Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1922-02-15
Some Aspects Of the
Farmers Problems
BY BERNARD M. BARUCH : :
(Reprinted from Atlantic Monthly 4
(Reprinted from Atlantic Monthly {
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snip to carry through sound plans: but
that possibility does not justify TIE
BY BERNARD M. BARUCH

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snip to carry through sound plans; but
that possibility does not justify tn
obstruction Of their upward efforts
| We, as city people, see IN high snd
| specuatively manipulated J prices
spoilase, waste, scarcity, the results
| OF defective distribution OF farm prod
ucts. Should 1t not occur to US thai
we have common interest with the
| FARMER in his attempts to attain de
| gree OF efficiency in distribution COR
responding to his efficiency in produc
ton? DO not the recent fluctuations
| IN the May wheat option. apparently
unrelated to normal interaction OF
supply and demand, offer timely
proof OF the need Of some such stabil-
| ling agency as the grain growers have
In contemplation?
y Is contended that, II their pro-
| operated, the farmers will have in
their hands an instrument that will be
! capable OF dangerous abuse. We are
told that it will be possible to pcrvert
1t to arbitrary and oppressive price
| fixing from its legitimate use OF order
Ing and stabilizing the flow Of farm
products to the market, to the mutual
benefit Of producer and consumer.
have no apprehenslons on this point.
In the first place, loose organiZa-
ton. such as any union Of farmers
must be at best. cannot be so arb
trarly and promptly controlled as a
great corporation. The one is lum-
berins democracy and the other All agile
autocracy. In the second place, with
all possible powe- Of org IMITATION, the
farmers cannot succeed to any great
extent. or for any considerable length
Of time, in fixing prices. The great
law of supply and demand works in
various and surprising ways. to the
undoing Of the best laid plans thar
attempt to foil it. In the third place.
their power will avail the farmers
nothing il it be abused. In our time
and country power is OF value to it's
possessor only so long as it is not
abused. 1t is fair to say that l have
seen no signs In responsible quarters
OF disposition to dictate prices
There seems, on the contrary. to be a
commonly beneficial purpose to realize
a stability that will give an orderly
and abundant flow Of farm products
to the consumer and ensure reasonable
and dependable returns to the pro
Queer.
In view Of the supreme Importance
to the national well-being OF 4 pros
porous and contentcd agricultural pop
ulation, we should be prepared to g.
a long way in assisting the farmers t
get an equitable share of the wealth
they produce. through the Inaugural
ton OF reforms that will procure .
continuous and increasing stream OF
farm products. They are far from get
ting fair share now. Considering
his capital and the long hours OF labor
put in by the average farmer and his
family. he Is remunerated less than
any other Occupational class, with thu
possible exception of teachers, reli
gious and lay. Though we know that
the present general distress OF the
farmers is exceptional and is linked
with the inevitable economic readiust
ment following the war. it must be
remembered that, although represent
ing onc-third of the industrial product
and half the total population OF the
nation, the rural communities ordi
nariIy enjoy but fifth to Il quarter OF
the net annual national gain Notwith
standing the taste Of prosperity that
the farmers had during the war, there
Is today lower standard OF living
among the cotton farmers OF the South
than in any other pursuit in the country
In conclusion, it seems to me that the
farmers are chiefly striving for gen
orally beneficial Indignation of their
business, OF the same kind and charac.
ter that other business enjoys. II II
the attainment of this end requires
methods different from those which
other activities have followed for the
same purpose should We not sympa-
thetically consider the plea for the
right to cooperate, IL only from euT
own enlightened self interest, in Oh
tanning an abundant and steady now OF
farm products?
In examining the agricultural situs
ton with a view to Its Improvement
we shall be most helpful II we main
tain detached and judicial viewpoint
remembering that existing wrongs may
be chiefly an accident OF unsymmetri-
cal economic growth instead Of a crea'
ton of malevolent design and conspira
cy. We Americans are prone. as Pro
fessor David Friday well says in his
admirable book. profits. Wages and
Prices" to seek criminal intent be
hind every difYicult and undesirable eco
homie situation" l can positively as
scrt from my contact with men OF
large affairs, including bankers, that
ms a whole, they are endeavoring e
fulfill as they see them the obligations
that go with their power. Preoccup!ed
with the grave problems and heavy