The Independent-News, Volume 88, Number 39, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 24 September 1964 — Page 4

4

— THE INDEPENDENT NEWS — Sept. 24. 1961

It's Just The Trend Os Things

A very controversial issue at hand J> »w the holding action by tin National Farmers Organization. certainly is a touchy suhie< t The NFO. in trying 1 to establish better prices for theii commodities, is asking the farmer to hold their livestock off the market to get better guaranteed prices. It must truthfully be said that T cannot side with or against this action as it stands today. Who knows for sure if this is the right procedure or not, but certain things have been derived as personal opinions of this unfoitunata situation. The NFO stresses that they do not advocate or condone violence and seriously regret violence. However, two Wisconsin fanners were killed recently when a truck attempting to get to market with its stock, lunged forward into a group of approximately 250 farmers, killing two and Injuring three This makes the action viok r. e as far as I cm concerned. Now where doe.- the blame Jay? The NFO Is attempting by their own means to control the market prices to raise the jn- < time of the farmers. But at the same time, are infringing on other people’s rights if they are stopping t nicks of animals on their way to market or al the market. Those who don’t side with the NFO have their rights as well. The NFO feels they aren't being treated fairly by the prices received for the commodities they sell, but will on the other hand, interfere with the business of other individuals in an effort to stop the market. I »ni not taking sides with or against the NFO. and my information is limited (usually to the information read in the dialy newspapers about the progress of the holding action My information if it serves me correctly, seems to point out that tins has had little effect on the market to date. This stems from the fact that the NFO is not any way near to a majority of the farm dollars or farm families. The issue of failure seems to come from the fact that too many farmers, possibly the more successful, aren't’ siding in with this train of thought of withholding from the market. If I may in my own small way offer sympathy to the small farmer, this is my conclusion. I think the farmer should be able to make a suitable wage, but on the other hand, take the case of the small businessman. In tlie past few years, ever jibing has gone againet the small businessman a« well as the small farmer. Many doors have ghi>» in the past few years with the businessman leaving his own business, many in very destitute situations financiidly as they have attempted to hold on waiting for that pick up. in bumneas. But they eventually find jobs to s'ipix>rt their families and close

ft W MNMS niTIMIAH’ \ Ite Bffl 4w* WM by September ft, m Woediw WitoM <te^ ftpteiber M, Mill Smmm! Osgeed wm appointed tnt Fortmuter Genera! mder tbe CenAiMtoa, ftßpMber M, MM, she Merai lute* CemfiMce •m erpmteeC September M, 1914 Germany, Italy and Japan signed a Triple AnUmee, September •7,IMT. The first Liberty ship was istmehed, September 27, XML Balboa clafaned the Pacific, in name es his *%erertegnA w tbt “Monarchs at CastUe/’ September 2s, Uli. The U.S. Infantry was founded, September 29, 1799. Daladier, Mtttsollai, Hitter and Oamberteta met at Munich* September |ik 1929. The Siege at Yorktown, Virginie began, September 99, 1781. Rural Free Delivery wu established, October 1, 1896. Boeder >am opened, October 1,1915.

their business which certainly must leave in them a feeling of failure as well as that the small farmer is feeling. To prove thus, just visit any town or city and look at the empty buildings. These were operated individually. not part of a large chain. This is the trend of the past few years, be big io your operation to continue competing with the large companies It seems to also be the thought in the farm situation. You must be big or you will suffer the consequences. I do not know the solution and f doubt If anyone else does either. However, it seems to be that the NFO and the Farm Bureau do not see eye to eye on procedure and there is a conflict between the two main groups trying to accomplish the same results. It must be a very depressing situation for the man who has farmed f >r many years on the same 100 or 200 acres to look at the future ar. 1 sec no roses as the income ho makes doos not rise as the prices do. But you are not alone. We are a part of a country that does things in a big way and it looks like the big way is the only way to succeed at the present time. More and more the farms of the country are joining into larger farms, many set up as corporations, pooling the equipment and labor They are farming on a large scale. I don’t think this has entered our area nearly’ as much as other areas, but the idea has spread in the past few years and according to reports, successfully. Our newspaper has always tried to offer our services by publishing the news of the Farm Bureau and the NFO. This is very greatly appreciated. But. It doesn't reflect 100 per cent the views of the paper We have received comment from both sides as mm area farmers are very active and confident in the NFO, but also many are not. I must go along with the NFO in hoping that no violence comes from the action ndw In progress, but offer this advice. It isn't hard to go just a little too far and step on innocent people's toes in your efforts. The owner or manager of a sale bam has no more control over the prices than you do. They offer their facilities to help the farmer market his cattle, but they do not buy or establish the prices. A lengthy article in a recent national magazine, went into the price of meat and where the money goes It isn’t cheap for the consumer to purchase, and on the other hand, it isn't highly profitable for the farmer who raises it and sells it. What the answer Is again I say I don't know, and who does, but this situation just saemsto fall into the pattern of life which has changed greatly In the past few years.

