The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1945-03-23
CONTENDS FARM
SECURITY CALLS
FOR ACTION NOW
Contributed

Farmers of Grant county South Da-
kota heard M. w. Thatcher, general
manager of the Farmers Union Grain
Terminal association and president of
the National Federal of Grain Cooper
atives, make a plea for enactment of
enabling legislation by congress as a
means of helping them set up machin-
cry to stabilize prices and production
and to give them "a place at the eco
nomic table" in the postward period,
at a meeting at the city auditorium
here last Friday.
The plan sponsored by Mr. Thatch-
err and the grain co-operatives is the
national agricultural relations act.
The plan visualizes making use of ex-
listing farm agencies, ranging from
soil conservation to the Triple A, and
imposing a farmer-elected overall
regulatory board to maintain price
structure and production quotas that
would assure farmers of their fair
share of the national income"
"The need for sound planning now
is a matter that concerns not only
the farmer" Mr. Thatcher said. at
concerns every merchant on Main
street, every professional man and
every banker, as well as the railroads
and industry which look to agricul-
ture for a market" In this north
west we are, all farmers, whether we
realize it or not, he pointed out - all
on the soil.
He said that unless a national in
come of $40 billion can be main
tanned after the war, our present econ
omy is in danger of collapsing. Pay
ment Of interest on, and retirement
of, the national debt alone, requires
that much of a national income, unless
the standard of living of the entire
nation is to suffer.
This cannot be achieved without
full employment and full produc-
ton, he told his audience. That
is why it is essential that the farm
ers move to act now. They repre-
sent the "broad base upon which
our democracy and economy rest"
he said.
The national agricultural relations |
act already has been endorsed in prin- |
,iple by farm organizations in Mime
sofa and the Dakotas, part of the
National Farmers Union, as we'll as
~ regional organizations of the Ma
ional Federation of Grain Co-opera-
ives, which extend from Indiana to
he Pacific northwest and from the |
Canadian border to the Texas Pan.
handle, he said.
Mr.. Thatcher urged that boards
or committees be set up to repre-
sent the farmers of eaech major
commodity, who by majority vote
express their desire for creation of
such regulatory body. Using
wheat as an example, he said that
the plan might function in this man.
ner, under a proposed national agri-
cultural relations act.
Mr.. Thatcher stated that under
lational agricultural relations act the
armer would pay his own way, in
tead of asking congress to bail him
ut each session" He said that every
armer recognizes that no large group
f the population can expect to re-
eve grants from the federal treasury
or any long period of time.
1.-THE best that can be expected is
or the farmer to recognize that all
BUSINESS lives under a legislative
economy, that it is ruled by laws and
equations" he said. "The thing for
he farmer to do is to secure ma
ional agricultural relations act or
imilar enabling legislation that will
clip them to participate in that leg
slated economy"
He said that the cost of operating
the program would be paid for by
the farmers, on premium of sew
eraI cents a bushel on wheat, for
example, which would also cover
losses sustained by selling any
grain on world market at prices
below the domestic market.
"This is price nsurance-protectio
gainst 30-cent wheat" he said. "Peo-
lie accept life and accident, and fire s
nd theft insurance, and pay for pro- {
ection That is what this payment