The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1949-06-17
Brannan Plan Must to Save Agriculture

Farmers aren't the only people who should sody be
hind the rannan farm The man in overal and tn
little businessman too should be vitality interested seeing
that such enacted by the replace the
Hope-Aiken Act next January /.
American agriculture generally is only arms length
from financial disaster For many months farm produce
prices have been declining while machinery and operating
industry has been in the economic dodrums Many sheepmen
have had to quit Truck farming particularly
part of the nation has been in depression for than
two years. thanks to marketcornerng by A&P and other
mammoth distributors
The grain grower has already begun to feel the
pinch of sharply declining prices and because of lacking
facilities has not been able to avail himself of
ent federal supports His position likely will be considerably
worse by the time the 1949 harvest is H. since the national
wheat gut already plagung that vital of American ag
culture shows promise of being
The notSosmal grain grower even though he may have
ample storage will also find himself against the
nomic blaze after January when the Hope-Aken law
takes effect and wheat support prices slip low so
cent of parand almost automatic bankruptcy for all
large corporation farms which operate at profit 6O
of parity.
Put in another way the Hope-Aken will spell disaster
to million or American family farmers. They
simply the todays farm oper
atng COSTS CO. to rs parity price support This
then unless realistic taken by the that
million or more small farmers and their families will become
"dispaced persons Either they will become
subsistenceevel wages they will to the cities
compete everncreasing numbers unemployed
workers contracting markeand this spells
longer and longer relief rolls.
For the little businessman in rural America such migra
ton away from his trade has equally omnous impca
tons In instances he will shortly follow the small farm
into bankruptcy.
not be- famytype farmers need not become DPneed
find themselves competing with urban labor in the job
Market rural businessmen need not be forced into bankruptcy
again into difficult struggle such characterized the
3O's.
not within the province of this editor to acclaim the
Brannan farm program perfect that it is the ultimate
ultimate in achieving staple farm However, after
having devoted considerable time studying the proposal
convinced that it's will be milestone for Amer
agriculture and particularly for several million small
family farmers Because of its placing emphasis the import
of protecting small farmers and preserving their posi-
ton in rural America offers firm foundation which
build rural economy for several generations to
And in providing foundation under agriculture,
follows that continued future be assured
small rural business. 1t likewise follows that such firm
prosperity not only will keep farm families from
moving urban but also make for continuing and
creasng markets for the products of American industry
May suggest you avail yourself of material the Bran
programstudy i-and then Let your congressman
senators know favorable action it this
of that it supplant the MISUNDERSTANDING
Hope-Aiken Act next January 1.
The nation-farmers, workers. businessmen af-
ford to risk economic collapse of observation-disclosures
goes down. will drag all the rest Of the down
with it into depression.
IN YFy