The Washington herald., 1922-11-13
CAR SHORTAGE
Gives Farm Regions
Handicap in Moving
Stored Grain.

WICHITA. Kans., Nov. 12.-With
probably more freight cars in the
Middle West than in a year, trans
portation has been SO crippled that
an acute shortage Is felt all
through the grain country, affect
ing business and financial opera
tions unfavorably. A survey taken
in Southwest Kansas this week
showed that forty-nine towns that
are grain shipping stations have
100000 bushels of wheat avail
able that should be moved. In each
are one or more elevators filled to
the roof. and the managers are uh-
able to buy more because Of short
age of cars. II requires two to
three times as long for a car to
move to seaboard as last spring.
ca ling for a greater number to
move the waiting crop.
Just now this Is the most serious
problem before the farm country.
for loosening the stored grain
would have an immediate effect oil
the financial situation. Improve
ment has been noted in the past
fortnight, but II is slow and the i'm
patient farmer, eager to receive the
bulged price. chafes under the de-
lay. Probably the slow movement
has had some effect on prices. ia
voring those who were able to de-
liver grain. but for the bulk of the
producers the condition is discour-
aging. coming as II does at a time
when every available factor in the
disposal Of the seasons return Is
needed.
Were the interior producer ali
to move his output of grain and
stock freely 1t is likely that he
would feel a considerable easing OF
his difficulties. The stronger prices
for all his products. except wheat
compared with a year ago give him
a potential resource that goes far
to encourage buying. Live stock is
bringing from Is to 40 per cent
higher return than last autumn, and
cash corn is SO per cent higher.
The complaint Of the farmer that
his products are a drug on the mar
ket scarcely holds good and he is
taking a more cheerful view of
conditions.
---tomobiles In Demand.
A statement issued this week
showing that Kansas bought 1880
new motor cars during the past
three months, representing, at an
average price of 500. over $4,000
900. does not indicate that any i'm
mediate threat Of poverty impends.
The fact Is that the average farm
er of the Southwest is readjusting
his affairs on a stronger basis. He
has cut out many speculative ef-
forts; he is not buying oil stocks
or promotion stocks with his old
freedom and is putting his money
into the reduction of debts, and as
rapidly as 1t Is available. What
irks him Is the insistence OF mer-
chants and banks to collect accounts
due, and he resents this as a re-
Election on his financial ability as
well as an annoyance. Accustomed
in the past to take his own time
for payment. knowing that his
credit was good, he cannot fully
understand the anxiety of the cred
itors or does not realize the strug-
gle under which the country banks
and many country town merchants
labor.
SEfforts to place a heavier burden
on the banks by asking them to
finance the operations Of the pro-
ducer through loans for buying of
implements meet with little enthu-
siasm in banking circles. The
pans of manufacturers OF imple-
ments, for the next year with
priceless contracts and other sys-
TENS for insuring the disposal Of
stocks are likewise unpopular with
dealers. and IT is evident that much
the same fate Is to come to the
idea this season as a year ago
when similar proposals were made
The farm country seems disposed to
take its own time in buying COM
modities and will plan its affairs to
meet the conditions. when trans
portation is speeded up and the
seasons output Is on its way to
market there should be a positive
impetus to trade generally and re-
lief for the banks. 1t now looks as
though this would happen before
the holiday season is under way.
and IL il does much brighter skies
will ha Seen in the Confbuyeot