The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1922-02-08
Some Aspects Of the
Farmers Problems
BY M. BARUCH
(Reprinted from Atlantic Monthly
By BERNARD M. BARUCH


1t is essential that the farmers
should proceed gradually with these
plans, and aim to avoid the error or
scrapping the existing marketing ma
chinery. which has been SO laboriously
built up by long experience, before
they have q tried and proved substi.
tute or supplementary mechanism.
They must be careful not to become
enmeshed In their own reforms and
lose the perspective of their place In
the national system. They must guard
against fanatical devotion to new doc
trines, aud should seek articulation
with the general economic system
rather than its reckless destruction Is
it relates to them. F..
70 take q tolerant and sympathetic
view Of the farmers strivings for bet
ter, things, II not to give q blanket
endorsement to any specific plan, and
still less to applaud the vagaries Of
some OF their leaders and groups
Neither should We, on the other hand.
allow the froth Of bitter agitation.
false economics, and mistaken radical
ism to conceal the facts Of the farm
ers' Disadvantages, and the practicable
ity Of eliminating shem by well-con-
sidered measures. il may be that the
farmers will not STOW the business
sagacity and develcp the wise leader
ship to carry through sound plans; but
that possibility dea< ~ tnstify the
Of their upward efforts.
We. q city people. see In high and
s~peculatively manipulated q prices,
spoilage. waste, scarcity, the results
Of defective distribution Of farm prod
ucts. Should it o occur to us that
We have q common interest with the
farmer in his attempts to attain q de-
gree of efficiency In distribution cor
responding to his efficiency In produc-
tion7 Do not the recent fluctuations
In the May wheat option, apparently
unrelated to formal interaction Of
supply and demand, offer Z timely
proof Of the need Of some such stahii-
izlng agency as the grain growers have
in contemplation?
It Is contended that, II their pro-
posed organizations be perfected and
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 pervert
1t to arbitrary and oppressive price
'dxing from its legitimate use Of order
ing and stabllizing the flow OF farm
products to the market, to the mutual
benefit Of producer and consumer. l
have no apprehensions on this point.
In the first place, a loose ~organiza-
ton, such as any union Of farmers
must be at best, cannot be SO arbi-
trarily and promptly controlled as 4
great corporation. The n is a lum-
beriDg democracy and the other an agile
autocracy. In the second place, with
all possible power Of org :nization. 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
attempt to foil II. In the third place.
their power will avail the farmers
nothing II ii be abused. In our time
and country power Is Of value to Its
pOssessOr only SO long as 1t Is not
abused. 1t is fair to say that have
seen no signs in responsible quarters
Of a disposition to dictate prices
There seems, on the contrary, to be a
commonly beneficial purpose to realize
q stability hat will Civ, 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 a pros
porous and contented agricultural pop
u"lation. we should be prepared to e
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 1
continuous and increasing stream o
farm products. They are far from get
ting a fair share now Considering
his capital and the long hours of labor
put in by the average farmer and hi:
family, he Is ~remunerated less thar
any other occupational class, with tn
possible exception OF teachers, reli
gious and lay. Though we know tina
the present general distress Of thu
farmers is excentienal and is Nnket