The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1931-04-24
Farm Relief
by HANS RASMUSSEN

That the government should
lease part OF the land and with
draw it from cultivation in order
to cut down the OVerprOductiOn, as
suggested in the last issue OF the
Producers News by a Daniels
County Farmer, is "a new idea and
worth while giving a second thOt.
If the farmers could agree on Just
one thing and demand it, they
would have some show of getting
it. Let US have more of your sug-
geStiOns.
In the fall of 1928 my sugges-
tiOns were printed in the Producers
News. They were also mailed to
Sen. Wheeler and Senator Frazier
at Washington without any result.
Since then l have been waiting in
vain for somebody to suggest
something better. had expected
some of the farm board, some of
the men with brains, would come
out and suggest something puac-
tical and worth while. They have
all just sat there and sucked their
thumbs. What little they have sug-
gested and done has not been
worth two cents to the farmers so
far, only brought them closer to
the starvation point, and | have
come to the conclusion that the big
men are not so very big after all
and the amount of brain they have
is very limited.
That the farmer should vOlun-
tarily reduce his production is a.
bout the only thing suggested yet
by these brainy leaders. This simp-
y can not and win not be done
and the sooner we forget about it
the sooner we might get together
on something practical and worth
while.
OF all suggestions / have seen
so far l stfll think mine is the
best one. If put in practice it
could create general prosperity
once more in this country of ours.
Give the farmers and workers
plenty of money to spend and no.
pIeq lnOqB ALICIA pS9u GpOq
times. Cut their income and starYe
them and see what you get. For
that reason we must create a con-
ditiOn by which the little farmer,
the poor, which is tie great major
ity, can get little advantage over
the big one, or at least be on an
equal footing with him, otherwise
the big farmer is going to crowd
the small one out and put him on
the bread line,. making. general
conditions worse and worse. Gre
ate a condition where there are No
more poor is what we should be
aiming at.
Although my suggestions have
been printed before. looking them
over once more might not do any
harm. While wheat is the only
product mentioned in this plan any
other farm product could be hand.
led under the same plan as wells.
Prevent all wheat from gettin,
into the United States by pIacinl
an embargo on wheat.
Figure out how much wheat b
consumed in the United States anC
how many farmers are raisins
wheat.
Figure out what wheat can b
raised for at a profit on a small
scale and set a price. let Us sa,
$3.50 delivered at the local elevat
or.
Let us say that 500 million bush
els are consumed and 800 thOus
and farmers are raising It. Tha
would average 2 thousand bushel
for each farmer.
Then let each farmer, incIudin,
each corporation. deliver his twI
thousand bushels at the local ele
vatOr at the fixed price, and N
more at that price. If he wants t
raise more than his quota then lie
him sell the rest on the worl
market for wafever he can get. tn
same "a he is doing now.
If anybody sells more than hi
quota at the fixed price, fine hin
plenty and put him in Jail.
All mills pay the fixed price 70
all wheat plus freight and handlin
charges. On all flour shipped on
of the country they get reimburs
ed the spread between the fixe
price and the world market pric,
This plan will not in any wa
hurt the big farmer, he viii eve
benefit by getting a better. prize
for his two thousand bushels wher
ever he can no longer raise whea
at profit for the world marke
he win have a chance to rent O