EDITORIAL 



Let's Be Prepared 



NO ONE knows when the war in Europe or the Pacific 

 will end, but every citizen hopes and prays that there 

 will be an early end to this worldwide conflict. Until 

 the victory is won it is the solemn duty of every citizen 

 to make certain there is no slackening of effort on his part 

 that might hinder in any way an early and successful cul- 

 mination of the war effort. 



A second duty of every citizen is to contribute his 

 best thought and eflFort toward planning for the peace so 

 the returning service men and women may come back to 

 an America that is prepared to furnish them opportunities 

 for developing their abilities to the fullest capacit)'. 



In such constructive postwar plans, farmers and their 

 organizations can make their greatest contribution by em- 

 phasizing the imperative need for a sustained agriculture. 

 This is essential to the prosperity of America and to the 

 mass production and consumption of the products of both 

 agriculture and industry. 



To have a sustained agriculture it is necessary that 

 overall policies be maintained whereby government in 

 cooperation with producers sees to it that surplus reserves 

 of basic soil crops do not depress market price levels. Such 

 surplus reserves are a safeguard against an acute shortage 

 m the nation's food supply in years of disaster. In view 

 of this fact it becomes a national responsibility to see that 

 such reserves are handled intelligently and in the best in- 

 terests of all groups of the nation. 



If farmers who realize the necessity of a basic farm 

 program do not support their position vigorously, other 

 groups might prevail — and the farmers could be left 

 without a program when they need it most. 



History tends to repeat itself. In the First World 

 War 40 million acres of additional land were plowed up 

 to increase needed production. As the end of that war 

 approached, farmers were told that they need have no 

 fear of surpluses, that ravaged countries would absorb the 

 supplies. Farmers know the aftermath of that period. 

 Now again we have a tremendous increase in production, 

 and farmers again have answered the call of their govern- 

 ment in an hour of need. Early this year, government 

 officials told farmers not to worry too much about sur- 

 pluses, but since then these same officials have reversed 

 their position and have expressed concern about agricul- 

 tural surpluses. 



To avoid the experiences of the First World War, 

 there must be a national understanding of the importance 

 of controlling surplus reserves of basic soil crops. Of 

 equal importance is that such an understanding be made 

 part of a national policy so that it does not beconie a 

 question for political debate every four years. 



Let the organized farmers make it clear that they 

 want, and insist upon, the maintenance of basic agricul- 

 tural policies whereby farmers will be assured of prices 

 for farm products sufficient to give them a fair exchange 

 value with the products of industry. It is only through 

 the adoption of such policies that the country will be able 



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to maintain a high national income. It is only through 

 a high national income that government can maintain the 

 degree of taxation to meet the nation's huge war 

 debt. Only through meeting our obligations can we have 

 a solvent government and one that is backed by the integ- 

 rity and confidence of the people. If these things are 

 accomplished, there is no need to fear the future. Work- 

 ing together, agriculture, industry and labor can lay the 

 groundwork for an even better America. 



Farmers through their organizations can have a great 

 influence in seeing that these objectives are reached. The 

 voice of agriculture will be best heard if farmers are fully 

 organized in the counties, the states and in the nation. 



The Individual and Cooperation 



PERHAPS you as an individual farmer, a member of 

 the Farm Bureau, may sometimes ask yourself, "What 

 difference does it make whether I market my livestock 

 (cream, milk, grain, fruits and vegetables) cooperatively; 

 and whether I buy my basic farm supplies (oil, gas, serum, 

 paints, insurance) cooperatively? After all, I can buy 

 sufficient quantities at a time so that I get good prices, and 

 there isn't a lot of visible difference in the prices my prod- 

 ucts bring, no matter how marketed. Is it all very worth- 

 while after all?" 



In such moments of contemplation, the individual may 

 often lose sight of his long-run interests, and the larger 

 mterests of agriculture as a whole. There may not be a 

 great short-run difference in some instances — as for in- 

 stance during periods of light cream production, when 

 cooperatives and competing concerns may be paying the 

 same prices, or when the cooperatives may even be at a 

 temporary disadvantage. 



Let the individual who is thinking along these lines 

 ask himself these questions: (1) Q)uld I be sure of the 

 quality, and service, and the saving, if others were to con- 

 sult merely the short-run angles of the situation, and thus 

 cooperatives were greatly weakened or destroyed? (2) 

 Isn't it true that cooperative marketing has already im- 

 proved many trade practices and brought a better level of 

 prices? (3) If cooperative purchasing has brought re- 

 turns because of the pooling of farmers' buying power, 

 might it not bring even more returns if all organization- 

 minded farmers used them? (4) If cooperative marketing 

 has already made some gains, what could it make if all 

 Farm Bureau members marketed everything through co- 

 operative channels. Wouldn't our bargaming power be 

 that much greater? 



If everyone who sometimes "weakens" on cooperative 

 purchasing and marketing would use these questions as a 

 check-list, it is probable that all concerned would be better 

 off, and that the benefits of cooperation would be even 

 more striking than they have been up to now. 



Gx)peration does pay. 



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