455 
The Milk Situation 
At the present time there is a new uncertainty 
about the New York city milk situation. For the 
months of January, February and March tlie Fed¬ 
eral jNIilk Commission 1ms l>een making the prices 
tor milk, both to the producer and to the consumer 
under a mutual agre(>meut by the producers and 
the milk dealers to accept the price made by this 
commission. It is now reported that mutual con- 
.seiit to accejit the i)rices fixed by the commission 
after April first has not been secured. The oflicers 
of the Fairymen's T.eague were Avilling to accept 
the services of the Federal Commission, hut the 
dealers were unwilling to do so. It is alleged by 
them that there is a surplus of milk, and it is inti¬ 
mated that the condensed milk manufacturers re¬ 
fuse to agree to accept prices made by the Federal 
Commission or by the producers. At the pre.sent 
lime, therefore, the milk .situation is decidedly un¬ 
certain. In the meantime some of the country sec¬ 
tions have become nervous and dissatisfied because 
of a Avant of an outlet, and the situation is .some- 
Avhat disturbed. 
Politics in Agricultural Work 
Governor Whitman expresses astonishment that 
farmers could accuse a man who has been elected 
Covernor of the State of using the agricultural func¬ 
tions to promote his own political fortunes to the 
(ietrimeut of the farm interests of the State. Per¬ 
haps one or two incidents that helped bring farmers 
to that conclu.sion will enlighten the Covernor. 
Claude Cole is a graduate of the State Agricul¬ 
tural College of ('ornell TTiiiversity. For some years 
he has been. emi>loyed hy the State Department of 
Agriculture as a milk insjiector at 
•itl.'JOO a yetir. lie is well (pialified 
for the plitce. and has a good record 
for ellicieiit smvice. T.tist mouth, 
without previous warning, he re¬ 
ceived it peremittor.v dismissal in 
the form of ti letter from Chiirles 
II. Ki'tts, secretary of the Fiirm 
:ind IMarkets Council. He tisked 
Mr. Petts for :i reason ;ind was told 
that IMr. P.etts know no reti-son for 
the dismissal, that it av:is ordered 
by the council, and he issued its 
orders. IMr. Cole then sought meiu- 
bers of the council ami was told 
that they knew nothing of it. and 
that no such order had been issued 
by the council. 
liater it was le.arned that two 
lioliticians had been appointed to 
ilo INIr. ('ole’s work in the name of 
economy and efliciency, at a salary 
of .'itl.oOO each; but neither of them 
could work a Pabcock test or read 
a lactometer. Cm* of the.se econom.v 
ai»])ointments was ]Mr. Pert I’ooler, of Auburn, ;ind 
the other a IMr. Warner from Syracuse. 
In the nu'antime, since ]Mr. Cole could get no 
cveuse for his dismissal from either Mr. Petts or the 
members of the council, ho afipealed to his Senator 
.ind Assemblyman. He was reinstated at his old 
salary of .$1,200 a year. So we have three men to 
do the work of one, and two of them with only 
liolitical (iualitications drawing .$200 apiei-e more 
lhan the competent man. 
.tbout the same time 0(» other men were di.scharged 
by Mr. Petts from the Agricultural Department. 
.Some of them remained idle for .a month. Others 
got new .iobs outside of the State service. Put com¬ 
plaints followed, and it w.ts thought prudent to re¬ 
instate the discharged employees, and checks on the 
Slate treasury wer(‘ issued for tlndr salaries for the 
month of their enforced idlenes.s. 
In every rural county of the State organi/.ations 
are being perfected for iiolitical purposes only at 
State expense out of the liberal api*ropriations made 
in the name of agriculture. Perhaps Covernor Whit¬ 
man would have bemi less astonished at the farmm-.s’ 
criticisms if he knew before that the farmers had 
these facts. Thei’e are .some alleged farmers on the 
State salary list, and some others who hope to get 
there, willing to smooth things over as be.st they 
can, but not a single one of tlimn has the courage to 
stand in a farm meeting and defend the admini.stra- 
tion that has through ixditical trickery brought the 
agricultural affaii's of tin* Sl.ite to its present state 
of demoralization and chaos. 
