Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1921-12-28

be made able to buy bread instead OF
bayonets.
In word, to help the farmer, Mr.
Harding must do precisely the work
which the previous administration
sought to do through the league OF
nations. Isn't it almost time for Mr.,
Hardings substitute association OF
nations to get down to business?
FARMERS INTERESTED IN RAIL.
ROAD INQUIRY BEFORE THE
INTERSTATE COMMERCE
COMMISSION.
In testifying before the Interstate
Commerce Commission in its in
quiry concerning the general rail-
road situation, and, among other
things. the possibility of reyiying
traffic by reduction in freight rates,
Mr.. T. c. Powell, President Of
the Erie Railroad, representing the
Trunk Lines, said in part:
At no time in recent history has the
commercial depression been SO wide
spread and so universal throughout
the world. Heretofore business de-
preston, panics and disturbances
have, from the standpoint of interna-
tional trade, been localized and re-
stricted in their effects. If the United
States could stand by itself, we would
be in a prosperous condition.
Railroad traffic officials can find no
justification for the thought that rail-
road rates. as they stand today. are
adversely affecting business or that a
reduction in said rates would stimu-
late or revive business, Some other
remedy must be found.
Mr.. Powell then pointed out how
the European situation has affected
this country in respect to certain
principal commodities. as follows:
Corn
The corn crop of the United States
has always been one of the largest, II
not the largest, farm crop. The rec
ord yield was in 1920, the Govern
ment figures being 3,232,OOO.00O BUSH
els. The crop for 1921 is estimated
at 1888, 100000 bushels, or somewhat
less than in 1920 and only slightly
above the average for the preceding
five years.
It must be remembered that only
abont ~ nercent ~ the corn cron
moves outside Of the county in which
Il is produced 90 fiat even the record
crop Of 1920 did NOT produce on the
normal average as much IS coo million
bushels FOR transnortation outside the
county in which II was raised.
The fact that the 1921 crop 4
does not euual the 1920 croD
would therefore give rise to the
expectation tlat the price OF corn
yield i Satisfactory Fetnra to the
farmer. VIZ, - =
The price OF corn, as we'll as
other commodities, is dependent
upon active demand for the sur.
plus,
Mr.. Powell cited the following facts
as among those which had affected
the demand for surplus corn:
1. The disappearance Of de.
nand for corn in Europe except
IN Russia. where only abOut 20
million bushels. which IS 40
of, one per cent OF the United
States cron. can he handled nv
that country's TRANSFORMATION
system.
9. The cultivation Of corn south
NJ the Ohio River and east Of
the Mississlnni has disnlaced the
imnorta tiou - corn intn those
sections
q Tho raductfon In tho nee of
corn for distilling purposes.
Wheat
The record weld was in 1915. The
production in 1921 is less than three
quarters OF the 1915 record crop, and
somewhat less than in 1920.
Even prior to the war the consump-
ton of wheat in the United States had
almost caught up with the production,
and it was then predicted that in a
few wears no United States wheat
would be exported. MANY of the ele-
vators at the Seaboard were empty
and NOT in use.
Under normal conditions this re-
duction I'm the United States produc-
tion shoud have resulted in MAIN