Evening star., 1954-10-01
Uphill Fight Faces
Democrats in
6. 0. P. Wisconsin
'tcontinued from First page

tContinued From First Page)
particularly to the order Of Sec
retary Of Agriculture Benson
early this year cutting the sup
port price for milk to Is per
cent Of parity from 80 per cent.
They hope. too. that unemploy-
lnent In some Of the industrial
centers Of the State viii work
for the Democrats. And they be-
lieve that the Mccarthy issue
has helped to divide Republican
strength In the State.
Milk Price Is Issue.
Informed farm sources admit
that wisconsin farmers have
been sore because of the reduced
prices of milk, but whether sore
enough to switch over and vote
Democratic or sulk and not vote
at all, they are not sure. One
thing is certain, however: The
Republicans have had a real
break. The prices Of milk have
gone up materially since June,
and are continuing to go up.
Statewide figures on utilization
of milk-which means the price
of milk for all purposes-were
$S.32 per hundred pounds OF
milk in March, 1854. They
dropped to $3.o8 in April. to $2.96
In May and June. But in July
the price advanced to 1912. and
in August, to $3.25, and an un-
official estimate for September
is $685..
What the Republicans hope Is
that these increased prices for
milk viii have a beneficial effect
and convince the farmers that
the Eisenhower Benson program,
which Is designed to prevent the
huge surpluses Of milk and milk
products in Government hands,
is in the long run much better
for them than the rigid 80 per
cent support price. Further, the
Wisconsin farmers are now send
ing their milk to Texas and other
Southern points, and milk in in
creased volume to the Chicago
market. The exports to the South
are due in part to the drought
conditions there. but also to the
fact that with the high Gov
ernment support prices out of
the way, dairy competition from
other States is not so severe.
Whether these facts can be
driven home to the Wisconsin
dairy farmers. in such way as
to bring them back into the Re-
publican fold remains to be
seen. Certainly the Republicans
are trying hard to accomplish
g. this end. Senator Aiken of YER
mont, chairman Of the COMMIT
tee on Agriculture, has been here
for a couple of days, arguing the
advantages of flexible price sup,
ports, and Secretary Benson
himself is expected to come here
to defend the Eisenhower gro
gram.
Corn Crop Good.
Certainly, it is not be expected
that dairy farmers will stand up
and cheer about smaller milk
checks. but If they can be con-
vinced that things will now be
better, they may hold fast to
Republican voting. For the rest
Of the farmers, those producing
hogs and corn are doing fairly
well. The corn crop is good and
hog prices not too unsatisfactory.
Also there is an abundant supply
Of feed, and the farmers are
feeding q lot Of beef cattle with
good results. So the picture Is
not so black as it is being painted
by Democratic orators.
Democrats refer to the primary
election figures with satisfaction.
In the primaries, the Democrats
invariably poll comparatively few
votes, and in the general election
their percentage OF the total
vote is very much larger. Indeed,
the Democratic increase in the
percentage of the total vote
sometimes almost doubles the
primary vote. Since the Demo-
Gratis cast Il per cent Of the
total vote in the primary this
year, they are looking forward to
real gains and an upset in No
vember. The Republicans counter
this argument by pointing out
the Democrats had a strenuous
contest for the gubernatorial
nomination and for a number OF
other nominations which brought
the voters to the polls. Also, the
Republicans are well organized
and working at top speed, ano
they fully expect to re-elect Gov
Kohler.
Kersten Is Target.
The Democrats hope to defeat
Representative Kersten, Repub-
lican, in the 5th congressiona
district, which includes part ol
Milwaukee. Indeed, they express
great confidence they will cleo
their candidate there. This dis
trict has been in and out o
Republican and Democratic
hands over the years. The Demo
Gratis insist they have a goot
chance of capturing, too, tn
I'd district, now represented b!
Representative Glenn Davis
State Senator Gaylord Nelsol
is the Democratic nominee. ant
he received 48 per cent OF tn
total vote cast in the primaries
The 9Th district--the old HUI
district-which elected Repre-
sentative johnson, Democrat. Il
q special election In 1858 -
also a battle-ground. The Repub
licans are trying hard to regal
it. Mr.. Hull, who had been
progressive and then a Republi
can, was unbeatable there TO
years. The Democrats are eye