Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-09-21
THE ECONOMIC BATTLE-GROUND

To review in its entirety the talk
given by John Bosch, state president
of the Farmers Holiday Association,
before the Askov unit last Thursday
evening would be to some extent "A
REPETITION of what this gentleman has
said at other meetings in Pine county
and which have been reported in
whole or part in the Askov American.
However, many good points were
brought out by Mr.. Bosch. few of
which will here be mentioned.
The speaker said that farmers have
tried political, cooperative and pro-
duction methods FIR their welfare and
with some success but not far-reach-
ing enough. He strongly advocated
a banding together and fight on eco
nomic grounds, stating that the first
principle of the Holiday Association
is to get cost of production with or
derly and controlled marketing.
Mr.. Bosch who speaks calmly and
deliberately no Showmanship = but
with the earmarks of having made a
study of economics and sincere in pur-
pose, said that every industry is sue
cessful only to the degree it controls
the flow of its products to the market.
The flow of the product will regulate
the price or the price will regulate
the flow. Corn was cited as an eX-
ample, the market glutted and the
price as low as ~ cents per bushel
at Mitchell, S. D., where they have
the corn palace.
The speaker said that because the
filling station has barrels or tanks of
gasoline on hand does not make them
sell five gallons any cheaper. The
same is true of the banker. A Gus
toner may ask for loan of 500. The
banker may be flush with money and
even if he has 100000 or more to
loan out it will not induce him to
make the 500 loan at or per cent
interest if the going rate is s per
cent. In other words they do not
dump their surplus on the market at
any kind of prices.
In this respect the speaker pictured
good example and admonished the
farmers to do likewise-organize eco
nomically for mutual benefit-to get
cost of production. While he realizes
the value of cooperation and said
that much good has come out of it,
and advises also that the political
field must not be overlooked, never
theless the greatest lift to the farmer
will come from organization on eco
nOmic grounds.
Mr.. Bosch said that test cases will
be brought in district courts in an
effort to have mortgages trimmed
down to conform to present commodity
prices. If laws are not morally and
basically sound they will fall, said the
speaker, and added that the Holiday
Association upheld the moral law
when it stopped mortgage foreclos-
ures. The mortgage moratorium law
passed by the last session of the Min
breathing spell, was not as much as
desired, said the speaker, but added
that it was as much as the court
would stand for.
The meeting which was attended by
200 people was made more interest
ing by Mr.. Bosch's answers to ques-
lions regarding the Frazier farm re-
financing bill which failed of passage
in the last session of Congress, in
terest rates, the mortgage moratorium
and other questions which he an.
swered in an understanding manner
He said that ''every citizen in the
United States is to blame for the
condition of the country. We must
change conditions to the extent we
can help. Responsibility rests on the
shoulders of all. If you are not in
terested in others you do not deserve
to get your share"