Askov American., 1942-05-07
Fact And Opinion
Roosevelt, the Farmers Friend.
By e. G. Stengelsen.

Roosevelt, the Farmers Friend.
The Farm Bloc in Congress is solid
ly opposed to the Presidents pro-
posal that a ceiling be placed over
the price of farm proucts, holding it
to parity. Further, they are block
ing his attempt to throw on the mar
ket the governments huge stocks of
surplus grain.
For the benefit of those to whom
the term, Farm Bloc" is vague, 1
give here the impression of news
paper commentators, the metropol-
itan press and anti-farm legislators
seek to create in the public mind
its makeup and character:
1t is made up of self-seeking poll
ticians, chiefly from the agricultural
state, who, needless of the effect on
our war effort, are playing section
alism and group favoritism. For no
better reason than to strengthen
themselves politically with their
farm constituency, they are ready to
penalize the rest of the country with
excessive food costs and to sabotage
the Presidents anti-inflation pro-
gram.
Unfortunately, there are enough
gullible and uniformed folk who
swallow this clap-trap and carry it
further. If they knew the facts
which commentators and press can
not but know, yet carefully avoid
disclosing, they might take wholly
different view of Mr. Roosevelt's par
ity proposal, for they would then
see how unjust and discriminatory
it is.
/ do not say that it is not polit-
ically advantageous to farm belt leg
islators to insist on 10 per cent of
parity as ceiling instead of Mr.
Roosevelt's 100 per cent; but I do
believe that in so doing, they are
actuated more by sense of fairness
and justice than by political self
seeking.
How many of the fasteners and
city dwellers, who condemn the
farmer, are aware that while he rep
resents 80 per cent of the popula-
ton, he receives only 10 per cent of
the national income?
Yet, Mr.. Roosevelt's proposal would
hold him to this unjust and inequit-
able division.
A survey of working hours in the
country's industries, occupations and
professions discloses that the farmers
average work day is far longer than
that of any other group.
He has had but a small share in
the much-betooted American stand
ard of living. His standard is but
little higher than the lowest which
obtains in the cities. Consider, for
example, that only about 10 per cent
of the farm homes are equipped with
bath, only a small percentage with
electricity and but little more with
central heating plant.
BY and large, farm children are
denied educational advantages easily
available to city youngsters. To at
tend high school, the farm boy or
girl must board and room in town,
an expense most farm parents can
not afford. Consequently, the eighth
grade is about as high as most farm
children have an opportunity to
reach.
Generally speaking, the CONSOLE
dated school has not been found to
be the answer. The cost of build
ing and maintaining such schools
have resulted in taxes, burdensome
to such extent that they were almost
unbearable.
OF every dollar spent by the con-
sumner for bread, the farmer, who pro-
duced the grain, gets less than 20
cents.
1t is true that there as been an
increase in farm income. But those
who advance this as an argument in
support of the parity plan usually
take care not to mention that there
has been a porportionate increase in
the cost of the things the farmer
must buy. Actually, it has left him
but little better off than he was be-
fore.