EDITORIAL 



What Do You Think? 



CONCLUSIVE proof that farmers must be fully organ- 

 ized if they are to have equal representation with 

 industry and labor is to be found in the report on post- 

 war adjustment policies filed by Bernard Baruch, New 

 York banker, with War Mobilization Director James F. 

 Byrnes. 



As far as farmers are concerned, the most startling 

 fact about Baruch' s report is that agriculture is given no 

 consideration in the government's first official survey of 

 post-war policies for America. 



The Baruch report is quite comprehensive in dealing 

 with industry. It recommends fulfillment of all govern- 

 ment contracts for war materials, payment for all goods, 

 allocation of all materials on hands, and financing for re- 

 conversion to peace-time production. 



Labor is givea similar consideration in the report. 

 Recommendation of plans for providing jobs for workers 

 is contained in the survey. 



These plans are laudable as every thinking citizen 

 realizes that full employment and prosperous industry are 

 necessary to post-war re-adjustment if a repetition of the 

 aftermath of the first world war is to be averted. 



But what are the post-war plans for agriculture.' Are 

 farmers going to have to sit bade and see farm commodity 

 prices plunge to bankruptcy levels as they did after the 

 first world war? Farmers can well remember those years 

 after 1918. While they suffered staggering losses, war 

 industries had their contracts protected and labor shared 

 in the benefits. 



Farmers, although better organized at the outbreak 

 of the second world war than in the '20's, still found 

 themselves in a secondary position as compared with in- 

 dustry and labor. When America entered the second 

 world war, industry secured cost-plus contracts and organ- 

 ized labor was given maintenance of membership guar- 

 antees. 



On the other hand, farmers were shoved around be- 

 tween the OPA and the government food agencies. Rules 

 were changed in the middle of the game. Some even 

 called farmers war profiteers because they sc^^ght to estab- 

 lish parity prices for their commodities. While ceilings 

 were withheld from soaring wages, price levels on farm 

 commodities in some instances were established at below 

 parity. While consumer income was at an all time high 

 the farmer was told he could not have parity in the market 

 place because it would lead to inflation. At the same time 

 a program of consumer subsidies was inaugurated by the 

 government to reduce the price of food at the retail count- 

 er. The farmer could well see what such a policy would 

 mean in a post-war period. If producers of agricultural 

 commodities could not receive parity when consumer in- 

 come was at an all-time high, what chance would he have 

 to receive a fair price when payrolls declined. 



Manufacturers of war materials received considera- 

 tion for their essential workers through draft deferments, 

 but agriculture was not considered an essential industry un- 

 til many skilled workers had left the farm for war fac- 

 tories and the armed forces. With less labor available, 



farmers were further told that they would have to get along 

 with less new farm equipment and repair parts. 



Some of these inequities have been altered, but ac- 

 tion was taken only after organized agriculture had made 

 a concerted attack to secure their correction. 



That's the record to date. Possibly in consideration 

 of these facts, farmers should not be surprised at the fail- 

 ure of the Baruch report to consider agriculture in any post- 

 war plans. Some might say that the government support 

 programs for various agricultural products, which are sup- 

 posed to continue for a certain period after the war is 

 ended, are sufficient guarantee for the farmers. However, 

 there is this undeniable fact — any overall post-war plan 

 that ignores as an important segment of our economy as 

 agriculture, is doomed to failure. Industry and labor can- 

 not prosper and our whole economy cannot be stable if 

 agriculture is forced to beg for crumbs at the post-war con- 

 ference table. 



There is only one way that agriculture can maintain 

 its self-respect. Agriculture must become fully organized 

 so that it can have an equal voice with industry and labor. 

 Attainment of this objective is even more vital to the future 

 welfare of America than it is to the farmer as an indi- 

 vidual. 



Fruits of Cooperation 



YOUR Farm Bureau membership entitles you to par- 

 ticipate in the many valuable business services pro- 

 vided through the cooperative Farm Bureau subsid- 

 iaries. Quality products — better service — and substan- 

 tial savings are the direct, tangible fruits of cooperation 

 which are being realized by thousands of Farm Bureau 

 members throughout Illinois. 



These business services have been set up to meet the 

 needs of Illinois farmers. Farm Bureau members built 

 them — Farm Bureau members own, control and operate 

 them. They all have one common aim and that is to 

 provide Farm Bureau members quality products at the 

 lowest possible cost. 



Your county service company has a complete line of 

 farm supplies including petroleum products, paints, feeds 

 and other items. Your general and special insurance 

 agents have a complete insurance program of life, casualty 

 and property insurance to offer you. Hog cholera serum 

 and virus and other biologies are available at the Farm 

 Bureau office. 



Volume purchasing — efficient management — and 

 loyal Farm Bureau membership support have combined to 

 build strong, substantial state and county cooperatives ca- 

 pable of serving the needs of the farm people of Illinois. 

 Profits of these business services are returned to the Farm 

 Bureau members of Illinois in proportion to their patron- 

 age. 



You may secure further information about these serv- 

 ices and the savings they will bring you from your county 

 Farm Bureau office — you will find that it pays to be a 

 Farm Bureau member. 





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L A. A. RECORD 



