American Agriculturist, September 8,1923 
157 
The Plain Case of the Dairy Farmer 
A. A. Radio Talk Broadcast from WEAF, September 5, at 6:50, Standard Time 
I AM indeed glad of this opportunity to 
talk to you on a subject about which we 
have heard a great deal of late. From 
pulpit and platform, in the press and 
over the radio, everybody is discussing the 
farmer and his peculiar problem of existence, 
and everybody has a quick and sure remedy 
of his own to offer. One more voice remains 
to be heard that should be at least as well 
qualified as any other to enter the lists. I 
refer to the farmer himself, and 
I should like to show you a dif- 
ferent slant of the question from 
his point of view. 
It is strange that this industry, 
perhaps the most human, cer¬ 
tainly the most necessary in the 
whole line of men’s work, if men 
are to continue to work at all, 
should be the least understood. 
We all agree that the nation must 
be fed if it is to exist. So much 
is simple. But what about the 
men who are feeding the nation? 
We know about improved work¬ 
ing conditions in the manufactur¬ 
ing and industrial world; what 
the unions have accomplished as —- 
to hours, health regulations, work¬ 
men’s compensation acts, and innumerable 
other things all calculated to make life more 
livable for the great body of industrial pro¬ 
ducers upon whom depends the world’s com¬ 
merce. We know how they have fought and 
won their right to contract, individually or 
collectively, when and where and how they 
shall give their labors. We know that their 
employers have so arranged the wage scale 
and overhead expense, as to leave a com¬ 
fortable margin for cost of production and 
more or less reasonable profit to themselves. 
We know that in the last few years the cost 
of those products to the con¬ 
sumer has risen over 60 per 
cent, and nobody grumbles about 
it particularly. 
But do you realize that farm¬ 
ers have no union? They work 
long and late. If drought or ex¬ 
cessive rains, or cold or wither¬ 
ing heat destroy their crops, and 
with those crops, the work and 
expense and hope for profit, of 
an entire season, nobody com¬ 
pensates thern.^ It is just dead 
loss. Another absolute fact 
upon which I feel I cannot lay 
enough stress, is that except in 
a few rare instances dairy 
farmers do not receive as much 
for their milk as it costs them 
to produce it. Do you see what 
that means? That at the end 
of the year, when they should 
get back all the money they ex¬ 
pended in necessary expenses, 
plus a legitimate reward for 
their labor, they have been fac¬ 
ing a deficit instead. 
What do we, the dairy farm¬ 
ers, propose to do about it? Do 
we want Government assist¬ 
ance ? Do we want Government 
purchase of surplus stocks, or 
price fixing by the Government, 
which is only another name for 
piling additional taxes upon an 
already overburdened public ? 
We do not. 
We neither ask nor desire any 
special privileges. We will never 
solicit a legislation benevolent to 
us, that must be paid for by all 
the rest of the people. On the 
contrary, instead of indirectly 
increasing the price of milk to 
By GEORGE W. SLOCUM 
President of the Dairymen’s League Cooperative 
Association, Inc. 
the consumer, because of course, all Gov¬ 
ernment appropriations must ultimately 
come out of the pocket of the public, it is an 
integral part of our program to lower the 
price of milk. 
We feel that we can work out this problem 
The Prohibition Vote 
T HE following is the result of the American Agriculturist rural 
Prohibition vote up to and including August 25. The ballots are 
still coming in—several hundred every day. Have you voted? If 
not, send in your ballot and get your Grange or other farm organiza¬ 
tion to take a vote. Ballots will be furnished free of charge upon 
request. 
For the Eighteenth Amendment as it now stands. 6,612 
For Modification of the Eighteenth Amendment. 811 
In favor of Prohibition.. 88% 
Grand total of ballots received. 7,423 
ourselves. Work it out, that is, with your 
help and understanding and encouragement. 
