The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1933-11-02

vv,HERE does the farmer figure in the MIRA pro-
w gram gram. what does it do for him and why should
W he pay any attention to the slogan "Buy un
der the Blue Eagle" These questions raised in
of the frequently heard remark that "the farmer
is the goat in the NRA."
The answer is in the processing taxes now being
levied wheat cotton, corn and hogs and likely to
be levied other basic farm products. They are a
direct tax the consumer in order that the farmer
may receive fair price for his produce This prin-
cipe fair enough to out here but it has few
champions in sections where the welfare of the farm
err is not generally considered of direct concern In
such sections the NRA is highly popular.
1t should be understood that the two policies of
the government that of raising the price of farm
ducts and the wages Of labor work hand in hand
processing tax will pay little to the farmer unless the
public buy the foodstuffs which it is levied
The NRA is designed to do away with meagre wages
thus enabling the masses to buy more food, which in
turn pays the farmer bigger income and enables him
to buy of the products Of the laboring man.
Either program is hopeless without the support of
both sides. This should be clearly understood and
cry effort made to bring this to the attention of ALL
1t is unfortunate that the farm program has not
kept pace with the NRA program. Possibly the blame
is due the men handling the farm side. 1t is probable
that the fact that labor and the business groups
better organized than the farmers allowed the former
to get their program underway first. This temper
airy disadvantage led to criticism which will be
cleared away the two get in step.
AS practical example of how the NRA works to
the advantage of ALL let take the Gazette When the
NRA program inaugurated shortening hours,
the Gazette increased its full time staff from six to
eight, giving employment to two men with families,
increasing their buying power. Subscription, job
printing and advertising prices have not been ncreas-
ed The increase in expense has been met in two ways:
first, determined effort has been made to col
lect outstanding accounts which amounts to paying
wages from book profits of prosperous days. Sc
cond a slight increase in business has helped. OBJ
viously the first of income is limited only
hope being that the in business will continue
and multiply.
The contention that the NRA has increased pres
beyond reason is not justified. The above example is
one of MANY where no price increase has resulted to
date There are examples Of goods formerly produced
in sweat shops paying unbelievably low wages which
are greatly increased in price. Few familiar with
such practices will object to paying fair prices There
are examples where manufacturers sought to proteer
or boosted prices beyond in the belief that costs
would go higher than they have. In some such IN
stances adjustments downward already being
made The government is investigating reports OF
greediness.
What many people fail refuse to see is that the
entire Roosevelt program is made up of small threads
braided together The resulting cord is expected to
pull us out of the were in. Some OF the