The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1943-03-19

agriculture have prevented t.
our farm plant to meet the w
James G.. Patton, president Of
the National Farmers Union, II
two-part article in the Nation
for March and 10, 1913.
Without plan for about produc
ton in the past two years, agricul
ture has been unable to protect its
resources of experienced manpower
machinery, fertilizer and other sup
plies. Now that these are all critical
ly short, panicky efforts are being
made to repair the damage, not with
the hope of increasing food produc-
ton in 1943, but in a desperate effort
to keep it from falling below 1912
levels.
Until the people speak, farming as
usual will continue to produce too
little, too late, too dearly"
On March 5, Patton proposed to
the Economic Sterilization Board, of
which he is a farm member, an i'm
mediate, specific program for increas-
ing food production by $1,500,0O0, 900
at present consumer prices. The fed
eral government, he said, should ap-
propriate Immediately up to one bill
lion dollars to expand the nations
farm plant by one-sixth. Another bill
lion and a third dollars, he said,
should be invested in the followed
two years.
or the initial billion dollars, 1,2OO,-
900 farm operators now producing
from $500 to $1,000 in farm commodl-
ties should be advanced an average
of $500 apiece for machinery, supplies,
seed, fertilizer or feed. At least $780,
100000 should be used ito mobilize,
train, and transport-and maintain la
Dor standards for-most OF another
two million farm families who have
so little land, equipment, and other
resources that it is advisable to find
them employment as farm laborers
during the war emergency, thereby
giving the top million farms the farm
bred labor they need. 1t may be that
some of this labor can be spared for
requirements in industry as induc-
lions into the armed services continue
at the rate of $4,000 a day"
Patton also proposed mobilization
and orderly use of farm labor, more
efficient utilization of farm machinery
by pooling in farmers co-operatives,
better use of farm credit, prices and
production goals, price floors, crop IN
surance, indignation of all farm agen-
cies, expansion of county and town
ship committees to include representa-
ton of all types of farmers and farm
labor, and the conversion of food mar
keting, processing and distribution
practices to meet war time needs.
Although it is now too late to get
in 1943 the maximum production OF
which American agriculture is cap
able, it is not too late to step it up
More important, it is not
too early to act to get the maximum
in 1914. And the world
will probably be hungrier in 1944-45
than in 1894"
For the probable food needs of the
next three years, our farm plant is
wholly inadequate, Patton points out.
Compared with the intensive farming
of Europe, American agriculture is IN
in it's use of land, machin-
cry and manpower. More than three
fourths of our farm families dc not
have enough livestock, tools, and 9th
er equipment to employ their full time
Many of them, compared |
to our large commercial farms, are |
grossly under-capitalized. In World |
War we met increased food demands |
by bringing more land under cultiva
ton. This time we cannot use that |
easy solution. We must expand pro
duction by investing in machinery,
fertilizer, feed and seed, and by better
of farming operations on
the land now occupied"
Food Patton says, has become a
political issue. Senators,
industrialists econo-
mists and editors want, one and all,
to be saved from food shortages and
public resentment 1.-THE grayest con-
sequence of a food scarcity will be
It's effect on the prosecution of the
war; The unity of the United Nations
will be destroyed if we betray the
starving millions of the countries we
promised to liberate. The less food
we have, the smaller the share that
will go abroad.
o |
"Thus food, which the secretary OF
agriculture said year ago would win
he war and write the peace may
ose the war and bring about revolu-
ions that will postpone real peace
=. AS a matter of pract-
cal politics, conversion of agriculture
o war is impossible until congress
eels the public demand. At present
congress is most conscious of the de-
hands of big agriculture seeking ever
higher prices, even at the risk OF in
lation Closer attention and courage
Jus leadership by the administration
will help. But the people have the
asst word"