The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1952-01-18
THAT POTATO ROLL-BACK

InAI FUIAlU hUkk-DAOk
a burning subject-not only Ashueot Tin
Cascade county, where 10000 sacks destroyed by fire
last Saturday. but in other parts of Montana WE'LL
Potato growers are tearing their hair over the OPS roll
back order particularly the Accent lower farm ceiling price
Montana than Idaho and 20cent lower ceiling than Wash
ngton Oregon and Wyoming Montana labor leaders all
for the roll back. Montana OPS officials belaedly coming to
the realization that labor important factor Montana life
jumping the band of abors stand
Out of it ALL considerably more heat than light is being
Grated
is presently within the province of this editor know
all the facts but the moment he inclined along
with either the potato who insists mo ceilings,
controls with those who insist that $345 hundredweig
for number potatoes fair the To fol
low either would not be in the interests calm
prasal of the roll back order unfairness
Some observations based what have been able to
CLEAN the several days help clear away the smoke
to some degree
In view of the fact that the price of potatoes has been climb
ing rapid pace these past and half months
justification Montana labor leaders favoring
con the Chicago produce market potatoes have
imatev 50 SO cw since October H. However it not pos
sbe that they placing undue emphasis the imperative
carrying out the roll back to S345 hundrd Gov
eminent statistics show that average annual consumption of
this basic food product Montana pounds per
These statistics based the entire population of the
state In families with growing boys personal experience
the annual per capita consumption approximately
IT'S pounds In this latter instance the potato end of
the food budgeeven at present high prcesruns less than
dollar month Potatoes still the cheap
est food on the market
But while basic approxmates only thryfift
the total grocery bill person. therefore relative
nsgncance compared with other items the of iv
ato concerned The Accent dfferenta between
Idaho and Montana farm price ceilings for example, well
spell the difference whether Montana potato
reasonable barely break the hole their
1851
In arriving at this be borne OPS
ceiling of $345 does not the producer will get S345
acroheboard for his crop To the contrary
of the state the major portion of the will for consider
ably less On the Fathead-one of Monanas major po
tatoproducng areasadverse weather conditions will find
cent of the still farms bringing So As
$500 hundred under the ceiling price schedule And
of the weather during growing
that the yield much lighter
Many Fathead definite danger operating
loss because of the OPS ceiling price schedule Losing
conducive farmer putting
atoes 1852 being requested by the Department of A
riculture.
In the Helena valley of two weeks ago. potato growers
receiving 1920 hundred for number spud-and
making Such not the last year. 1850
number brought producers only $235
cent of parity Because of frost conditions much of
the did not state inspection tests grade
result potato fell short of breaking
is understandable that potato growers
ley fearful for their financial stability if the $345
and $245 OPS ceilings allowed stand similar below
parity set for the 1852 Machinery
other operating and indications they'll
higher this next IL MONTHS mortgage
and family living be reckoned with OPS