The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1942-03-05

hiibit sales of farm commodities held
by the Commodity Credit Corporation
at prices below parity emphasized what
seems to me a basic fact about farm
parity which has not always been
clearly understood.
1t is an unpleasant fact that the
only way the farmer ever can obtain
parity prices for his products is for
the rest of us to pay higher prices for
our food, which means that our dollar
buys less food than before and to that
extent we must accept reduction in
real income or wages If we in turn
seek higher incomes or wages to meet
higher food prices, then prices OF
things the farmer buys go up and he
is still in the same position as before
and without parity. Parity is simply
measure of the purchasing power OF
the farmer obtained through prices OF
the products he sells as compared to
the prices of things he buys, with
the relationship which existed from
1909 to 1914, when that relationship
was reasonably fair to the farmer
! used as yardstick.
The real issue is whether con-
SumerS, as a measure Of justice to
farmers, will accept higher food costs
without seeking higher salaries OF
wages. The prices we have paid fol
| eggs, butter and meat through most
of the twenties and thirties have
| kept the farmer in a SweatShop as
bad as any in this country, the only
difference being that the farmer
worked his twelve hours a day in the
open air instead of in sitting fac
tory, which is the main reason farm
wages have been so low.
|
I I voted for the parity price bill
because it is my deep conviction thai
parity prices rather than government
subsidies are the permanent answer
to the so-called farm problem, and
believe we should accept the fact thai
parity prices mean that we must pay
more for. our food.
Farm prices are now or near parity
but with the goal in sight, the Ad.
ministration apparently wants to ust
surplus stocks of basic commodities j
owns to hold prices to Is per cen
below parity, making up the differ.
ence between market price and parity
| income to the farmer by subsidy con.
Servation and parity benefit payment:
out of the treasury. In other words
rather than tell us consumers thai
We must in fairness to farmers pay
higher food prices, so that we would
pay the cost Of parity as we go, the Ad.
miniStration would dodge that issue
keep food prices down and pacify
farmers by paying them subsidy from
borrowed funds which future genera.
tons will pay back in taxes. That just
doesn't make sense to me- It is true
that depressing farm prices would
tend to prevent imitation. but I fai
to see why farmers should be singled
out to bear the whole burden Of
stopping imitation.
|
Two recent items that are good news
to farmers:
Civilian Supply Director Leon Hen
derson announced revised rationing
orders under which trucks used to
haul produce and supplies to and from
farms are eligible for new tires. APP
plcations should be made to local Tire
Rationing boards.
The Goodhue Minnesota Plan, where
by all residents of rural communities
business men, high school boys and
women-mobilize to help solve the
critical farm help problem during
peak work seasons, not only has
spread all over Minnesota but is catch
ing on in the nation 1t is the real
American answer to the problem,
using community cooperation and
| neighborliness.