^ 



p 



THE 



ILLINOIS AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION RECORD 



To advance the purpose for which the Farm Bureau was organized, namely, 

 to promote, protect and represent the business, economic, social and educa- 

 tional interests of the farmers of Illinois and the Nation, and to develop 

 agriculture. 



f'^nce L^ontrol v6 ^nPtati 



THI STATE FAtM 

 BUREAU PUUJCATION 



ton 



By PRESIDENT CHARLES B. SHUMAN 



1 



rpHIS is a story recently told to me, which I think has partic- 

 ular significance: "Our party line phone jangled insistently 

 one morning recently and quite by chance I found it conven- 

 ient to listen in while one of my neigh- 

 bors arranged with the elevator manager 

 for the sale of the remainder of his corn 

 crop. It was a curious transaction. The 

 price was not even mentioned • — both par- 

 ties knew that the O.P.A. ceiling price at 

 that time was $1.10. As my neighbor put 

 it, he wanted to know how much 'wam- 

 pum' he would get if he delivered the 

 corn to this particular elevator. He men- 

 tioned other trades that he knew about 

 wherein the seller of corn had received 

 delivery of a new tractor, a new car, fence 

 posts, feed or other scarce items, all at legitimate ceiling prices. 

 After considerable haggling, terms were reached whereby my 

 neighbor was to receive four pairs of nylon hose for his wife 

 and two tons of feed, all at ceiling prices." 



All over America this same type of barter is taking place 

 in all types of scare goods. Our system of exchange through 

 the method of pricing is rapidly disintegrating. For centuries 

 we have found that the use of money was superior to barter of 

 goods as a method of exchange. Through these same centuries, 

 civilized man has also found that a free pricing system was 

 necessary to regulate production and consumption of goods and 

 to keep these two forces in balance. Today under the guise of 

 inflation control we witness the chaos that results from discard- 

 ing this time-proven natural system of regulation in favor of a 

 rigid man-controlled price structure. 



Ordinarily prices tell us when a commodity is plentiful and 

 we use it freely. Other times prices tell us there is a scarcity 

 and we use less of the commodity. Today we use too much feed 

 or eat too much meat because price falsely says, "Go ahead, 

 there is plenty." 



Does price control check inflation? Most of us, remem- 

 bering the experience of World War I, think of inflation in 

 terms of soaring prices. Today we know that legal prices can 

 be arbitrarily held down and at the same time we can have in- 

 flation through lowering of quality, tie-in sales, barter, black 

 markets and other devices. 



How do wage increases affect inflation.' We are now 

 witnessing a unique but impossible attempt to hold prices down 

 and at the same time raise wages. Most of us know that the 

 principal item in the cost of producing all commodities is 

 labor. Therefore, it is clearly impossible to hold the line on 

 prices after the politically expedient 18% increase in wages re- 

 cently granted. 



Price control during war probably served a valuable func- 

 tion by drastically reducing the production of civilian goods. 

 Little or no attempt was made to impose price control on war 

 necessary goods and they were produced in great volume. To- 

 day we do not need war goods but we do need civilian goods. 

 Price control is continuing to throttle their production. 



Full production is the only way to prevent disastrous in- 

 flation. That full production will come only when there is 

 reasonable price incentive. Your organization has not asked 

 for an abrupt end of the controls over price, but we have in- 

 sisted that a definite schedule for removal be incorporated in 

 any legislation extending O.P.A. This end must come within 

 a matter of months — not years I 



APRIL, 1946 • VOLUME 24, NUMBER 4 



aUMOIS AaRICin.TUItAL ASSOCIATION 

 OmCEHS 



Prcaideiit, Chotlas B. Shumon Sulliran 



Vicc-Presideni, Fiord E. Moitu Juiialo 



Sscralarf, Paul E. Mathiai JOnsdol* 



Fitld Ssc., Gao. E. M*tsg« Chicago 



Trooxurar. R. A. Cowlos Blooaaingten 



A»rt. Troai., A. B. Wri^t Vaiiia 



ComptroUar, C. C. ChapaUa Chicago 



Gaoarol Counsal. Donald Kirkpairick Chicago 



BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

 (By Congraasional Districts) 



Ut to nth Jlarrar W. Adair. Chicago Hts. 



