The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-08-23
Parity and the DrOuth

maCter herein are also reserved.
Parity and the Dr0uth
Whether or not the agricultural
adjustment administration will be
successful will be determined this
winter, and by the city people rather
than by the farmers.
This is the unacceptable conclusion
after study Of the present situation
and the prospective increase in the
price of living, due mostly to the
drouth and in lesser degree to the
acreage curtailment program Of the
agricultural adjustment administra-
ton.
The nub of the whole business is
illustrated by price lists for common
food necessities last May and esti-
mates of probable prices next spring
on the basis of present production
and supplies in storage.
The average for 81 cities last May
was Ill cents quart for milk, 2e.6
for butter, 272 for round steak, 27.6
for leg of lamb, 1873 for smoked ham,
23.3 for eggs, cents pound for
white bread. A. cents for flour, 81
cents for potatoes, 1877 for oranges,
l1.3 for No. 2 can Of corn and lO.6
for No. 2 can OF tomatoes. All
items are priced on the usual retail
units, such as dozens or pounds.
Next spring, according to the esti-
mates, residents of the same 81 cities
may be paying 12.5 cents for milk, 1915
for butter, 1873 for round steak, 1872
for leg Of lamb, 30.3 for smoked ham,
SO for eggs. for bread, So for flour.
81 for potatoes, 40 for oranges, is
for corn and 14.6 for tomatoes.
The effect is to markedly raise the
price Of foodstuffs to the consumer,
presumably with an attendant in
crease to the producer. In fact, by
spring, it is probable that the long
sought parity between agricultural
prices and industrial prices will have
been attained.
Curiously enough. however, the
road by which the goal will have been
reached will have been as thorny for
many farmers as for city consumers,
for In districts where the crop has
been ruined by drouth, farmers will
be faced with the necessity OF paying
parity prices from which they had
hoped to benefit, for many farmers
will have to buy considerable food
this winter. In many cases gardens
have withered with the grain crop
and canned goods will be obtained
from the store rather than from the
cellar.
Thus, to discomfort which almost
certainly Is bound to be expressed in
the cities as prices rise, will be added
discomfort on some Of the farms. To
q great many in this area the achieve
ment Of parity will mean only an
added burden.
II 1t can be done, this unrest will
be translated into political attacks on
the AAA with the avowed intention
Of doing away with all agricultural
planning on the ground that 1t has
worked harm to the consumer and
has failed to benefit the producer. In
sections where the producer has be-
come q consumer, willy nilly. this
proposal may win support from the
unthinking, even though parity is the
goal for which we have struggled.
That 1t was achieved SO quickly and
in . way which none Of us like, Is
merely an accident.
The one bulwark against entire
abandonment Of the adjustment pro-
gram Is the support which it will re-
ceive in areas which have q crop. In
North Dakota, for example. Red River
Valley farmers are likely to favor its
continuance II they figure it has been
. real factor in the price situation,
for those people will have more pros
perity this year than they have
known In decade.
But the trend Of city opinion can
pretty definitely Be forecast. The
high cost Of living has not been an
issue In American politics for years.
because the city man has been getting
all the best Of 1t on q comparative
basis. But, now that the situation
has changed, It Is . cry which will
attract votes. II the farm country
wants to continue the AAA, either in
it. present or any other form, 1t had
better take = look at the situation
which now = beginning to develop
ana prepare to act accordingly.
Behind the Times or Else
ono Of tho troubles with bureau
cratic government Is it, inability to
adjust itself 70 changing condition.
1T that bureaucrats are not alone
= tnlg dlfficulty among politicians i
indiestsd py ths Demand. stu bsing
heasd Il sou1s quarters. for further