"OBSERVATIONS" 



(Continued from page 42) 



and uncomprisingly oppose the contin- 

 uing efforts on the part of some leaders 

 of labor to secure for workers more and 

 ever higher wages for doing and pro- 

 ducing less and less. Stating it in another 

 way, it is not the high wage that is 

 dangerous, but the ever-increasing per 

 unit cost of producing industrial com- 

 modities. I oppose such policies because 

 I know that if permitted to succeed, they 

 will contribute to further unbalancing 

 the economy and ultimately will not only 

 undermine, but will destroy the free 

 economy of America." Unquote. 



I again record that conviction. When 

 we measure the untold millions lost to 

 the workers of the country as a result of 

 strikes during the last year and the great 

 reduction in commodities available to the 

 American people resulting from such 

 strikes, we can begin to appraise the 

 gigantic reduction in the otherwise na- 

 tional income we might have experi- 

 enced, and the indefensible and serious 

 effect of these strikes upon the country 

 "as a whole. 



Even more indefensible have been the 

 so-called jurisdictional strikes. They have 

 had no other purpose than to serve the 

 selfish interests of a given few. 



Laws Should Be Fair To All 



Certainly, it is time to revise our na- 

 tional policies, so as to assure true col- 

 lective bargaining between employers and 

 workers. This can never be accom- 

 plished unless those sitting on both sides 

 of the table are held equally and legally 

 responsible for their statements, acts and 

 decisions. Such revision of government 

 policies should bold paramount the 

 rightful interests of the masses ' of the 

 people. As farmers we can rightly de- 

 mand such policies because we have never 

 struck, even though prices were low; we 

 have never even thought of restricting 

 food from the hungry as a means of 

 bettering our condition even during peri- 

 ods when the price of farm commodities 

 relatively were far below either indus- 

 trial wages or industrial prices. 



As a nation we must awaken to the 

 fact that if free economy is to succeed 

 intelligent management is entitled to re- 

 ward; a laborer is entitled to wages in 

 line with his ability to produce, and that 

 honest investments are entitled to reason- 

 able returns. 



It is a proper function of government 

 to see that these basic interests of all are 

 rightfully protected and assured. 



But in urging revision of laws govern- 

 ing industrial labor relations I am not 

 suggesting any revision that would per- 

 mit a return to the reactionary policies of 

 former years. To do so would be calam- 



itous. Certain elements of business have 

 not yet fully regained public esteem and 

 confidence because of the monopolistic 

 practices and abuses of that period just 

 as the more recent abuses of power by 

 some groups of labor will live long in 

 the minds and attitudes of fair thinking 

 people. 



Time For Action 



American citizens generally and gov- 

 ernment leaders in particular must come 

 to a full realization that throughout all 

 history nations have declined and become 

 obliterated through insolvency and that 

 America now has a national debt ap- 

 proximating the normal value of all 

 things tangible. That to meet this obli- 

 gation will require very substantial, yes, 

 heavy taxation. That to provide a reser- 

 voir of necessary revenue, we must main- 

 tain a national income at least 50 per 

 cent greater than during any year previ- 

 ous to World War II. That to accom- 

 plish this will require a high degree of 

 industrial activity and people at work 

 everywhere at substantial regular wages. 

 This can be accomplished with relative 

 ease if and when the leaders of govern- 

 ment, and the leaders of business, labor 

 and agriculture are brought to a realiza- 

 tion of their respective responsibilities. 

 With the spotlight of public interest and 

 attention thrown upon constructive ef- 

 forts in this direction, I feel sure that 

 public ser;timent would soon bring into 

 line leaders of any group that insisted 

 upon selfish advantage at the expense of 

 all the people and the welfare of the 

 country. 



In my opinion, this is possibly the 

 most important annual meeting in the 

 history of the Illinois Agricultural Asso- 

 ciation. 



As the largest state organization of 

 farmers in all history you carry as great 

 if not a greater responsibility than do 

 the leaders of farmers in any other state 

 in contributing to and insisting upon im- 

 mediate and constructive action. 



It is my hope that this convention will 

 outline and adopt policies that clearly 

 reflect the interest and attitude of the 

 farmers of Illinois on the broad and 

 serious questions of public policy the 

 nation must meet and solve. Only by 

 so doing will your leaders be in a posi- 

 tion to exercise their pro'per influence in 

 guiding the policies and affairs of our 

 national organization. 



Certainly it is time that farmers 

 throughout America outline a course for 

 constructive action. The nation is at the 

 threshold of decision, and at the cross- 

 roads for action. The problems I have 

 discussed and many others will undoubt- 

 edly be considered by the next Congress. 

 The American people have clearly given 

 their mandate to the leaders of govern- 

 ment, and government leaders in all of 



its branches should and will be held 

 accountable to their public trust. 



Let not the American farmer fail in 

 this opportunity of service to his fellow- 

 men and let the voices of the lAA and 

 the American Farm Bureau Federation 

 ring out clearly that it is time for a moral, 

 spiritual and economic awakening in 

 America. 



May your program be fair to all, and 

 may it continue to ever recognize that 

 only on the high plane of economic jus- 

 tice and equity can America hope to sur- 

 vive these crucial days. 



W. E. Scheer 



lAA HIRES SCHEER 



AS PERSONNEL DIRECTOR 



WILBERT E. Scheer, 37, of Park 

 Ridge, has been employed as per- 

 sonnel director for the Illinois Agri- 

 cultural Association 

 and associated com- 

 panies. 



Scheer will su- 

 pervise the hiring, 

 assigning and trans- 

 ferring of office 

 ^^^^K workers and coor- 

 j^r ^^ dinate the person- 

 r^ ^^^k nel policies between 

 '^^^H the lAA and its 

 '■^^^^^ commercial and 

 marketing compan- 

 ies. 



More than 530 office workers are 

 employed at the Chicago office of the 

 lAA and its associated state-wide co- 

 operatives. 



Before coming to the lAA, Scheer 

 acted as personnel director for McKes- 

 son and Robbins, wholesale drug firm 

 with offices in Chicago, where he has 

 been employed since 1928. 



On leave of absence from the drug 

 firm, he served in the army for two 

 years from 1943 to 1945, and was 

 assigned to replacement depots in New 

 Guinea and the Philippines where he 

 was engaged in personnel work. 



Reared at Palatine, Scheer graduated 

 from Des Plaines high school and later 

 attended night school at Northwestern 

 University. 



He is married to the former Erna 

 Blumenschein of Chicago and has one 

 daughter, Arlene. 



The William Beer farm in Woodford 

 county sold this fall for a record break- 

 ing $550 an acre. This top producing 

 160 acre farm sold for cash. At an ap- 

 praisal clinic held there this spring ex- 

 perts valued the land at $200 an acre 

 based on its long time earning power. 

 Farm is rated as among the state's top 

 one per cent producers. 



42 



L A. A. RECORD 