12th. C. J. EUiatt. Strsator 



13th. .....HeoMT CurtiM. Stockton 



14th. Otto StoSaT- Stronghui»l 



ISth. Ronald A. Holt. Golra 



l»h. RuuaU V. McKaa. Varna 



ITlfa Chorlai Laurilxan. Raddick 



18th lohn T. EvoBa, Hoopaston 



19th Milton W. Warran, Monafiald 



20th X.. T. Smith. Graaniiald 



21st Dan L. Clarka, Naw Barlin 



22nd J. King Eaton, Edwardsvilla 



23rd _ Chestar McCord. Nawton 



24th Lyman Bunting. Ellary 



25th. August G. Eggarding, Rad Bud 



DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS 



Dairy Markating _...WiUrad Show 



Fruit and Va^atabla Markating L. I.. ColTis 



Grain Markatuig Gaorga H. litaar 



Lagol Donald Eirkpotrick 



Lira Stock Markating .S. F. Russall 



OiBca...- _ C. E. lofanston 



Organisation. O. D. Brissandan 



Produca Markating T. A. Gouglat 



Publicity - Craston Festar 



RasaarcB and Taxation. L. H. Simail 



Rural School Halations John K. Cox 



Solas Sarrica W. P. Sondierd 



Transportation-Claims „ G. W. Baxtar 



Young Paopla's Activitiaa ...fUovrorth D. Lyon 



ASSOCIATED ORGANIZATIONS 



Country liia Ins. Co Dava Miahar. Mgr. 



Country Mutual Fira Co J. H. Kalkar. Mgr. 



Country Mutual Cosualty Co. ..A. E. Richardson. 



Mgr. 



ni. Agr. Auditing Assn. C. E. Strand, Mgr. 



III. Agr. Sarrica Co Donald Kirlcpatrick. Sac. 



111. Co-op Lockar Sarrica Dana Crydat. Pras. 



111. F. Bur. Sarum Assn S. F. Russall. Sac.-Mgr. 



ni. Farm Supply Co C. H. Backar, Mgi. 



ni. Fruit Growars' Exchanga-L. L. Colvis, Mgr. 



ni. Grain Corporation. Frank Hoinas. Mgr. 



m. IJTastock Mktg. Aasn..JI. W. Trontmaim. Mgr. 



ni. VDlk Producara' Assn WiUrad Show. Mgr. 



Prairia Farms Craamarias J. B. Countisa, Mgr. 



ni. Wool Mktg. Assn S. F. BussaU. Sac.-Mgr. 



Director of Information, Cresten Fester. Asst. Editor, James C. Thomson, 



Ths Illinois Agricultural Association RECORD is publishad monthly axcapl August by tha Illinois Agricultural Asseciatioo at ISOl W. Washington Rood, 

 Mandota. 111. Editorial Oiiicas, 608 So. Daarbom St.. Chicago, III. Entarad as sacond class mottar at post offica. Mandota, HI., Sapt. 11, I93S. Accapt- 

 anca lor moiling at spacial rata ol postaga praridad in Saction 412, Act o< Feb. 28, 1925. authorizad Oct. 27, 1935. Addrass all coaimunicgtiens tor 

 publication to Editonal Oiiicas. Ulinoii Agricultural Association RECORD, 608 So. Dearborn St., Cliicago. Tha indiyiduol mambarship iaa o< tha 

 Illinois Agricultural Association is Sto dollars a yaar. Tha iaa includes payment oi fiity cants ior subscription to the Illinois Agricultural Association 

 RECORD. Postmaster: Sand notices on Form 35n. Undeliverable copies returned under Form 3579 to editorial oifices, 608 S6. Dearborn St.. Chicago. III. 



APRIL, 1946 



