Europe California 9
100000 almond trees on 100000
lcres. producing an annual crop
worth $4,000, 900
1T IS dishearten;ng to read the
scores of letters from almond farm
ings and years of toll and sacrifice in
little almond orchards, and now view
with dismay the prospect Of having to
lproot these trees. The House four
and twelve rate gained important
ground for the growers, as it conced-
I'd our basic claim Of the principle of
natural three to one shelling ratio,
but the four and twelve expression OF
his ratio will not stem the flood tide
If peasant-produced European al
monds which annually browns out
he California farmer in the almond
markets OF his own country"
The almond growers had scarcely
recovered from the disappointment
II their defeat In the House when
word was receiyd from Washington
hat Senate action on the Fordney
Dill would be rushed. This once more
caused confusion in the ranks of the
almond farmers. who had counted on
| breathing spell OF several weeks in
which to map their plans for present
ing to the Senate Finance Committee
1 strong case in support OF their five
and fifteen cent demands.
Washington adyices are that the
senate Finance Committee will devote
a comparatively short time to hear
Ings, giving attention only to seriously
contested items or those showing rad.
ical defects. The bill will then be
reported to the Senate and hastened
to vote. AS a result OF this rapid
action, aid given the almond growers
in their serious situation, TO be ef.
fective. must be given at once. Pierce
pointed out,