50 THE AGMCULTimAL BLOC 



anteed price for Ms wheat, and while live stock 

 producers had incurred immense losses, and in 

 many instances financial bankruptcy, the con- 

 sumer has at the same time paid higher prices 

 for nearly all food products. It was shown in 

 1919 that the only food items in which there 

 were reductions in price to any extent, were 

 navy beans, plate beef, chuck roast, and corn- 

 meal. And the declines in these were less than 

 10 per cent, with the exception of beans, where 

 the decrease was 30 per cent. In contrast to 

 these declines, all other commodities in the list 

 of staple foods showed increases, ranging from 

 1 per cent for round steak, to 28 per cent for 

 lard and 85 per cent for onions. While the 

 bottom fell out of the hog market, declining 8 

 cents a pound in 60 days, bacon went up 11 per 

 cent above the war prices of the previous year. 

 The fact is, the increasing margin between 

 producer and consumer was cutting both ways 

 like a two-edged sword, causing suffering on the 

 part of both groups. This is the way that it 

 usually works, and illustrates a fact that the 

 nation needs to realize, namely, that any con- 

 dition that becomes oppressive to producers is 

 sooner or later reflected in an increased cost to 

 consumers, if not in actual shortage of food. 



