The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1949-05-06
By VIC REINEMER

so it was a pleasant surprise when
became acquainted with Tom Alling-
ton of Sidney, Nebraska, a former
president of his Sunol community
local. A member of a seven-man
commission looking over the farm
machinery set-up for ECA, he spent
two months touring Europe and
French Africa.
1t was heartening to see a farmer
and Flu member over here making
responsible government surveys on
agricultural matters. No sidewalk
farmer, Arlington works 800 acres
and runs about 100 Herefords. AS
he put it, 81 just took off my over
alls and put on my suit one day, and
here | am"
The commission included two agri-
cultural engineers, a Commerce de-
partment official, BAE farm man
agement specialist, farm machinery
executive, foreign agricultural trade
specialist, and Farmer Abingdon.
Here's how the group often work
ed-they'd go out among the farm
ers, find out what kind of machinery
they had, what repairs were difficult
to get, and what special problems
the farmers had.
Although Arlington quite natural
ly did not wish to speak for the
group, which will draw up it's final
report and conclusions in Washing
ton, his observations as Flu men,
Der and farmer-stockman were inter-
esting. He was quite enthused about
Denmark's co-operatives; a good
share of farm industry is on a coop
basis in that country. He said
French cooperative leaders impress
sed him with their confidence in be-
ing able to do their share in Euro
pean recovery, although the co-ops
here in France do not have the back
ground of accomplishment that those
of the Scandinavian countries have.
Arlington isn't the only American
farmer who's been looking at things
over here. Some come over individ- |
ually or in groups, officially or on
their own. Last month twenty-five |
midwestern farmers stopped here in |
Paris. This delegation, sponsored by
Radio Station WOW in Omaha, paid |
it's own way, although it was to re-
port its findings to Secretary of Ag-
riculture Charles Brannan. They
all seem to favor continued Ameri-
can economic aid to Europe, and were
generally impressed with high stan
dard of farming in Britain, the Scan
dinavian countries, and the Low
lands.
AS for France, which is receiving
the second largest us. allotment
under ERP, American farm equip
ment has been coming in and the
French farmers I've talked to quite
seem quite happy about it.
Jean Monnet, author and administra-
tor of the five-year modernization
and equipment plan which bears his
name, recently reported that French
tractor production last year was up
1877 per cent over 1947, but that's !
still small potatoes as the 1913 pro- r
duction figure was only 1893 tract ,
ors, which is 20 per cent of the 1862 !,
goal. The Monnet plan is based more !
on voluntary cooperation than is the
strict British economic plan, and
Monnet has warned that unless
France quits living beyond her means
The present standard of living mot +
nigh by us. standards) is going to
lake a big slump if and when aid 7
rom Uncle Santa Clause ceases.
A little story illustrating the pos o
;ibility of international "snafus", :,
, hich the French business man at b
whose home I'm living swears is true, y
involved Technology of wheat and y
,orn. In many countries "corn" is
he main crop of the region, usually
wheat. The French ordered cou-
lie shiploads of corn" from the US, *
wheat. They received
heir order all right-tons of golden C
american corn, but not the wheat d
hey had expected. | imagine French ic