■Uhe RURAL NEW-YORKER 
able cases is given in the following correspondence. 
I am of .Tewish faith, and in order to accommodate 
iny friends of New York City I bought old hens some¬ 
time ago to fatten them for coming Passover holkkays. 
I would like to know if I could get rabbi to kill some 
for me to mail them into New York City by parcel 
post. I do not want to break the order, L. E. 
In order to be sure of the matter we sent thi.s 
letter to !Mr. lloover at Wa.shington. and in due time 
rtceived the following: 
The movement Avas inaugurated by the Department 
of Agriculture Avith a view to increasing the amount 
of eggs for food, and the Food -Vdministration, believ¬ 
ing it to be a good way to conserve food, is using its 
elTorts in that direction. 
There is no fpiestion but that it is a hardship to 
the people of the Jewi.sh faith, particularly during the 
time of their Passover holidays. We are asking the 
JcAvish people from a patriotic standpoint to co-operate 
with their (Joverument in this matter. Patriotism 
means sacrifice, and we are sure that the Jewish 
people are just as patriotic as other citizens in this 
country and are Avilling to stand by their (Government 
in this crisis. It has been extrimiely gratifying to us 
to see how readily these people have been to co-operate 
Avlien the subject was presented to them from this 
standpoint. i'NiTi:i) .st.atks roou ad.aiinistuatiox. 
Hy M'. F. Priebe. 
It Avould be bard for a man Avbo bus borroAved 
money to buy beus and also to buy corn for feeding 
to feel patriotic, in sueb a case. Tbe Agricultural 
Department and all tbe experiment stations luiA'e 
urged poultrymen to sell tbe “robber bens,” and they 
prepared to do so. Now comes tbe Food Department 
AA'itb tliis order. "We knoAv tb.-it it means ruin to 
Ibousands of poultrymen and that it Avill defeat tbe 
very purpose of tbe order. It Avill lielp tbe big 
packers by making storage eggs cbeaii for tbom to 
buy, Avbile tbe scarcity of bens Avill make those eggs 
dear next Fall. There will be a flood of poultry 
.sent to market after May. most of Avbicb will p.ass 
into the bamls of tbe storage men. Of .all tbe Avork 
THE FARMER MUST GO TO WORK SOON 
Tlif ii'uii iiKoni (if i(.s feel .— f<'r<uii Dciroil 'Xcii'k. 
done by tbe Food .Vdminist.ralioii iiotliing has caused 
such bitterness and discour.ageinent as this poultry 
order. If IMr. I’rielx* is ‘‘extremely gratitied” with 
tlu' letti'rs lu' has rccidved on tbi.s subject be is 
easily gr.atitied. We have .s(‘en some of tbe letters! 
Farm Han(Js and the War 
I'l* to within a short time it has been practically 
impossible to get a man out of tbe army to help 
.It farm work. In Fngland. after tbe first year, 
tbe government .saw tbe necessity of increasing 
crops, and thousands of farm bands were taken 
from tbe army and ]»ut at work on farm.s. Tbe 
sjune ])laii must be Avorked out in this country. Tbe 
following 1.1 w has been enacted by Hongre.ss: 
AN ACT. 
To .Vuthorizc the .Secretary of War to graut furloughs 
without i»ay ami alloAvance.s to enlisted men of 
the Army of the United States. 
