Evening star., 1923-07-26

ton Of interest rates seem to be the
paramount necessities, according to
thes Iowa farmer. If genuine relief is
to be afforded him. He thinks, with
very scientifically, that IL Congress
evolved method of guaranteeing
the railroads a 5% per cent return
on their operations. statesmen oughs
to be able TO find means of stabilizing
the farmers income. That can only
be achieved, he thinks, by federally
controlled price-fiXing.
Such a system. he points out, would
automatically stop the gyrations OF
the roulette wheel" Iowa herself
has just taken a practical step In the
direction of helping the farmer to get
, warehousing act and creating the
office of state secretary of agricui-
ture to administer it and other rural
affairs.
Can Borrow ON Crop.
Under the act, which is about to
come into operation, the grain bins
of any farmer are converted into
pedient of having their contents
sealed" by an official. who actually
places the grain under lock and key
and issues a state certificate as TO
Its quantity. grade and value. The
underlying purpose is to enable the
until market prices make 1t ad-
vantageous to sell.
In the meantime he can borrow on
his own warehouse certificates from
his local banks, which, in turn, can
use the paper as negotiable collateral
I'm the financial reserve cities. Iowa S
first secretary of agriculture, Ray
mond Cassidy, is hopeful the new
warehousing act Will bring effective
relief from the roulette wheel
system.
See Ultimate Break.
! Iowans who deplore the powerful
combination, which the farmer-laboI
alliance represents take heart o1
grace from the fact that it is not 8
natural affinity. Some day, they
think, the farmer will wake up anC
realize that because the railroad
brother the building trades comrade
and the steel and iron mill-hand are
pulling down" super-high wages, the
farmers commodities are costing
| sky-high prices.
In the Iowa Legislature recently
| there was q straw vote showing that
! the ruralist insists the laborer in towr
| shall not have preferential treat
ment. 4 bill was introduced provid
| ing for the building of shelters il
railway yards, capable of housine
trackmen, switchmen, and other raj
workers in rough weather. y dir
| farmer from the neart OF lne cOTl
! belt arose and vehemently objected
J There had just been some cyclonic
weather in his region. He told il
homely language how he had beer
out in the worst of it, attending Il
| his stock and other indispensable
chores, weather or no weather.
/ Bill Was Defeated.
! I'VE haven't any shelters wher
| these things hit u.s." said the farmer
| and / don't see why there should
| be any on the railroads. The bill
| was defeated. Many believe that the
| farmer worm Will soon turn and no
be such easy pickens for the labor
| bird in Iowa.
| Agricultural depression, one i:
assured, has not struck the sub
hard as other midwest sections hav,
been hit Through thrift in bettel
| times, he is said to be in pretty gooC
| shape to stand the present strain
| though not exactly bearing II will
I Il grin. About 40 per cent of low;
| farmers are tenants. They are feel
| ing the pinch. 1t is mainly thei
kind are exploiting. They are behin'
I with interest. mortgage payments
rent and taxes. They owe the store
| keepers. Commodities are high; farm
produce prices, low. 1t is a fertil
! field for a trouble-maker to ploW
and Brookhart steers wicked har
row.
You cannot envisage the smiling
| cornfields Of Iowa, now agleam il
their golden panorama, without feel
| ing that the farming west, on the
| wartime model of Britain. is goinE
Ito "muddle through" Externally
there are few signs of depression on