The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-10-28
Darkest Before Dawn

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matter herein are also reserved.
Darkest Before Dawn
One need not be Pollyannaish to
remark, of the current agricultural
situation. that it is always darkest
just before the dawn. It may be SO
in our case.
Take, for example. the current ef-
forts which are being made to raise
agricultural prices. They may not be
Immediately effective, may even fail
in the long run. yet they have &C.
complished definite and worthwhile
results and bid fair to accomplish
more
The first evidence OF this comes In
the slightly improved prices for GER
tain farm products. They are not
what they were in July, it Is true, but
the initiation bug was active then.
It is more wary now.
The second evidence. important to
this area, will come soon with dis
tribution Of the wheat allotment
checks. They will be potent remind
ers that the government has not for
gotten the farmer. Even the most
cynical will see in them concrete EVIL
dence OF interest. There will be 9TH
crs. for this region will share, II only
to small extent, in the benefits Of
the corn-hog control program and
the compromising tax on beef cattle,
the most hard pressed major industry
in this region.
But the big benefits, II the thing
works out according to schedule, are
yet to come When production is
scaled down to consumption We will
have opportunity to see in action
that magic economic law about which
srouters long have gone into spasms.
We may yet see the time when the
farmer will get more for so bushels
Of wheat than he used to get for 100
and when-which is more to the
point-every farmer will have 50
bushels Of wheat to sell.
But the whole thing takes time.
The situation which We now face is
the accumulation Of years. It has
come upon us slowly and. conversely.
We can expect to climb out only
slowly.
The primary reason for this lack
Of speed lies in the very nature Of
farming operations. With the ex-
eeption Of alfalfa, the farmer raises
only one crop on given piece Of
land during year. In the language
Of business, his turnover Is slow.
This is not true Of most manufac-
turers, for example the makers of
shoes. Their output may be adjusted
much more easily. From raw leather
to the wearers foot may be only a
matter VI weeks.
For this reason the National Re-
covery Act has operated to help la
Dor much more directly and more
rapidly than the Agricultural Adj
justment Act has helped the farmer.
That Is the basis for the present COM
plant. There is no question that it
IS justified, although the atmos-
phere probably will be more cheerful
after those allotment checks have
come in.
The only course suggested by pres
ent critics Of the governments activi-
ties is direct initiation, q doubtful
remedy. 1t has never worked well
for the farmer in the nations where
it has been tried and this country
would hardly prove an exception. At
any rate, it does not seem now that
we are going to have It. The presi-
dents gold manipulations have taken
the edge off the currency imitation
demand since 1t Is, in way, a direct
means OF initiation and satisfies many
powerful interests demanding more
money In circulation and . raising Of
the price level.
What Is there left for the farmer
to do7 He may join the strike move.
meut. Is some are doing. or he may
Join others who prefer to string
along with The government. OF the
two courses. tho latter would seem to
be the best bet.