18 FARMERS' UNION AND FEDERATION 



Prevention of Monopoly Buying? 



Another line of monopoly buyers are the big speculators 

 and cash dealers who form an agreement to divide between 

 them the wheat-raising territory, thus eliminating buying 

 competition among themselves. Each one then has a mo- 

 nopoly of bidding on wheat to the local elevators in his 

 allotted territory. 



A third line of monopoly buyers are the wheat importing 

 nations among our Allies. The papers reported last sum- 

 mer that Mr. Hoover, the Food Administrator, induced 

 them to pool their requirements with that of the United 

 States and all buy through one agency to eliminate compe- 

 tition among nations for our wheat. That is the most pow- 

 erful buying monopoly that could be organized. It put the 

 boards of trade and big wheat speculators out of the wheat 

 speculating business. 



That monopoly will doubtlessly be the most oppressive 

 ever organized to beat the wheat raiser out of living wages 

 for his wheat. It will have the wheat raisers of this and all 

 other wheat exporting countries absolutely at its mercy. 

 The foreign nations will continue the combine, though they 

 may operate through the boards of trade after the war. 

 Nothing but a complete unionizing of the wheat growers 

 can possibly save them from all being forced to pauper wages 

 for their product. 



Will it pay to unionize to save yourselves from this pow- 

 erful combine that can enslave you? 



Maintaining Prices After the War. 



When the war is over there will be radical changes in our 

 economic and industrial conditions. Released armies will 

 make an over-supply of laborers, added to the vast number 

 of women who have taken their former places in industries. 

 There will be a general demand for lower wages all around 

 by employers. Union labor in cities will put up a stiff fight 



