The Mena weekly star., 1922-03-02
FARNfRSNEEDCASH RETURNSNOT PADDED
 LAND VALUES ID REVIVE PROSPERITY
of Curtail Buying Rewarded in Assets He Shop Lack of Income the Stumbling Block Trading That Spells Revival of Business Activity.


cost of transportation almost, if not wholly, represents the reduction of the purchasing power of given unit of farm produce today, as compared with the pre-war period. This in- creased transportation cost decreases the price of what the farmer has to sell and also increases the cost of what he must buy.
 While the farmer has endeavored to meet the present situation by temporarily buying less, he cannot in that way escape the burden of fixed charges, which must be met regard less of the price he obtains for his products.
 One solution of the problem that suggests itself is a better system for marketing farm products. The de- vising of such a system would pre- sent more difficulties than those that have been met by cooperative eff forts like the various growers asso- citations of California, but they are not insuperable. If foodstuffs can be carried over when there is a surplus, that not only will stabilize agricul- ture, but will provide insurance against a possible food shortage in the following year.
 Food Shortage Not Impossible. Even tho crops are now selling be- low cost of production, it is not vis- ionary to consider the possibility of a ! food shortage.
 America has repeatedly been an importer of wheat in the past. The indications today are that while the | 1921 crop was sold below fair price, the surplus going abroad at less than the cost of production, it is pos sible and even probable that we shall be importing wheat in 1922. Aside from the question of food supply these facts constitute a powerful ar gument for better system of crop
 marketing.
 l Under such a system the farmer
 could avoid the necessity of selling
 under pressure at too low a price, and
 the worlds greatest grain growing
 nation would be spared the economic
 absurdity of importing wheat tC
 meet it's domestic requirements
 Why Not Insure Against Shortage ?
 Nations and municipalities provide
 sinking funds against future contin
 geneies. Any we'll managed business
 builds up reserves in prosperous
 times against such period of strair
 as the present. Why, then, shoulC
 not we make an effort to provide !; reserve as insurance against shortag, of the essentials of life, when sucl provision would in great measur
 stabilize the value of the farmer crops and also would protect tn
 whole people against the distress tha , inevitably would follow any seriou shortage in the worlds food produc , ton?
 Much study and considerable tim
 would be required to put such plal into operation. Immediate relief fo ! our agricultural classes might b found in better financing-in tn making available of sufficient fund at reasonable rates, and thus enablin,
 the farmers to "carry on" until tn : conditions improve. There are ampl ! funds in the country seeking invest ment and there could be no safe
 basis of investment than the credit
 of the American farmer.
 ]. Immediate financial relief shoul ! not be considered solely as first aid
 treatment. If funds were more read
 fly available in emergencies at nor
 equitable rates of interest. the neces D sitv for forced marketing of crop r would disappear and the marketini s would be done more systematically with a consequent gain in the aver E age price received
 a Tn some of the older countries graii 2 crops are not rushed to market ln am 5 such brief period as with as. bot ar' 2 ft@e ked in sheds or under other eove 2 anc are thrcshed and marketed thru { out the year. With better rtorag,