DREAMS OF GLORY * 11 » । jul. ft fkß J

Voice of the People I certainly feel sorry for our lost cause and semi-taxed and control price fixed farmers. Have you checked the prices of milk, eggs. Wheat, etc ? Here are a few examples of hourly wages paid in Chicago from August 10th, 1964 issue of the Tribune: brick layers, $4.95; electricians, $5.00; carpenters $1.60; laborers, $3.52 In our Marshall County area, many liveMock lots and buddings are out of livestock and poultry. Even the State REMC is asking why. or what happened ? Yes, I know in Starke County the farmers sold cpn> in 1935 at 20-30; some sold com for fuel. We also imported com from Argentina I understand wheat sold in 1926 for $1.27 and in 1964 at sl3 T Please check machine prices and taxes which might be fair. This Is happening here in our county (Marshall). Import clothing. electric supplies, steel, wire, cement, tires, and autos from Japan and Europe. I am fool enough to believe our farmers must be destroyed by the ruthless spenders, local to Federal government. Even union labor helps increase prices. Can I justify the power of Ruether, Hoffa, etc, that have the key to tiie back door of the White House. I gan name to you (if you send me a stamped envelope) a list of Am means that were fined or sent to prison for safes or ovesplantlng wheat which was to be farm used. In my fifty years on the farm horizon, we are at a km’ priorcoat ratio, perhaps IM9 40 br 1953-35. We, as Americans, can be proud Os Senator Sbnom Thurmond, S.C, quote “The Democratic Party has forsaken the people to become the party at minority groups, powerhupgry union leaders, politico I bosses, big business looking for jttiey contracts It afeo eweeuragt s impractical legislation, Congress an 'Amen Chorus' for the Pre»ident’s proposals Also can we have men in office right to he’, ’control the press,’ and remain in office.” The Kennedy ‘'Brothers" gave mt- the jitters when big men were •ent to prison for price fixing (used super spy system), Vbt when big labor called the spots, this is not fixing When steel wanted $6.50 ton raise (No). Milk producers have to hold a federal

hearing and tell why? I want to condemn any president that puts party, power, and press to his own enrichment. Government relief programs do not end poverty. Something is wrong when the top men protect Bobby Baker and tßilly Sol Estes. I hope that you as voters can vote for Goldwater and Miller to end this era of Johnson and Humphrey defrauding America. Why do you Democrats shut up on 6,000.000 Jews or 25,000 .*4dierx who died on the Death Maich / Joseph Holm IT IS TIME SOMEONE WAKES UP The NFO does not advocate or condone violence and seriously regrets violence from whatever source but it is evident that the plight of the farmer has been dealt with so lightly by constituted government and by responsible business people, that a Wisconsin truck driver felt privileged to drive his stock truck into a group of farmers, killing two men and injuring three others. It's time someone wakes up! Peaceful farmer members pf the National Farm Organization and self-respecting people cverj'where are shocked at the wanton disregard of human life that was demonstrated in Bonduel. Wisconsin, on September 9, 1964. This was a black day for those of us who believe in the Golden Rule. Farmers everj’U’here are deeply indebted to the memory of the two Bonduel. Wisconsin, farmers who were killed and the three others who were injured, while they were engaged in peaceful demonstration to dramatise the plight of the family farm. Os the 986 000 families in the state of Wisconsin. 129.000 live on the farms and of these 129 000, ^Jfty thousand are categorized as poverty famities, who earn less than $3,000 income annually. How are these families to help themselves except by peaceful demonstration in organizations when no one else stems to care about them'’ ' It is time that all concerned, recognize that the National Fanners Organization is a new force in arrtculture and begin to try to understand it and its goals There is nothing unique or new about endeavoring to attain a price for farm products that is relative to the cost of other goods and sendees The difference Is. that the National Farmers Organization is naw for the first time

in a half century, offering agr - culture a method at marketing that will accomplish this lon* sought objective. Evidently. NFO people don’t intend to slackee their efforts until thia goal is accomplished. Farm income never att^is once it is started until it filters int* every nook and cranny of our domestic economy. The time has come for the rural buMneas an 4 proteasional people to understan«i dud. the farmer is only the first recipient at the farm income. Tht* rural business and profesaion M people benefit on the first turn of the farm dollar, hence it flou i t hrough the cash registers of th« rural city service centers who are the primary distributors of gooda and services to ths rural towns and to the farms that surround these rural towns, and the rural city service centers these dollar! flow out to the urban and industrial United States for additional supplies of the widest variety M goods and services consumed b> any major segment of the economy. The farm dollar is a dollar with a lot of mileage in it. but it has to bo earned by the farmer first. This is what the NFO u endeavoring to do for the United States Get the farm dollars started through the economy by getting them eanjed tn fair and adequate quantities at the fans level. No one in the rural United States ear safely ignore the dirt need for a better price at the farm level, that benefits every eegmar.t of the economy in inerMMed markets for goods and services «• the return trip. I extend my sympathies to th* families of the Wisconsin farmer) Who gave their lives in an effort to b^d aU Amsstsa, and! WT highly respect ths nundbsra off leers of WO for tMT oontin ued and deMaiftH cMMa t« solve the problem, in spits of th* tgnaraace anhfa&iA WmM played by those people who «p---pose them. Vines Ro&dUr Sr^ Preaideni Bank of Hartinguxi Hartington, Nebraska CAUKE AND EFFEf*T As a rule good men find wherever they go— because tha good in them brings out the goo 4 Ui others. The man who seises opportunity will get the cold shoulder if b* lacks ability. Slow down and live!