The Sidney herald., 1961-06-14

ty farmer, is new chairman of the Wis
consin Agricultural Sterilization and
Conservation ASC) Committee.
That's the agency that administers
the farm programs from Washington Its
authority comes down through counties
and on to the township level.
Addressing his ASC county commit
teemen and office managers last week.,
Mehlberg declared:
1.-The ASC us not and shall not become
a political organization. However, we all
realize the extreme difference of direc-
ton We are now taking in the fied of
farm legislation.
We need and we shall find people
VINO are and will be dedicated in the
promotion of thiS new approach. Let
there be no doubt about that
"He further noted that all ASC per
sonnet had the duty and responsibility
to take a personal inventory of your
activities in the past 8 years and con-
ScientiouSly determine If you are an
asset or liability to the progress and
promotion of the liberal farm legiSla-
zion which people i'm our offices and
areas cam administer in a dedicated and
efficient manner $780,.
The chairman said that he contended
that 'ASC personnel who Fundamentally
supported and promoted the programs
of the past administration owe it to
themselves and the farmers of WiScon-
sin to step aside or do a complete about
face of they are to place themselves in a
: position to sell Secretary Freeman's
feed-grain bill and all Legislation now
in the process of enactment
Who is for this new food and farm
scheme?
A Lot of noisy individuals and groups.
e They try to make believe they repre-
! sent a lot of people but thew actually
i don't. Among them are:
:. The left-wing National Farmers
Union.
= Americans for Democratic Action.
The National Grange
Farmer-Laborites
National Council of Farmer Coopera-
m tiveS
lie So-called Keynesian economists
n The left-leaning labor bosses
? New FrontierSmen and other similarly
= oriented government payrolIers for
y obvious reasons.
an What is the biggest lesson Americans
~ |o@A &AA1S R4OPOSd4s
The lesson is as clear as it is unbeliev-
able. Once individuals in AN industry get
checks from the central governmen.
in the name Of welfare" or 'doine
to good" or security" the possibility o.
successfully resisting complete s~ocializ-
alton Of that industry is inverSely pro.
10 p~ortionate to the amount of Federal tax
~ money involved.
mt Can you elaborate?
I'm Yes. Widespread government interior
i'm ence in the farmers business began in
- the early ThirtieS. Prices we've low. and
he k other industries throughout most Cd
the world, agriculture was in a depreS.
sion. In the name of farmers" welfare,
the public reluctantly accepted govern
ment support. Seven years and billion
H. of dollars later, farm prices were as low
q - as hen Federal Intervention began
> About Sc billion of Federal funds an
u appropriated for use in agriculture eacl
year, Only the demand created b.
al World War II pushed prices and ne
- farm income up.
Ever since, progressive farmers have
sc e trying to get out from under gov
ernmental interference. But instead
~ more interference -. not less - goes
with each Legislative attempt" to solve
ri the farm problems. Yet the Secretary
10 justification for his agriculture program
is that farm income is substantially
nv below any accepted American standard
for minimum wage" So now he offers
complete control. This after 80 years
of so-called government help.
d What. In summary. are some of the
- major concerns that the American Cit
IL liens should nave about this Freeman
70 food and farm program?
n. Cd 1t puts farmers squareEy into the
vi political arena for dependence ON their
re livelihood.
lie CD 1t places the Federal government in
tie the position of:
n () Fixing prices
;. CD Establishing incomes
y Cc) Regulating conditions of pro-
u duct1on
CD It destroys the competitive marke4
- system.
f. "a 1t builds a POLITICAL machine.
a CD 1t promotes a virtual Dictatorship
10 over the farmers.
&c Co 1t causes the Congress to abdicate
:, it's function
y CD 1t increases government interfer.
ence, which already has proven to be
of detriment to farmers and onsumer
IA alike.
CD 1t proposes to make a socialistic
re scheme work by coercion, reward and
punishment.
90 1t places government in competi-
a. ton with Individuals.
a dO 1t makes a mockery OF the Judicial
TO process.
ye QD 1t would level farmers down to a
governmentally determined level.
O2 1t would freeze progress on the
III farms n iii the agricultural areas.
u3) 1t sets a price ON a farmers right
10 to produce.
If. Q4 1t provides for favoritism among
ne farmers and between commodity groups
p. by standards set by the Secretary o.
M Agricultural.
Q5 1t promotes disharmony among