The Missouri herald., 1922-05-12


established for wheat and that the
Government would guarantee that
price.
at once warned the Senate that
Mr.. Hoover would make the minimum
price the maximum price and that
wheat would not be allowed to go
above the minimum. In spite Of all I
could do the bill was passed.
Mr.. Hoover did substantially make
the minimum price named In the bill
the maximum. He accomplished his
end in this wise: He informed each
grain dealer that II he paid more than
the price Hoover fixed for wheat. his
license would be revoked. He fixed
the price the millers must pay the
grain dealers. This gave the grain
dealers huge profit He organized
the Export Grain Corporation and
placed at It's head one of the greatest
grain gamblers of the world. Through
that corporation Hoover fixed the
prices upon export grain.
The result was that there was no
place in the world for the farmer to
sell a bushel Of wheat except at the
price fixed by Mr.. Hoover. Mr..
Hoover was able to accomplish this
by the arbitrary abuse Of the licensing
power granted to him.
Because Of this legislation and Mr..
Hoover's attitude the price of grain, as
1 recall, fell at once more than dollar
bushel in the market.
The Grain Control Act was con-
tinued In force until long after the
war ended. When the control was re-
leased wheat Immediately advanced,
as now recollect, more than go cents
a bushel.
1t Is safe, therefore, to say that Mr..
Hoover took from the farmers of this
nation $1.OO bushel upon all the
wheat raised during the period of
grain control. The enormous total must
have reached nearly one billion dollars
per annum.
BY similar methods he controlled the
price Of other cereals.
He also called the packers together
and fixed an arbitrary price for i've
stock.
I we'll remember when the Missouri
Farmers Association came to Wash
ington during those dark days and
compelled Mr.. Hoover to a revision of
the pork and beef specifications for
the army and navy. This they were
able to accomplish by threatening to
provoke rebellion In Congress
against his methods. / gave these
farmers such assistance as l could.
also recall when Hoover had forced
down the price Of livestock to point
where the feeder was compelled to
loose heavily upon every bushel of
grain fed.
1t Is impossible to accurately esti-
mate the amount of money thus taken
from the farmers Of the United States,
but I believe they were deprived Of
not less than from three to five bill
lions Of dollars.
In the meantime, the farmers were
compelled to buy everything they used
from war profiteers at war prices. The
result was they were robbed at both
ends. The war profiteers got rich al
most over night. Millionaires were
} made by the thousands. Munition
manufacturers, copper companies,
manufacturers Of agricultural machin-
cry, shoes, harness and clothing, raised
prices and plundered at will. Wages
advanced four or five times. But the
farmer, to use slang phrase, was CON-
PEELED to "hold the sack"
His boys were taken from the field
Of production and sent to the field of
war. He was obliged to hire labor
at four or five times the normal pre-
war cost.
Nor were the bread consumers Of the
United States much benefited by this
crucifixion of the farmer. The miller,
the baker and the distributor managed
In some way to increase their prices
and enlarge their gains. But England
the country in which Is located Mr.
Hoover's house and holdings, received
American grain at the restricted
value. In the meantime, however
Great Britain sold abroad more goods
in value than at any time in her his
tory, and all Of these she sold at tor
war prices.
This is the story of Mr.. Hoover and
Of my opposition to him..
, If could but have succeeded the
: farmers Of Missouri might have had
balances in the bank to their credit ir
, order to carry them over the slump ir
prices which inevitably succeeded the
!; war. The great profiteers had made
| their money and were able to with
, stand the cut-the farmer was the vic
: tim.
During all this contest Mr. Hoover
: had publicity machine working nigh
! and day. Hundreds Of thousands Of
! dollars, believe millions Of dollars
were taken from the public treasury
and employed by him in exploiting
, his virtues and laying the foundation
| for his campaign for the presidency
. upon some ticket which he had not ye
selected.
Why were the farmers subjected t
! this treatment? Largely because the!
, are unorganized Capital Is organ
] lied and II demanded large gains
Labor Is organized and 1t demanded
larger wages. Manufacturers ar,
largely organized and they took thei
] profits. But the farmers were unabl,
to concentrate their strength.
,, In that respect they were not mucl
: differently situated than they hav,
: : been from time immemoriaL
The day has come when the intelli