The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1946-05-31
FARMERS HOLD UP THEIR END
BY ]. e. Jones

Washington, D. c., May 81, 1916
American agriculture is not on a
normal basis, due to labor shortages,
the lack of farm machinery. Inter-
ferences from the Federal Govern
ment impose artificial restraints on
grains, cotton, dairy and food pro-
ducts and operations of our farms.
The land does it's part. Men may
come, men may go, men may strike,
ton, and agriculture keeps supplies
rolling to the markets-despite con-
fusing systems of control, OPA, and
interference by "brass hats" whose
methods challenge the very founda-
lions of what is called competitive
economics.
OF course the producers are an
xious 10 keep in step with the aims
and principles of our economic life.
But how can farmer toe the mark
and obey all the restrictions that are
imposed upon him by boards, organ
izations and directors that make the
charts and enforce them from Wash
ington:
Farmland is turning over fast and
the average increase in prices is now
almost 70 percent above prewar.
That's higher percentage than in
World War l, which brought on a
boom that forced thousands of farm
ers into bankruptcy. 1t can happen
again.
Sugar-Danger Signal of Imitation!
Wherever there is talk of sugar
the danger signals of imitation are
evidenJ, With indications that sugar
prices are being ticketed for substan.
| tial increase.
A very important angle of the
threatened onward and upward scale
of prices for sugar seems to have
come TO the surface in the past few
weeks. The direct increase in the
public's national sugar bill for home
consumption has already mounted in
to terrifically high figures-but thai
doesn't begin to tell the story.
| When you add to this the volume
of sugar also used in pharmaceutical
and in a number of foods bough
daily by low-salaried consumers
five-cent candy bars, boxes of crack
ers, ice cream, bottled beverages
the Nations total increased food bill
for sugar this year already reaches
staggering sums.
This extra money must come on
of someone's pocket-wko is to pa.
it?
Unlike many manufacturers o
other products who often want to Sc,
retail increase in the price paid TO
their merchandise, the producers o
the scent sugar-containing foods d.
not wish to see the public pay NOR
for these articles; these industrial
lists insist that they want to maintain
the scent retail price which the con
sumner pays for their products. The
are, therefore, fighting on the side o
the public against the inflationar.
situation which threatens to increas
the retail price of these scent sugar
containing prOuuCIS.
Their recent statements, particu
larly in the metropolitan papers, ais
remind us that sugar, the direct en-
ergy-producing unit, is found in thei
products, and that many low-salarie'
workers depend on being able to blu,
sugar-containing products for the 5
cents tkey can afford, in order t.
keep up their energy and health AM
well-being; if Increased sugar cost
should force these products to high
er prices, many low-salaried worker
would be hurt thereby.
4 Throughout the entire duration o
the war, these industries, who's
sugar-containing products are price
ment fiat, have periodically continu
ed to absorb higher prices and mater
ial costs, and kigh taxes, without in
creasing their selling price.
In addition to the obvious hardship
which a general raise in prices o
these necessary foods would enforc
upon the public, the actual imitation
airy cost of sugar in the total nationa
sugar bill would be almost beyon'
imagination. There are four factor
involved-frst, the increase paid di
rect by the consumer for suga
bought over the counter; second, tn
increase paid by the manufacture
for it as an ingredient; third, the in
creased price paid by the consume
for the manufactured product; ant
fourth, the fact that the increased
price paid by the consumer for tn,
manufactured product would Of ne
cessity have to continue beyond tn,
period of high sugar prices.
If we don't want to put our cand.
bars, boxes of crackers, soft drinks
and otner important sugar-cOntain