Norwich bulletin., 1921-04-01
KILLING THE GOOSE THAT LAYS THE GOLDEN
 EGG

that thirty men out of every hundred ern- played oh the Erie have effectually killed their thirty golden-egg- laying geese. By the hrst plan the hundred men would all have continued to hold employment at the rate Of 30 cents an hour each, instead of 4S cents an hour. That plan they re- jccted. Now, seventy of them will com tfnue, temporarily, to get 4S cents an hour each, and thirty will get nothing-but tho grand bouncel
 We fafmets all have 8 clSse and vital interest in. this railroad problem. In a recent interview Secretary Wallace. new head of the department of agriculture,
 frankly said he didn't believe people in the enst realize just what has happened to the farmers of the nrodHcihg sections" There Is widespread agricultural de-
 pression, as result of which farmers
 everywhere "are suffering severe financial
 losses" While the high cost of pfoduc- ton has been little reduced the prices of ,, farm products ''havs dropped out of all proportion" ''WlAsle tho farmer said Secretary Wallace, "is selling the things ne produces at prices no higher and, for groat surplus crops, lower than those pre- vailing before the war, he must pay for nrerything he needs prices running from l 50 10 150 per cent higher than before the war"
 l No one can say with accuracy just how 1 large a percentage of the farmers losses | is due to excessive labor costs. Two i things only can Dc said in general way i; that reduction in the rates of farm labor, fairly comparable to tho reduction already forced in the prices of farm pro- ducts, would at least enable the farmer to farm without actual loss !. and that Q reduction in railroad wages permitting an equivalent reduction itl freight rates
 would give him living chance to ship his Ecrops where they could be sold for some thing mare than the freight bill.
 Tho situation Is Q serious one; the
 danger imminent the threatened catas- ltrophe appalling. Nobody planes far
 mer for seeking profit, nor a railroad for desiring dividends, nor %age-worker fof wanting adequate wages. But they should
 seek thesc ends through mutual service along their respective lines of activity tnot by any one of the three trying to cut the other two threats.
 If that thesis is considered as being
 on too high an ethical plane for sordit ! ! commercialisrn, then we fall back on oul starting point, i. C.. that 1t is utter dun foolishness to kill the goose which. lay. golden eggs Even the most selfish ant greedy profteer, whether in goods or ir labor, ought to be able to see that if h. has any brains at all
 You can't get blood out of a turnip Nor more water out of a cask than ha
 been put in it. Nor, in the long run more wages for work than the worl : earns. If the railroads get only $1 for ! job they can't continue to pay employe , SLOT for doing the. job. If the farme
 can't sell his corn or wheat or .potatoe 2 for what they cost to raise plus freigh to market, he'll stop raising corn an' wheat andrpotatoes. He'll have to. H has no other choice.
 'It Is elrible indictment of our mod :, ern civilization" said Secretary Wallace u in the statement already referred t
 that this geea: country should be in = period of what might almost be calle . economic chaos because of our great SUI
 plus food supply. while across the sea Il in both directions. almost half the worl v is suffering fo-< want of food.- If ou T statesmen had given mo fthought to ge !. ting the world back on |. sound econom 't basis and had spent less time on idealist 'L schemes and theories thry would hRy Il rendered ? great contribution to the peaC U and orderliness and happiness of the pet H. ple on the earth.''
 It THE FARMER