The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1922-09-12
FARMERS VIEW OF
STRIKE SITUATION
CLAIM THAT THEY CAN'T GET
PRODUCE TO MARKET, AND
ARE LOSING MONEY.

ATLANTA, Ga.-Wages must be
more evenly equalized before there
can be general prosperity in the opln-
ion Of leading Georgians-particuar-
" farmers-as expressed here.
The wage question has been
brought to the fore more than ever be-
fore since the railroad strike, and an
ANALYSIS of this question, as made by
agriculturists. has attracted great at
tention.
svmDathize with a man who quits
good lob which is paying him good
money and Joins the oilers. Moreover,
the filler of the soil in Georgia, II re-
ports are to be believed, is up IN
arms" over the strike situation. He IS
unable to get his produce to market
as he should and he is losing money.
The right to work the farmer nam
+ains as expressed here by a number
of their leaders. is guaranteed by the
constitution. and these rights, they as.
sert should be maintained in spite OF
the labor unions or anybody else. Nlo-
lent acts. they further declare, are
not an indication OF strength on the
nart OF the strikers or their sympa-
thizers: they are rather the best ad-
mission of weakness which can be
imagined. They are intended to intlmi-
date the public.
View of One Agricultrtrist.
violence is absolutely the worst
way TO proceed" said leading south
Georgia farmer in discussing the sit
uation while at the state capitol. The
purpose aimed at is not obtained, for
the great majority of the travelling
public and shippers cannot be intlmi-
dated. On the contrary. this public
and the people of the farming com
munites become more embIttered by
violent acts for the reason that the
citizens suffer most by the disturb
ances of the traffic, and the RAILROAD
men should not forget this. Indeed
MANY of them are not convinced OF
the Justice of the claims Of the shop
men,
millions had to submit to the re-
adjustment which set in after the war
and its waste, that is with regard to
reductions in wages, and if must FUR
thermore be stated that this class OF
labor is not a all in a bad position.
In any event their position is not so
bad that their status could be deslg-
mated as insufferable BY committing
violent acts the railroad men only
lose the little remaining sympathy
they still have with the public"
Figures on Wages.
During 1917 and 1918 figures sub
mitted here show the wages OF all la
Dor were inflated 100 to rs per cent.
Wheat two and a half years ago on
the Chicago market was $2.85 bush
ell: TODAY it is quoted at S1.02. Corn
was Sl65. now Of cents. Oats were
500. now 81 cents. Cotton was 40
cents. now 20 cents. The prices, with
few exceptions, of all farm products
have debated in like proportion, it is
stated here. The farmer has to pay
the same freight rate to deliver the
81 cents a bushel oats-due to high
railroad wages-that he had to pay to
deliver the Sl09 oats. Therefore, as
leading agriculturists here point out,
the wages of the farmer have been
reduced 200 per cent
]. T. Griffin, prominent citizen OF
Louisville, Ga, discussing the strike
situation, gives this comparison:
Two and a half years ago the rail
road shopmen could take a days
wages and exchange it with a farmer
for two bushels of wheat. Now he
can make such exchange for five five
and half bushels, and for other farm
produce in like proportion. Therefore,
in making now such exchange, the
mechanics wages have increased over
100 per cent, while the wages OF the
farmer have decreased over 100 per
cent. The mechanic has made no in
vestment whatever; no tax to pay. The
farmer has to continually make in
vesments in farm implements, keep his
farm stocked, keep the houses in re-
pair, on all of which he has to pay
constantly increased taxation. The
mechanic goes to work at O'CLOCK
He becomes connected with, as it
were, a part of an automatic, self
guiding machine. If his machine gets
out of adjustment he can report it to
the master mechanic, who will direct
its rcadjustment The farmer, if he
succeeds, has to work ten to fourteen
hours day"