Evening star., 1924-12-14
Continued from First Page.)

the farmers dollar" and the part Il
plays in American commerce, but W.
hear very little said concerning .tht
part the farmer gets of that dollar
For none of his products does the
FARMER get more than one-third o.
that much-vaunted dollar. Some au.
thorities contend that he averages
considerably less than third. Sena.
tor Walsh of Massachusetts, for ex-
ample, after an exhaustive study, esti-
mates that the farmers share of the
dollar paid by the consumer is only
one-fourth instead of one-third. The
other -thirds-or probably three
fourths-go to the multiplied inter
ests which now have a throttling grip
on the present loose, unscientific, un-
economic and wick edly wasteful mar
keting system.
Only through a national co-opera-
tive marketing system can the re-
Nersal of the present division of "the
farmers dollar" be brought about
that is, two-thirds to the farmer and
Cne-third TO the dealer or distributor.
The CurtisAsweIl bill provides spe-
citically for this division. 1t takes
notice of the amazing fact that there
is a dealer or distributing population
of more than 100000 living-not
only living but inordinately profit
ing-at the expense of the country's
farming population of 34,000,000.
Crushed by Dealer Burden.
Stated in another way, this means
that on the back of every one and
three -fourths of the farming popula-
ton of the Nation there is one dealer
or distributor of the farmers
products. 1t has not been long since
every citizen or subject in Europe
had Il soldier on his back. 1t took
= World War to relieve Europe of
This crushing burden. Let us hope
hat the American farmer Will be re-
ieved OF his crushing burden before a
!-ightful financial debacle falls upon
America
Here are some undeniable figures
that prove my main postulate:
In 1922, as shown by reports Of the
Department of Agriculture, the farm
value of standard crops produced in
the United States, exclusive of live
stock, products of animals, cotton and
tobacco, totaled $500, 100000. Under
careful and conservative 1nvestiga-
tions made by myself and trustworthy
agents it has been shown that for the
part of the 1922 crops consumed by
the American people s22,50O, 100000
cradle part of the 1922 crops were
exported, but the exports brought no
money to their American producers
The profits of our agricultural ex-
ports were gathered in exclusively by
the American dealers. or distributors.
Hold in mind the fact that these fig
ures take no account of the farm
valve, or consumers cost of livestock,
products of animals, including our
meats, cotton and tobacco produced
and consumed in 1922. The $22. .500,-
100000 represent only what American
consumers paid for the other farm
products necessary to their living. If
account in these Investigations had
been taken of the cost of all agricul-
tural products consumed in 1922 by
the American people the figure would
largely exceed the $22, 500, ,000, 900 ac-
counted for.
Cost Outweighs Worth.
But simply for purposes of illustra-
tion let us assume that the total cost
Of our food in 1922 was only $22, $780,
100000. We know that the farm
value of the farm products enumer-
Hted that passed through our kitchens
10 our dining tables was only $780,
100000 and that we paid for them
S22,500, 100000. / hold that this cost
of distribution goes enormously be-
yond what that service is worth and
is imposing an unnecessary burden
upon the consuming public.
1t IS not the farmer who runs up
the cost to the consumer; it Is the
dealer, or distributor. The farmer
gets no share of this unnecessary cost
to the consumer. The dealer gets it..
I hold further that just as efficient
service of distribution can be provided
for half of its present cost, or $780,
100000 annUtlly instead of $15,000,-
100000 under the present system OF
marketing. THIS would leave $780,
100000 to be divided equitably with
the farmer to the profit both Of the
producer and consumer.
1t is upon this foundation that. the
new structure the Curtis-Aswel1 bill
seeks to erect is based. For this rea-
son 1t may be expected that the Cur
tis-Aswell bill will encounter deter
mined and resourceful opposition in
Congress this Winter. Special inter-
ests have been built up under the ex-
listing system of distribution, or mar
keting. 1t cannot be expected, or.
even hoped, that these interests will
supinely submit to the revolutionary
change that would be made id our