The Devils Lake world., 1922-11-08
"Sonae aspects Of the
Farmers Pr0blenes''
By BERNARD M. BARUCH

Prudent and orderly adjustment of
production and distribution in accordance
with consumption is recognized as wise
management in every business but that
Of farming Yet, venture to say, there
10 no other industry in which it is so i'm,
portant to the public-to the city dweller
that production should be sure, steady,
and increasing, and that distribution
should be in proportion to the need. The
unorganized farmers naturally act blindly
and impulsively and, in consequence,
surfeit and dearth, accompanied by dis
concerting price variations, harass the
consumer. One year potatoes rot in the
fields because Of excess production, and
there is scarcity of the things that have
been displaced to make way for the ex-
pansion Of the potato acreage; next year
the punished farmers mass their fields on
some other crop, and potatoes enter the
class of luxuries; and so on.
Let us, then, consider some of the
farmers grievances, and see how far they
are real. In doing so, we should remem-
Der that, while there have been, and still
are, instances of purposeful abuse, the
subject should not be approached with
any general imputation to existing dis
tributive agencies of deliberately inten-
tional oppression, but rather with the
conception that the marketing of farm
products has not been modernized.
The Undergrading Evil.
An ancient evil, and a persistent one,
Il the undergrading of farm products,
with the result that what the farmers
sell as Of one quality is resold as of
higher. That this sort of chicanery
should persist on any important scale in
these days of business integrity would
seem almost incredible, but there 10 much
evidence that it does so persist.
The difference between what the farm
er receives and what the consumer pays
often exceeds all possibility Of justification.
To cite single illustration. Last year,
according to figures attested by the rail-
ways and the growers, Georgia water
melon-raisers received on the average rs
cents for melon, the railroads got 1871
cents for carrying it to Baltimore, and the
consumer paid one dollar; leaving 1913
cents for the service of marketingiand Ito
risks, as against 20.2 cents for growing and
Transporting. The hard annals of farm
lie are replete with such commentaries
on the crudeness Of present practices.
Selling Under Pressure.
Farm products are generally marketed
at time when there is congestion OF
both transportation and 6nance-when
cars and money are scarce. The out
come, in many instances, il that the farna-
ess not only sell under pressure, and
therefore at disadvantage, but are com.
pelled to take further reductions in net
feturns, in order to meet the charges for
the services Of storing, transporting, hnanc-
Ing, and ultimate marketing = which
charges, they claim, are often excessive,
bear heavily on both consumer and pro-
ducer, and are under the control Of those
performing the services. 1t is true that
they are relieved of the risks of changing
market by selling at once; but they are
quite willing to take the unfavorable
chance, If the favorable one also is theirs
and they can retain for themselves part
Of the service charges that are uniform, in
good years and bad, with high prices and
low.
Some farmers, favored by regional COM
pactness and contiguity, especially in Call.
fornia, already have found way legally
to merge and sell their products integrally
and in accordance with seasonal and local
demand, thus improving their position
and rendering the consumer reliable serv-
ice of ensured quality, certain supply, and
reasonable and relatively steady prices
They have not found it necessary to re-
sort to any special privilege, or to claim
any exemption under the antitrust legis'
lation of the state or nation Without
removing local control, they have built
up a very efficient marketing agency
The Hard Job.
The grain, cotton and tobacco farmers
and the producers Of hides and wool, be
cause Of their numbers and the vastnes'
Of their regions, and for other reasons
have found integration more difficult
task; though there are now some thousand'
Of farmers cooperative elevators, ware
houses, creameries, and other enterprises
Of one sort and another, with turnove
Of billion dollars year.
In view of the supreme importance t.
the National we'll being Of prosperou
and contented agricultural population
we should be prepared to go long wa.
In assisting the farmers to get an equitabl
share of the wealth they produce, througl
the Inauguration Of reforms that will pro
cure a continuous and increasing stream
of farm products. They are far fror
getting a fair share now. Considerin
his capital and the long hours of labo
put in by the average farmer and hi
family, he is remunerated less than an
other occupational class, with the possibl
exception Of teachers, religious and lay.