, 1935-03-17

these SUBJECTS. anQ l say, without
reservations, that the Agricultural
Adjustment Act aid this agree
ment were drawn for the benefit
OF the producers and not the ship
pers, and that independent ship
pers can not be expected 10 put
aside their own interests when they
are IN contravention TO the inter-
ests Of the producers.
Until the independent shippers
on your control committee are put
in a most decided minority, the
committee will never function to
the benefit Of the producer.
I, therefore, recommend that in
the future. II IL Is possible, that
the personnel Of the committee be
composed Of three members from
the Rio Grande Valley Citrus Ex-
change having the largest tonnage,
and n member representing the
other smaller cooperatives, one men,
Der from the American Fruit Grow
erS Inc. and one member from the
T. c. X, and III member repre-
senting the independent shippers
OF the Valley. and one member
elected by the growers at large
without regard to their afflliatiou
with any organization, and that
the Secretary Of Agriculture APP
point an ~uninterested party as his
direct representative. as administra-
tor with veto powers and the odd
vote. This man may be in effect
a practice dictator. and the COM
mittee onIy act in an advisory ca
pacity.
MY reasons for the above state
ment are as follows:
Growers Must Control
The C-o0peTatives and the Ameri-
can Fruit Growers and IT. G. X
viii naturally elect their managers
OF sales managers as their Com
mittee members, for through years
OF experience, they are acquainted
with marketing conditions, which
are the only actual problems with
which the committee has to deal
These men Will represent the grow
erS. They have everything 10 gaiI
and nothing TO lose by voting fol
measures Tor the growers bene
Ill. The one grower should b.
elected by, and represent the grow.
erS' interests, as a whole, without
regard TO utilization with any or.
ganization. AS a general rule. far
meTS and growers unfortunately
know very little OF the marketing
problems involving their products
and this member should be con.
sentative OF business experience.
AS TO the independent shipper
member: there is little excuse FOL
UGH a man being on the commit
tee at all. as the Agricultural Ad-
JuStment Act and the agreement l.
distinctly for the benefit Of TIT
grower and not the shipper. How,
ever, II one OF the conservative
linking shipper were elected to The
position. he might be an asset a.
representative OF that part Of tn
Independent shipper element which
IS dependent upon certain growers
FOR a living. even though they arr
not required for the success OF the
industry from the grower point o.
view.
One Of the great cries in Wash
ingtOn has been for agreements
which allow each industry to rur
itself. The citrus industry in Flor
ida and Texas has demonstrated
that II is unable TO conduct its af'
fairs with profit to the growers. Ir
California the agreement Is work
Ing almost TO perfection, because sc
per cent Of the growers belong 70
and are represented by the Califor-
mia Citrus Growers Exchange arc
Mutual Orange distributors. They
prosper while Texas and Florids
take up all their time and the grow
ers' profits Is disagreements.
Holds umbrella"
There are two classes Of grower.
in the Valley-the cooperative grow
er, who is willing 10 take his chan
ces with his neighbor so that tht
cooperative movement will finally
control prices. volume and distrl'
button. The other class land here
is where / step on some toes with
out Apology Is the class Of oppor'
tunist growers, who frankly say thai
the exchange is a fine thing fol
the Valley, and holds up the UNI
brella for all. but who want 10 stay
out OF the ranks so that they car
sell green fruit when they please
ship their fruit when they please
and support the cash buyers and In
dependents. who are fighting the CO.
operatives and their grower mem
bers and breaking the markets.
AS TO the independents hops
that many OF them are my persona
friends, but as TO business and tht
interests OF the industry-we DO no
agree. No one a deny our sllega'
lions, when we say that II Is 10 th'
best interests OF the cash buyer u
buy as cheaply as he can, and 60
ing a little bit further, Mr.. Grow
er, II you and / we're Independent
shippers, We would have TO be hon
est and say that We would buy frui
from the growers as cheaply as w
could and sell II as quickly and 10
the best price that we could get.
know personally independent ship
pers. who. / think, are inherent,
honest, but being In the shippinI
business. they are going TO buy a
oheaply as they can from the grow.
er ard make as much money as the.
can, and they do not hesitate 10 sa,
so.
Most of our shippers r school
bows" and "green-horns' in thei
knowledge OF the markets. They rol
their ears until they are afraid tn
banker will call their drafts. thel
they get panicky. and II they can
Get the market nrice. they sell be