He it enacted by the Senate and House of Itejire- 
.sentatives of the United States of America in Congress 
assembled. That, Avheuever during the continuance of 
the iireseut Avar in the opinion of the Secretary of War 
the interests of tlu‘ service or the national security 
and defense render it lu'cessary or desirable, the Secre¬ 
tary of War be, and he hereby is authorized to grant 
furloughs to enlisted men of the Army of tlie United 
.States with or Avithout iiay and allowances or with 
Iiartial p.-iy and allowances, and, for such periods as be 
may designate, to permit said enlisted men to engage 
in civil occujiations and pursuits. Provided. That .such 
furloughs shall be granted only uiion the A'oluutary ap¬ 
plication of such enlisted men under regulations to be, 
prescribed by the Secridary of War. 
This result is part of tbe Avork done by K. W. 
^icNamara. Avbo Avas smit to Washington by Ncav 
Y ork farmers, ami bus worked iiersistently in putting 
this bill tbrougb. 
Patriotism anci Poultry 
M e are flooded Avith prote.sts from iioultrymen 
regarding tbe order prohibiting tbe killing of bens 
or pullets before May 1. Quo of the most remark- 
Let the Farmer Un(ierstan(J 
The following is Avrittten by tbe agricultural 
memlier of :i district di'aft board in a Western 
St.ate. Ceneral Crowder now sa.vs that tbe ue\A' draft 
Avill be made in detachments, and that f.irm helpers 
Avill be left until among tbe last. 
I do not know Avhat Ava.s done, but I fool that .sohic- 
thiiiy imtst he done, and at once, if wo arc to keep oui- 
food production up to last year's mark. Only a small 
portion of the members of Class 1, Avill prob.ably be 
c.allod this Summer, and if the farmers could receive 
assurance at once that they Avould not be cjilled until 
their crop Avas harvested, (say November 1st), they 
could go ahead Avith their planting, and .still leave 
plenty of soldiers. It might arouse too much opposition 
and class feeling if the (Joverument Avere asked to 
exempt all farmers till that time, although 1 believe it 
[night he so explained that the public could see that 
it was for the best. If not. some plan should be de¬ 
vised whereby the farmers could know Avhen they would 
be called, and they could then govern themselve.s 
accordingly. 
This might be done, either bj" beginning the low order 
numbers, and announcing approximately Avhen certain 
numbers might expect to be called, or the (Government 
might specify about how many would probabl.v be needed 
by certain dates and allow the township trustees to select 
those who could best be spared, and notif.v them as soon 
as po.ssible, so they could prepare for an early call. I 
sincerely hope some such plan can be adopted at once. 
Farmers Gather at Poughkeepsie 
About 400 farmers crowded the Dutchess (’ount.v 
Uourthouse at I’oughkeepsie, March 12. to listen to the 
addresses and discussion of the New York Federation 
of Agriculture. Among the speakers were .lohn J. 
Dillon, Charles Hurkett. Samuel Frazer, Adee-president 
of the Federation, and S, .1. T. Hush, secretary. 
Farmers came not only from all over Dutchess County, 
but there Avere also delegations from Orange. Ulster, 
('(dumbia, Ibitnam and Westchester counties and I.ong 
Island. A .siiecial committee avjis aiipointed to organize 
thoi’oughly _ through all these counties and a si'rii's of 
meetings Avill be held in A’arious parts of the State. The 
next meeting Avill be held in Kingston on Saturday. 
M.-irch .20. A large sum of money Avas collected far.the 
Federation, and many farmers in the organization 
joined. A number of A'ery important resolutions were 
passed, among them a resolution •against price-fixing, 
.‘ind also the folloAving: 
“\\ HIOIHOAS, oil February 20 at tlu' meeting of the 
New \oH< Federation of Agriculture at Syracuse, N. Y.. 
(Jov. AVhitman. through his envoy, 
assured the farmer.^ then conveneii 
that they could have Avhat they 
wanted, if they Avould but ask for ii, 
“WHEREAS the Ncav York Fed¬ 
eration of Agriculture at Syracuse did 
a<-ceitt this me.ssage from (Gov. Whit¬ 
man in good faith and did state Avhal 
they believed Avould best seiwe the in¬ 
terests of agriculture and the nation 
Avhen they asked for the repeal of tlie 
State Food Commi.ssion and the Farms 
and Markets bill, thus relicA'ing this 
Avar-burdened State of at least one 
costly and useless public organization. 
