Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1936-01-16
BY N. l.. TOWNE
President, Montana Farm Bureau

This decision stands as one of the
most momentous expressions in the
history Of the nation.
There probably has never been {
more significant or a more solemn &C.
casion for the farmers of this country
1t is evident hat the great majority
Of farmers realize this; it is equally
evident that there are many others
who do not.
1t is of more than passing impor-
lance that the second act passed by q
congress of the United States was d
tariff act extending the protective arm
of government to industry. For a CEN
fury and a third the constitutionality
of the tariff remained unchallenged
On the other hand, hardly was the ink
dry Oh the agricultural adjustment act
which has aptly been called the farm
ers' tariff, before corporation lawyers
were preparing briefs to persuade tn,
courts to declare the act unconstitu-
tional.
The real issue before this nation is
whether industry is to continue OPP
Grating under one set of rules and ag-
riculture under another. From the be.
ginning industry has received those
special aids and encouragements
which have curbed competition from
without and made production control
possible from within. Thus, industry
has been able to maintain a high price
level for its products. The people who
have the means pay the higher prices,
those who do not go without. How
much these higher prices resulting
from tariffs and production control
devices have cost the American peo-
pie can only be guessed at. There are
those who would argue that the cost
has been worth while because only
in this way could industry develop
But without discussing the worth
Wilderness of the policy, it is important
in this consideration only that this
is the policy.
On the other hand, up until the
passage of the agricultural adjustment
act the farmer had been forced tc
operate under a policy which has
been directly the opposite, probably
on the theory hat industry not only
should have direct aids to encourage
its development but also would re-
ceive the benefit of cheap food. Every
possible device was used to stimulate
the production Of crops and livestock
not for the purpose of making the
farmer more prosperous but always
with the idea that industry would be
more profitable.
When industry's market has de-
clined industry has closed its facto-
ries and laid off its men to keep prices
up by reducing production to profit
able demand. Heretofore, agriculture
aas been expected to keep or produc-
sng regardless of market and regard
ess Of price, trusting in a blind provi-
hence that somehow in the process Of
ceiling on an open market and buying
IN a controlled market enough would
be left to pay taxes, interest and other
ixd costs.
This two-policy system worked
;airly well during the long period of
expanding markets for farm products
and increasing land values, and while
low priced, productive land was still
available. Those enterprising and for
tunate farmers who could take advan-
tage of rising land values were in
fairly good circumstances even though
they had to sell their products at cost
Or less than cost. The trouble came
when markets disappeared, land val
nes dropped and when there were no
more cheap fertile lands to turn to.
The first acute symptoms occurred in
1920; they reached a climax in 1929.
The awful and tragic effects Of
three-cent hogs, 30-cent wheat and
ive-cent cotton were startling enough
% bring ever the most thoughtless
o a realization that something had to
De done about the farm problem.
The agricultural adjustment act
was passed as a result. There were
hose who looked upon it as an ex-
bedient to remedy a temporary price
Bituation. The farmers and farm lead
RS knew that it was not an expe-
lent and not temporary, that here at
asst was a first great step toward put
ing agriculture and industry under
he same rule.
The agricultural adjustment act
ives the farmer a chance to operate
5 industry does, to control his pro-
luction to profitable demand, to quit
reducing for a market that no longer
Exists, to halt the exploitation of his
Ind and his family.
Probably few in the cities realize
hat under the relentless forces in
|peration farmers were forced to ex-
ract the last possible cash crop from
lis soil to meet his fixed costs. Wo-
nen and children were driven into
he fields just as relentlessly by cold,
ard economic pressure as though a
lave-driver were standing owe them.
It the same time soils on millions OF
ores were being ruined by erosion
nd destructive practices. On the one
and, the nation was plunging rapid
y into a system of peonage for its
ural people, and, on the other, forces
& destruction we're at work which if
flowed to continue would leave the
alton dependent upon other parts of
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