The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1946-09-20
Stock Market Slumps Continuing To Hold
Attention of American People

that wheat farmers should get ready
for a possible drop in world grain
prices after the current crop ending
next July. Last year, the United States
sold 1888 million bushels of wheat to
other countries. This year the United
States expects to sell about $50 million
bushels. The figure will drop to 200
million bushels in 1947-4S, and then,
according to the government, settle
down at around 100 million bushels
for number of years. How much the
price will drop is hard to say. Canada
figures a world price by then of
around $1.25 and 81 bushel Maybe
that is too low, but it is one country's
guess and right now, it is as good as
any other country's guess. Another
thing, if wheat prices drop, other grain
prices will drop too
when prices of grain drop, and if
the prices of things that farmers buy
stay up, that hits 26 million farm peo-
pie, not just handful of stockholders
playing rich with paper profits That
is why farmers had better buckle
down and do some Misunderstanding
for price protection and price stability.
For some months now, too many peo-
pie thought we would have prosperity
and stability for years to come. If
Wall Street did one thing, it woke
them up. IL showed that in spite of
the big demand for goods and the
present high level of employment and
income, we still have great economic
We really have done moth
ing to stave off another depression.
1t has done another thing. 1t has
porved that free-wheeling business
cannot go it alone, and that is no in
dictment of private business.
Farmers Want Planning
There are some things it can do
other things that it cannot. The farm
ers are just as interested in a sound
business economy as any other group,
but they want Misunderstanding by
business and labor and finance along
with agriculture so the planning fits
nto a pattern that benefits the whole
nation, and to do that, you cannot rely
on private business. Pri-
rate business must protect its pro-
its and its assets 1t must keep out of
he red. The easiest way that ii does
his is not to make more than it can
sell. 1t cuts down its output as it slows
is production. When it does that, peo-
pie are laid off. When people are laid
If, paychecks stop. There are fewer
buyers. The market gets smaller More
people get laid off. Round and round
he trouble grows That is the way it
las been. It's about time for a change.
Planning can help to take up the
lack. Planning and government reg
lation can help to do the job.
Our trouble in the past has not
cen too much planning. 1t has been
20 little planning. We always were
30 little and too late. That was true
| the 1930's, true of OPA, true of
else we tried, but now we
ave chance to be on time. There
re many plans being talked about 1t
matter of having these plans
eced together into a national plan.
ere in the Northwest, the farmers
ave been hearing a great deal about
lie proposed National Agricultural Re-
tions Act which has the vigorous
acking of GTA as a pay-as-you-go
lrm program for price protection and
rice stability.
And as a cooperative engaged in
cling the farmers grain, GTA be-
ewes that the first responsibility of
business is not profit alone, but
srvice. That is why the thousands
i'd thousands of farmers who own it
~ that:
GTA is the COOP WAY"