The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1939-06-15

set forth in skeleton form some
of the most vital problems and a
possible approach to their solution.
Problems are:
LIST. Reciprocal attitude OF bus
mess men and farmers. II is as
serted by some that the farmers or
our district will resent any action
on our part dealing with agricul-
tural matters. This, / believe, TO
be serious mistake. They viii nat
urally resent any attempt OF ours TO
tell them what they ought TO do.
But the problem Of farm income Is
no more theirs than IL is ours. Low
or absence OF farm income may
strike the farmer first, but the dis
aster to them Is not SO great In the
final analysis as IL is TO the busi-
ness man. In former years the
huge payrolls incidental to the pro-
duction, harvesting and marketing
Of the fruits meant regular and
profitable revenue to the business
man even though the farmer went
broke in the operation. Those pay
roll days are q thing OF the past.
They are not likely 70 return. With
out them the doom OF the business
man in this small community Is
sealed unless he is able TO continue
in business supported by farm in
come, a portion Of which Is net
profit. Hence the farmers income
is no less vital TO the business man
than to the farmer himself. be-
lieve we would be tremendously sur
prised at the favorable results II
the whole problem Is approached
as life and death struggle on the
part OF all OF US rather than as q
matter OF the business man doing
something for the farmer merely
for his own benefit. ] suggest there
fore that II survey committee Is
appointed the first step be TO con-
tact farm groups and representa-
tives with view to arriving at q
common understanding and a COM
mon agreement with respect to the
course to be followed.
End. Our most immediate problem
Of consequence is the marketing OF
Iour early crops. particularly aspar-
agus. Strawberries, early potatoes
and perhaps soft fruit. Any study
of this problem must involve
careful and thorough examination
of varieties Of Strawberries in rela-
ton to marketability, the process
ing Of Strawberries and asparagus.
protection OF growers against the
peddler via truck, the disposition Of
Gull products, the dumping Of Cali
fornia produce upon the Northwest
markets for the obvious purpose OF
bearing the market for the benefit
OF certain types OF brokers and 9TH
er middle men, and other matters
dealing with marketing which may
in any manner affect the farm in
come. BY no means can such a
study overlook the Importance Of
local processing, both from the
standpoint of increased income from
the crop itself, but also from the
employment standpoint as well,
which means employment of people
from the farms as well as from the
town.
Bird. No single factor is OF so
much importance to the farmer as
the matter OF FINANCES. He is now
compelled In large part 10 depend
upon the agency employed TO market
his crop. He buys from the agency
and sells through the agency. He Is
continuously indebted, and there
fore bound To the agency. He needs
desperately TO be afforded some
means Of Financing himself which
will leave him wholly independent
of the avenue through which he
sells. No survey can be complete
which ignores the question OF fin
ancing l..e farmer during the
growing season.
9Th. The method Of marketing.
Any committee making a careful
and comprehensive study of this
question will discover that there
are now at least four methods in
general use in the state:
(a) The general cooperative
plan.
(b) The selling agency which
makes OF a so-called cooperative
mere assembling agency for q
broker.
(c) The pool system for individ-
ual crops.
(d) The cash buyer.
No grower should pay TO any sell
ing agency or cash buyer handling
supplies net profit upon the sup
plies used in the production OF the
crop to be sold through the agency
furnishing the supplies. He will be
compelled to do SO, however, SO long
as he is compelled to depend upon
the agency for his financial back
ing. The problem commands the
most painstaking study.
5th. The fifth and final problem,
so far as this letter is concerned, Is
not at all pretty to look at. We are
(COutiuusd on Pare gl