The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-04-01
Michigan in
Washington
BY Esther Van wagner rufty

BY Esther Van Wagner Tufty
The United States is big couu.
try SO bis that Washington.made
policies mean one thing as inter.
preted i'm Utah and something else
again as interpreted IN Michigan.
Take the ease OF ottthe highway
farm gasoline. The Washington
farm experts wanted the farmer TO
get gasoline to run his tractor TO
step up war production. Some agen-
cy had TO tend to the allocating
The War Food Administration
seemed the log .cal selection TO the
OPA, charged with ratlonnE. The
WA decided the quickest way TO
contact all farmers was through
the already established AAA with
elected county and community com.
mltteemen The NAA was told to
pour out the sas in direct ratio to
to the number OF acres farmer
worked and the use he made Of
those acres Some farmers had
more power machinery than others
! he plan was flexible enough to
allow for Variances
Sitting here I'm Washington. that
all sounded sensible and workable
But then things began 10 happen.
Some farmers thought they had 10
sign up for the AAA program to get
any gas. More confusion WAS added
N many a state In the north cen.
trail region because the farmers
Nero called in TO sign up for two
war procedures simultaneously.
the war food program and the
oft-the.highway gas application
(This was done with the best OF In.
tentions TO prevent the farmer max.
ing an extra trip 10 meetings and
TO save administrative costsD
No doubt certain very ardent 10
cal AAA men did see in the gas al.
lotment program chance to sign
up some OF the rugged individual
lists baking the AAA program. Be
hind the issue flared the old preju.
dices between certain farm fac
lions.
Farmers began writing their con.
gressmen. One wrote Earl c. Mich.
ener, OF Adrian, Il have never been
a member OF the AAA as | do not
consider It right nor proper to &C.
cept money for work not per
formed, but now ! am informed by
our local AAA committee that |
will not be allowed to receive any
gasoline ration for my tractors I'M
less sign mp AND become mem
Der OF the AAA"
Alarmed when SO many farmers
sent in complaints that "AAA coun-
~ committee and inyest,g gators had
stated absolutely that farm gas
would be available only to those
who sign for the AAA program, -
the Adrian Republican started a
one.man Investigation
He collected letter from vii
liam s. Norton, chairman OF the
Jackson County Agricultural Con.
Seryst on Association. who en-.
closed a form letter sent to every
farmer. This made no request that
the farmer must sign up with AAA.
Another statement right from D.
rector OF the North Central AAA
division. Leroy X. smith, was an
official refutation.
Kitchener sent this official assur.
ance to one farmer. who replied
that many farmers signed the
crop program not knowing it was
the same old AAA' and that anoth.
or farmer because he was told he
would 20 TO war.if he did not "
The upshot is an amendment 70
the Department OF Agriculture an.
propriations bill An Amendment
ahich Kitchener SAYS possibly
goes little far Al this time" The
amendment would penalize those
persons found guilty Of this kind %
misrepresentation By withdrawal Of
salary.
The net result ~ all this viii
probably he some badly needed pub
Lefty to the national policy with
which the farmers have no quarrel.
Michigan tourists. vacationists.
and all those needing gas for the
operation OF motor bofats for non.
occupational purposes can look for.
ward to no curtalment in allot.
ments Of gasoline unless the IN.
yas'on demands are greater than
anticipated by the Office OF Price
Administration.
After series % Just completed
Washington meetings. the powers