PRICE-FIXING AND THE COST OF FARM PRODUCTS 379 



rights of the other that are in the long run fundamental to the 

 interests of all concerned. 



Furthermore, such a commission, well informed with regard 

 to the facts of production, distribution, and consumption, would 

 form a desirable medium for collective bargaining between the 

 organized producers on the one hand and the organized distrib- 

 utors on the other, which appears to be the logical outcome of 

 recent tendencies and which would appear to be desirable 

 wherever large numbers of isolated farmers are selling to large 

 corporations such as the milk distributors in the large cities, the 

 packers and the grain dealers, and possibly in many other in- 

 stances. Even where the more specific functions of price-fixing 

 are unnecessary, there is an important work for price commis- 

 sioners in studying market conditions and the conditions of 

 supply and in educating both producer and consumer to rational 

 action. 



Statistical and historical methods of studying prices in their 

 relation to production will prove valuable to price commissioners. 

 Cost accounts are useful but should be supplemented by statis- 

 tical studies showing the effect of various price relations upon 

 supply and upon demand through a series of years. It will be 

 desirable to use every method of research known to economic 

 investigators in arriving at sound bases of judgment in the 

 control of prices. 



