TWENTIETH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART V 433 



N. Hurley to ascertain sentiment of Iowa farmers as to what to do 

 about the Merchant Ships now owned by the government. 



May 26th met with llHnois and Indiana Farm Bureau Federation 

 on problem of employing jointly a special man to do some investiga- 

 tional work on cost of production and marketing practices at the 

 large market centers of the. corn belt. 



June 1st Federation Secretary called to Washington by Secretary 

 of Agriculture to confer on recommendations for special investiga- 

 tion on cost of production. 



July 28th, met with Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ken- 

 tucky Federations at Chicago to talk over the efifect of the govern- 

 ment agitation on the high cost of living, National legislation afifect- 

 ing agriculture, and preliminary plans for the National Federation, 

 which is to be effected at Chicago on November 11th and 12th. 



August 5th, 6th and 7th, met in Chicago with Illinois and Indiana 

 Federations to conduct a hearing with the five big packers, a member 

 of the Federal Trade Commission and Union Stock Yard represen- 

 tatives relative to packer legislation. The Federation did not be- 

 lieve it was ready to voice sentiment for or against the proposed 

 legislation without knowing just how it would affect the live stock 

 producing interests. As a result of the hearing, and after presenting 

 the arguments for and against it to the Federation directors, it was 

 voted that it be the sense of this Federation that we believe that some 

 form of regulations of the packing industry not harmful to the live 

 stock producing interests is necessary, but that we do not approve 

 of one-man control nor government ownership at this time. While at 

 the hearing of the packers the continual agitation on the high cost of 

 living was having its affect upon agricultural products, and the 

 daylight saving repeal act had been passed the second time and was 

 before the President, it was deemed wise and expedient to send 

 the Federation Presidents from Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Indiana 

 and Ohio to Washington. A hearing was had with the Secretary of 

 Agriculture and upon August 13th this committee appeared before 

 President Wilson and presented the following appeal for agriculture : 



The members of the State Farm Bureau Federation must now de- 

 cide the extent of next year's food production on their farms. 



Present agitation over the high cost of living attempts to saddle 

 in large measure responsibility for high prices on the farmers, who, 

 while discerning their share, justly refuse to bear any great part of 

 the blame. 



In the present chaotic state of affairs, the farmer says to him who 



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