The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1943-01-08
III ...,:c+
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F.U.O.T.A..

SVrIosTgS/
",
Our Benefactor.
The Govt Is Out.
Soldiers in Burrows.
He Figured Right.
Not a Profiteer.
The advent of food rationing, among
other things, will lift the blackout of
Indifference to the farmer and his
handicapped job of feeding hungry
mouths Until now he was accepted
as we accept the air we breathe and
be around somewhere, in the back
woods, because we were always able
to go to the corner store and bring
home the bacon and other comestibles.
He was less of person, with his
trials and difficulties, than he was a
sort of machine that existed to supply
our bodily needs. Our reactions to
him were confined to the two ex-
tremes-if farm prices fell, we were
lucky; if farm prices rose, that farmer
was getting to be gypper and a
chiseler who should be investigated
Before this year is out and we are
cut off from our accustomed rations,
that attitude is bound to change. We
a human being, but as the benefactor
of mankind.
There must have been something
like this behind the qualification
voiced by M. w. Thatcher and other
farm leaders over the appointment of
Claude r. Wickard, secretary of agri-
culture, as food administrator. Wick
ard was one of those unknown farm
ers before he became a member of
President Roosevelt's cabinet and he
Is not the type of man to play down"
his own. He now has power to tell
he people of this nation not only what
they shall eat, but how much! There
will be taking in of belts on large
scale and before it is over the chances
are that many spare tire will melt
rom the rotund frames of those who
nave, in an era of abundance, lived
70 eat. 1t is an arrangement for
health and those who have the money
can buy no more than those who have
barely enough to provide necessities.
Under that system, govt and kindred
disease of high living, disappeared in
Britain.
So when Food Administrator Wick
ard announces the rationing of canned
and dried fruits and vegetables and
,ells us that we must get along with
/ little more than half of the quantity
If these goods that were available In
PEACE times, we look around and say,
me to another Say, what dye sup
,ose these farmers have been doing
Lying down on the job?" That is a
rood question and every farmer will
)e tickled pink to answer it. He did
lis stuff-he raised about one-quarter
more last year than in any previous
rear. He was in there pitching every
minute, and is proud of 1t. If there !
re soldiers of ours in the trenches |
here were soldiers at home in the |
urrows. The shortage is not due to
he farmer-it is due to the necessity |
or dividing with our allies, to keep |
hem fit, and also to the necessity of |
eeding the five million or more of
ur men, in army, navy, coast guard
nd marines, from the far-off East
ndies to the shores of Tripoli. Those
oys must eat, if we go on half ra-
ions.
But how about the more recent or
er of Mr.. Wickard, raising hte price,
r lifting the ceiling price" on flour?
Vas that necessary-w the big sur
lus of wheat on hand? 1t was-if
on are going to eat bread next year,
or years the government has been
a 100 per cent parity price
,r wheat and the farmer has been
citing IS per cent and less of that
arity price. He took that discrimi-
an. But this year he is up against
new set of difficulties. He is short
farm implements, of power, of help
nd of other essentials to production.
e is not going to stick out his neck
" more of what he has been getting.
e will not-he can not-produce as
3 did, under these war handicaps
he only way to get him a parity
ice was to lift the price of flour, so
lie price of wheat on the market
light ascend in proportion. That is
st what Wickard figured-and he
cured right.
The farmer is not profiteer-never
Is been. But if it costs him more
r help and costs of production rise,
, must get that back in the price
the grain he sells. Secretary Wick 5
d is out there swinging for the (
rmer and when the returns for 1943 5
e all in he will be credited with
wing done more for the farmer than
" other man in the administration
ID with having done less to hurt or
ulct the average consumer than was
me in any previous war period in
g history of the United States.
en- on railroads, and they are wanted
8 flagmen, gatemen, patrolmen,
atchmen, foremen, and section men,