“AVHERE.XS said Mr. Whitman 
has since appointed Farms and Mar¬ 
kets Council No. 2 and has not ac¬ 
ceded to the reipiests of the New Y^ork 
Federation of Agriculture, Avhich AA'cre 
repeated at tlie New Y'ork State Fruit 
(Jrowers’ Association meeting at 
Poughkeepsie. March .7, 
“WHEREAS the State Food Com- 
mis.sion is noAV in control of the Farms 
and Markets Council and through it 
controls and directs the agriculture 
of Ncav Y'ork. 
/‘IVHEREAS. Mr. Wliitman ap¬ 
pointed .Tohn Mitchell, Avhom Ave con¬ 
cede to be an excellent man person¬ 
ally, but Avho has publicly and freely 
acknowledged his lack of knowledge 
of the problems itonfronting the 
farmers, as chairman of said State 
Food Commission and as such 
lie has revealed his lack of knowledge of agricultural 
matters, and inability to effectively lead farmers in this 
important crisis, 
“IVHEREAS in the Industrial Commission Avhieh 
deals with labor problems Ave find Jlr. Mitchell, an 
acknowledged labor leader, as chairman, Avhich we most 
heartily endorse and in the same Avay Ave believe that 
the best interests of the State Avill be served bv alloAving 
the farmers to direct the agriculture of the State. 
“WHEREAS it is now apparent that the State Food 
Commission, in any Avork it iierforms, merely duplicates 
the AVork of the Federal Government and other e.stab- 
lished organizatioms such as the Farm Hureau, 
“W'HEREAS it is uoav jiroveu that tlu' farmer.s’ or¬ 
ganizations Avere correct in their contention that this 
State Food Commission is not only unneces.sury, but is 
a Avaste of a million dollars of public funds, 
“AVHEREAS no other State luis found it necessarv 
to organize a similar State enterprise; 
“RESOLVED that it is the sense of this Federation 
of Agriculture that Mr. IVhitman has again ignored the 
farmers by his action in refusing to accede to the re- 
iiuests expressed at Syracuse on February 20 and at 
Poughkeepsie, March 7, 
“RESOLVED that avo again urge the immediate and 
absolute repeal of the laws creating the State Food 
Commission and the Farms and Markets (jouncil.” 
Another long resolution aauis directed at (Yilviii J. 
Hiison, ex-Commissioner of Agriculture, Avho is advo¬ 
cating the heavy soAviiig of Spring Avheat. After reciting 
the experience of Ncav York farmers Avith Spring Avheat, 
the resolution states: 
“RESOLVED that Ave request the State Food Com¬ 
mission before it jiroceiMls to AA'aste more public moneys, 
to emplo.A’’ someone at le.ist conversant with the facts 
relating to the yield of crops in Ncav York before they 
lu'oceed to advise farmers as to the pro.siiectiAe viehls 
of same. 
“RE.SOLVED that Ave believe it to be detrimental ti> 
the best interests of agriculture and the public to have 
(■.unpaigns for the pui'iiose of unduly stimulating the 
liroduction of auy crops and especially one Avhich is 
little knoAA'n. 
^ “RESOLVED that the farmers of the State of New 
Y'ork Avill best serve humanity by adhering closely to 
such system of farm management as they have deter¬ 
mined to be best suited to their particular farm and to 
not make r:idical changes or engage in exi)erimenlal 
AVork at this time. 
“RESOLVED that if the State Food Commission 
haA'e nothing better to .suggest than that farmers experi¬ 
ment Avith untried crops, that it Avould be Aviser .-ind 
.safer for the nation if such information be retained in 
mauiiscript form iu a Avustc basket iu Albany.” 
