The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1941-07-03

Runaway horse!'
It's a long time since I've heard
that cry that used to bring boys out
of the barber shop and the livery
stable on Main Street and send the
buggies to hugging the curb. Then
down the street he'd come. head-up.
wild-eyed, name flying, the driver
hat off, jaw set. feet against the
dashboard and the wagon bouncing
on one wheel.
Well, you may hear that cry again
soon for there's a nervous animal
with bit in its teeth right now that
has some of the folks in the depart
ment of agriculture pretty worried.
Its name is farm prices" and it
has been pretty skittish of late.
By the time this appears in print
Uncle Sam may have a curb in it's
mouth.
I talked with the governments Of
fetal wild-horse tanner. Leon Hen
derson administrator Of the
OPACS, Office of Price Administra-
ton and Civilian Supply this morn
ing and right now he is inclined to
let farm prices have their head and
see if the farmer himself cannot
keep them in control until they ad-
just themselves to parity.
Legislative Teeth.
If he can't Mr.. Henderson will
take a hand and the way things
look now congress will probably
give the OPACS legislative teeth. If
that has not happened by the time
you read this. put it down in your
book that it is coming: a law that
will mea fine or Jail for the people
who do boost prices beyond any
figure the OPACS sets.
Right now all the department of
agriculture is doing is begging,
pleading, imploring that the farmer
keep his shirt on.
Don't set your sites any higher
than partly" is the message an
official asked me to carry to you.
You are going to get parity" he
added. with conservation payments
plus the IS per cent parity law. And
for heavens sake don't 60 into an
orgy Of land-buying the way you did
in 1917 for if you do the old cycle
will be here again: imitation, def1a-
ton and disaster!
"Of course part of the trouble
which the farmer hasn't anything to
do with, is caused by the specula-
tors" he said. Since speculation
in wheat and corr futures is now re-
duced to a minimum the idle hands
of the produce gamblers have found
other work to do. They have turned.
to cite one example, to the humble
soy bean, now $1.40 a bushel. If
you go to Chicago and look at the
Exchange you'll find more brokers
crowded into the little bean pit than
there are in the corn pit.
Supply and Demand.
Shortage of ships, and high ship
ping rates are legitimate reasons
for the increase in soy bean values
because the supply of fats and oils
which we have to import is reduced.
But the farmer a help in this case
for the department of agriculture
has taken off the restriction on rails
ing soy beans for sale instead Of
blowing the unripened plants under
for conservation purposes. Harvest
the beans. Supply will ease the de-
mand pressure and help keep the
prices normal"
That supply-and-demand factor is
one reason why Leon Henderson has
not been so concerned over the farm
price situation. The threat of cur
tailed supply in farm products does
not compare with the threat of cur
tailed supply in other lines. like
aluminium, copper and other essen
tials for defense.
Henderson lists the reasons for
general price rises this way:
!. Ocean freight rates-that ap-
plies to coffee. cocoa. shellac. rub
Der and a lot of other things we
don't grow in this country.
2. Wage rates. Even if they are
not always a genuine cause for
boosting prices they are excellent
excuses.
3. Pressure to get food for Brit.
ain. Incidentally this has caused
cheese prices to 60 up because a
lot Of cheese is being boarded for
higher prices. 1t is one of the chief
needs Of Great Britain.
4. Then, the thing we have men.
toned before. the extraordinary in
crease Of money in the wage-earn-
er's pockets due to unemployment.
l asked Henderson what the big
gcst obstacle to keeping prices down
was and his answer reminded me