We ask no greater right than we are willing 
to concede to our fellow workers in other 
fields. We who feed you, want the same priv¬ 
ileges that you grant to the men who clothe 
you. We want without question to cooperate, 
to sell our milk collectively, to get for it at 
least as much as it costs us to produce, with 
just enough more to feed and house our 
wives and children decently, to educate them 
to the task and duty of good citizenship. 
It is true we now have legal sanction in 
our cooperative undertaking. But we want 
something more than that; something even 
higher. We want the moral support of the 
public—of the whole public. We are bend¬ 
ing every ounce of intelligence and energy on 
the problem of eliminating every unneces¬ 
sary factor, of rendering more simple and 
direct the machinery of distribution, now 
altogether too cumbersome and complex. 
We, of course, haven’t the means or the 
_______ influence to bring down the high 
cost of other products, and must 
manage as best we can with the 
absolute necessities, cutting out 
all thought of luxury. But we can 
and will lower the cost of milk 
to you, the consumer, and at the 
same time do justice to the dairy 
farmer. 
It is entirely possible, and it is 
the aim and pledge of the Dairy¬ 
men’s League Cooperative As¬ 
sociation to put the dairy indus¬ 
try on a safe and sane and per¬ 
manent economic basis, and to 
give the consumer the benefits 
that must accrue from a combined 
- policy of intelligent and orderly 
cooperation, together with an en- 
revised and improved distribution 
To give justice to the dairy farmer, 
tirely 
service. _ v _ # 
to eliminate every unnecessary cost between 
cow and milk drinker, to sell milk of a higher 
quality at lower prices, is our slogan. 
PROHIBITION BALLOT 
OF THE 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
Are You for the Strict Enforcement of the 
18th Amendment as It Now Stands ? 
Are You for a Modification of the 18th 
Amendment to Permit Light Wines 
and Beer ? 
Designate your opinion by placing an X in the square opposite Yes or 
No on each question. Sign your name and address. Your name will be 
kept strictly confidential. 
Name, 
Address, 
Why You Should Vote 
Do the American people want prohibition? The Wete emphatically say 
“No” and the Drys are even more emphatically for it. Both sides claim 
a majority. Which is right? What do farm people think about it? The 
opinions of farmers on any problem, if they will express them, go far in 
determining the outcome of a controversy. 
American Agriculturist is taking a vote of farm families on the ques¬ 
tion of prohibition. It is a 'fital issue and whether you are for it or 
against it, be sure to vote in the spaces above. Mail this ballot to the 
American Agriculturist, 461 Fourth Avenue, New York City. 
Get your friends to vote—More ballots furnished on application 
A Good Time to Buy a Farm 
T HERE is no denying it, farmers are badly 
off this year, although they are saying 
less about it than would be expected. When 
it comes to standing up against a difficult or 
discouraging situation, farmers 
maintain their position longer 
and say less than anybody else. 
They face discouragements with 
the utmost fortitude. 
That is partly the reason for 
thinking that farming is coming 
back to its own. It is a good 
time now to buy a farm if you 
want one. Farm lands have not 
fluctuated in New York State as 
they have in some sections of 
the country, but they average 
much lower than they did two to 
five years ago. 
The question immediately 
comes up: “Why buy a farm if 
farmers are making no money?” 
The next question is : “Will there 
be a chance to make any money 
later on?” The answer to the 
second question may answer the 
first. In going about the State 
a little in the past few months I 
have seen so many evidences 
that some farmers will work in 
town next year that I think pro¬ 
duction may be lowered a little 
even with the same weather con¬ 
ditions. Other farmers are con¬ 
sidering reducing. Both of these 
are desirable and they point the 
way for some man to buy a farm. 
Wages for labor are high in 
comparison with returns from 
farms, but that of itself may 
aid in establishing our prices a 
little. Everybody works who 
wants to. We have had one of 
the most disastrous years for 
the eastern farmer that has been 
known in 25 years. My idea is 
that next year will be a little bet¬ 
ter than the present.— H. H. L. 
YES 
NO 
YES 
NO 
