The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1943-08-06
What Co-ops Harvest.
Hear Voice of Wheat.
What 1t Will Ask.
Much Is At Stake.
Grain Loans Are Up.

Grain Loans Are Up.
Everybody knows about ears Of
wheat. 1t is not hard to recall the
quotation: 1.-THE earth bears fruit Of
itself; first the blade, then the ear,
then the full grain in the ear" That
was spoken to outline the growth and
progress of an idea great principle.
In a similar way could be measured
the growth of the cooperative idea
in the northwest over a period of
thirty years. First, as green blade,
| it sprung up on the prairies but it
gave no return to those who planted
the seed. All they had was the prom
Use it gave Then came the ear-the
formation of the kernels which still
werewithout value to the sower. At
last came the full grain in the ear,
seen in the $50 local, farmer-owned
cooperative elevators and in the great
terminal elevators at every vantage
point in the northwest These return
to the farmer the harvest of patron
age dividends for which he planted,
years ago.
Now comes new one-the voice
of wheat. The man with a bit of
imagination has heard it, when a gen
tie breeze stirs the leaves of the
plant. There can be heard a rustling
murmur, as though the stalks whisp-
cred and the heads were close to-
gether in an undertone of speech. So,
the voice of wheat is not just an emp
ty phrase. 1t has it's origin deep in
the beginning of things. 1t speaks in
low tones, stifled phrases-but if it
did not, mankind would perish, for
the end of time had come. So long
as its voice is heard, so long will
there be "seed for the sower and
bread for the eater" Nations perish,
whole races disappear, but the voice
OF wheat remains, pledge and a
promise to mankind that want, hun
ger and famine shall not prevail.
When next you hear the wheat talk
ing quietly, recall THAT thought. 1t
has in it all the elements of a prayer.
That is why the campaign which
opens in Kansas City the first week
in August is being called the voice
of wheat" 1t will be heard all over
the Is wheat producing states. 1t
will ask that the men and women
who give their lives to producing the
grain for the bread of many peoples
be given a fair recompense for their
Toll. 1t will ask that they be not
punished by having taken from them
10 per cent of the amount it costs
them to plant, to harvest and to
thresh that grain. It will ask that of
the congress of the United States, and
particularly the House of Representa-
t1ves, whose members-influence by
those who have been denounced as
American Fascists - have denied
Just return to the growers of wheat.
VINO Will make the voice of wheat
heard? The only cooperative bust
ness activities that have taken an in
-erest in any legislation to benefit the
farmer. The Farmers Union, the
ITA, the National Federation of
Grain Co-operatives and U. S. Sena-
'ors from the wheat growing states.
lnese are the forces which converge
1t Kansas City to plan not only to
lssail an obdurate house but to get
ne nation and the wheat farmers
'roused and educated as to situa-
ion that has become intolerable. It
VIII not do to put off action or to
lppear Indifferent. Too much is in
'olved. A matter of more than fifty
million dollars, rightfully the property
# the wheat producers, is at stake.
Meanwhile the schedule for the
;CC grain loan values is out. The
TIA took care of that and has copy
the hands of every coop and affil-
ated local elevator manager. The
pan value will practically in
ther years = set the market price.
hat loan value is IS per cent of its
rue value, known as the parity price.
ne GTA handles those loans for
armers without making a service
harge IL you have farm storage or
an get elevator storage, it is wiser
get loan and hold the grain off
lie market. 1t is possible that the
rice may rise if the voice of wheat
listened to by congress. In any
vent, no loss is likely, so long as the
arket price and the loan value re-
aln on a par. The. loan value of
heat this year is 10c above the loan
alue last year and the loan value of
ak is 45c above last year, with an
1d1tlonal 7c advance for farm stor-
sc.
lOME GAMERS WARNED
Home Gamers have been warned
: the U. S. Department of Agricul-
re against the use of canning pow
nd al oh