The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1941-01-16
Farmers Seek Parity
In Nations Market
BY DOROTHEA KAHN

Use of Government benefit checks
as means of sustaining the buying
power of the Nations farm families
is being questioned by leading farm
organizations.
Important rural groups are consid-
ering ways to jack up farm prices to
normal levels without benefit pay
ments. A number of "fair-price plans"
are being advanced.
Not that farm organizations want
| Government payments for acreage re-
duction abolished before a substitute
program is worked out. That, they
say, would be disastrous. But they are
) practical enough to see that a Govern
ment cannot continue to pay out mil
lions (the amount was $212,000,000
last Year, without hope of ever get
ting the program on a self-supporting
basis or even of attaining the goal of
parity prices,
The election indicated to farm lead
ers the trend Of sentiment. When the
Willkie- McNary ticket carried in some
! of the biggest mid West farming
States, it was clear that Senator
Charles McNary's two-price plan was
at least not Objectionable to many
farm voters. Farmers appear to be
DESTROYS of keeping the main frame
work of the AAA, as Wendell Willkie
indicated. Their conventions were viz
tually unanimous this year in support
of the soil-conservation program, crop
loans, crop insurance, and some other
features. But farm folks would like to
find a substitute for outright cash aid
from the Government.
Security Is Goal
AS was said by Erwin F. King,
leader of the movement within the
National Grange for plan Of regu-
lating prices: Farmers do not want
handouts in the forms of subsidies OF
doles They want economic security
and independence" They want prices
at the market place that will enable
them toebuy paint for their barns,
clothes, furniture, school books. But
with prices as they are today-about
II per cent of their pre-World War
purchasing power-the average farm
er, they, must look to Washington for
cash to supplement farm income.
For the last seven years farmers
have accepted benefit payments as
the only way to maintain decent
standard of living. The American
farm plant was producing too much;
SURPRISES were dragging down prices.
Returns for the things the farmer
sells-Wheat, corn, cotton-were not
keeping pace with the things he buys
farm machinery, clothes, furniture.
Industrial wages were being bolstered
by legislation. Manufacturers had
their Fair Trade Practices Act.
Transportation costs were regulated.
In world of controlled prices, farm
ers held they could not be the only
ones expected to carry on business
without protection. They accepted
benefit payments as emergency re-
lief. But how long can they expect
them to continue?
Last year farm groups had scare
when appropriations for benefit pay
ments were questioned in Congress.
This year there was concern again
until news came out that an appro-
priation of $212,000,O00 was included
in the Federal budget. But that sort
of thing can't go on Indefinitely. The
President of the American Farm Blu
reau Federation, No. / supporter of
the AAA program, put the matter
frankly before members of his organ
ization.
Way Must Be Found
"The plain fact is" said Edward A.
O'Neal, chat the energies and the
resources of this country are going to
be concentrated on the national de-
Tense program for the next few years,
and that means it is going to be diff
cult to secure appropriations from the
Federal Government to bring farm re-
turns up to parity, regardless of how
good case we may have in demand
ing such appropriations. That means