Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1942-07-23

Journal and Farmers Wife.
All of us now have our sugar ra-
toning books. Until after the wal
is over we shall no doubt continue
to use them, probably for many things
besides sugar. When there is, no,
enough of commodity everybody
needs, dividing up equally seems to
be a fair and sensible procedure
If the authorities find ways to pro-
vide reasonably for special needs
such as home canning and preserv-
ing, few will object to the slight
inconvenience as long as it helps win
the war.
The list of reasons officially given
for the necessity to ration sugar ap-
pears to have been correct as far
as it went, but it was not complete
No mention was made of the fact
little known to millions of consum-
ers, that American farmers have not
been permitted to raise sugar freely
In recent years beet and cane grow
ers within the 48 states have been
restricted to producing no more than
30 per cent of the nations total sugar
needs. The big end of the sugar
market, the other 70 per cent, has
been reserved for the U. S. territories
of Hawaii, Philippines and Puerto
Rico, for Cuba and other countries.
Our own territories are entitled to
share our market, but foreign nations
have been favored at the expense of
home farmers.
No small part of the present short
ages might have been averted had
the United States followed a con-
sistent program of developing home
production. Besides limiting sugar
little encouragement has been given
those who wanted to raise more vege-
table oils, nor to those who have
wanted research to enable American
farmers to grow the fibers, starches,
drugs and other items regularly paid
for and consumed by Americas peo-
pie. All these products are badly
needed now. Instead, the effort was
to extend the reciprocal trade idea
so as not only to reduce the quantity
of things grown on this country's
farms, but to discourage new crops
from being established.
While spending money for the AAA
and FSA on one hand, the policy
has been to refuse to build up the
new sources of production and profit
which might eventually make such
patchwork agencies unnecessary BY
depriving home agriculture of the
home markets, the need for govern
ment help to farmers has been con-
tinued. Government has beaten
farmers with one hand while patting
them with the other. The only real
solution to the farm income problem
is opportunity to produce more things
:: at fair profits.
The internationalists who favored
giving the U. S. farm markets to
other countries did not expect to be
confronted with situation when
sugar, rubber, burlap and oils could
mot be imported freely. They have
not yet admitted the damage their
ideas inflicted on the national de-
tense. Common sense, of course, al
= ways said that the nations strength
in crisis would be greater if we
produced every possible item of mill
tary or civil use within our owr
borders. The internationalists have
thus proved to be the true isola-
tionists. Their policies have isolated
Americans from rubber and burlap
/; and have isolated us from enough
:sugar and vegetable oils.
Mention of this now would have
no merit were it not that the same
individuals are doing most of thu
talking about how to arrange thu
world after the war is won. Event
have proved them wrong at ever.
point. With an unbroken record o
errors and failures, they presume t.
tell us how to shape tomorrow
Americans will, 1 hope, insist upol
maintaining u. S. sovereignty ant
the American opportunity to produc
and earn. The whole world vii
have to work its way up again.