The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1944-05-25
News ( ~
BEHIND
THENR'||Nlll(l$fi||EE5|1
WIN Farmers Hu.n
"a Sell Livestock!
By PAUL MALLoN :

;e chort ana, InerelOiS, lliS poiiitS
..ara taken off to induce greater
c~"ns,mption. But consumption
!. sSnends these days primarily on
NV and also on price, rather
than on the number OF ration cou-
pons outstanding.
There is to be no change in price
and all the other economic factors
Of supply still prevail today
onlv the consumer coupon phase
having been removed. Will the
farmers rush any more or less
cattle or hogs to market as a
result of that single change? Or
will people buy more?
So also with the feed angle,
there is a large unobserved ques-
ton mark. Nothing has happened
lately! no new crisis has arisen in
that long dangerous condition to
explain the suddenness of Mr..
Bowles' step. The only develop
ment has been an adverse action
taken by the government itself.
The government went out to 100
odd western farm counties and
Communicated all corn supplies to
get enough to keep the processing
plants (cane syrup, etc. going. No
one in those counties can sell any
corn except to the Commodity
Credit corporation. Thus, the gov
eminent is getting enough corn for
the processing plants, but has left
less for feed.
What About Next Fall?
But say the scheme works as
Mr.. Bowles outlined it, and the
farmers sow rush more hogs and
cattle to market, and consumers
rush to buy this increased sup
oily. In that event, Mr.. Movies
Il nself said he may have to re-
NV rationing on these less de-
manded meats in the fall. He
could have made lit certain that
harder rationing than we have
known must follow the decline of
cattle and hogs available.
I'VE have no reserves of corn,
only little of wheat. The farmers
being sh0rthanded cannot be ex-
pected to cure the feed situation
unless providence enables fewer
hands to grow greater crop.
The corn feed crop will be
available in September or October,
but there is a presidential election
coming in November, and the
betting around here runs about 100
TO | that the much harder ration
ing which! seems to be in prospect
Tor fall will not be put into effect
until after November Z.
Indeed. the election factor
makes a more sensible ex-
planation for the removal of the
iationing than the others.
Nne Of this is said in criticism
OF Mr.. Bowles' administration,
only his excuse. His administra-
may be far from perfect, but it
looks like magnified efficiency
wnen compared with the earlier
henderson regime. Mr.. Bowles
mas been slowly correcting the
henderson mistakes both in orders
and in personnel, apparently even
tne biggest one of coupon ration
ing itself.
The government really rations
supply of foods before it gets
20 the consumer. It takes so much
lor the army, navy, lend-lease,
etc, leaving certain amount to
De distributed If that amount is
not sufficient to meet consumer
heeds-as has always been the
case-lt makes no difference how
many coupons you have. The rea,
fallonlng therefore, is done before
sseiilng to the consumer.
lou Must Be Early
AS everyone knows, unless you
are early in line at the grocery
.or Your butter, steak, or any ra-
Toned product, you will not get it.
ruin is there has always been less
ldtloned food available than cou-
pons. boarding could be prevent
gu more simply by limiting the
amounts to a customer.
a great deterioration in quail
ny OF meats aaliable here has
peen noticed in recent months.
nus IS due to the direct move
ment OF cattle from grazing to
market without going through
me feeder lots where they for.
merlY given corn.
Inc army and navy, however,
e getting good cuts of corn-fed
meats in this country.
Arch Seditionist is Dead
A. me ns arch seditionist" is dead
,ns oo-year-old man from a small
NIL MI IN kans as, who the mighty
tS suce department and it's FBI
;Susnt of sufficient importance to
M. uict Tor sedition with Jailed
Wis Wis and some other men and
All . agitators, and haul them
tnse I into court here in one
WITH uied In rooming house
the ~ cents in his pocket in
to,d lost of his trial. He had
co,,,s he Judge he was pauper and
his dot not afford an attorney for