HEPPNER GAZETTE TIMES. HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1931.
PAGE THREE
BLESSED ARE THE
ASKERS
When I was younger I used to
look at the Giant Corporations of
the country with awe.
I thought: "How wonderful to
be president of such a world-wide
business. Millions of capital and
surplus in the treasury; great plants
which are turning out a stream of
products; the highest priced experts
in every line to do the work! All
the president has to do is to sit in
a nice big office and watch the
wheels go round."
When I came closer to those
Giant Corporations I promptly re
vised my ideas.
For instance;
I happened to be in the office of
the chairman of the board of one of
the biggest businesses of its kind.
The telephone rang. On the other
end of the wire was the president
of a railroad.
Said the railroad man to his
friend the manufacturer: "You
have a subsidiary company in our
territory. Its total freight bill is
only a few thousands of dollars a
year, but we want that business.
Can we have It?"
A few days later I called on a
manufacturer of building materials.
The president's secretary Bald: "The
boss wants to see you, but he had
to go out suddenly. He has just
heard that So and So (naming a
banker) is going to build a new
house, so he jumped in his car and
went down to see if he could get
the order.
I called at my bank. The president
was not in his office. His assistant
reported that he had gone out to
solicit a new account
A friend of mine who is in a
tough business has had a very good
year in spite of the depression. A
competitor asked him :"How in the
world do you get so many orders?"
To which my friend replied simply:
"By going out and asking for them."
Whether a business be big or
small, local or International, makes
little difference. If it is to keep
going it must have orders. And
there isn't any president or chair
man of the board so famous or so
rich that he Isn't after orders every
single day!
Conditions have been subnormal
now for a long time, not only here
but all over the world. Many pre
dictions have been uttered: many
remedies proposed.
My own suggestion for improving
things is very simple:
Let's all quit talking about how
bad times are.
Let's go out and ask for orders.
Blessed are the askers!
McKELVIE LETTER
EXPLAINS SURPLUS
(Continued from First Page.)
I STPCKBR1ME 1
PARACHUTES
The tragic death of Knute Rock
ne, the world's most famous foot
ball coach, in an airplane accident,
brings sharply to the front the ques
tion of the safety of passengers in
commercial air navigation.
The Federal laws requiring every
passenger-carrying ship or boat to
provide life preservers for every
passenger are rigidly enforced.
There is just as sound reason for
compulsory legislation requiring a
parachute for every passenger on
an interstate airplane. Doubtless
the transportation companies will
protest at the suggestion of carry
ing more weight Commercial en
terprises are prone to put profits
ahead of human lives. But if they
kill a few more Rocknes, whose
lives could have been saved by par
achutes, as seems to be true in this
case, they will have neither passen
gers nor profits.
MICHELSON
"My last great experiment" is
what Prof. Albert A. Michelson
called his latest effort at accurate
mmsnrmenr of the speed of light,
when he left his laboratory, 111, at
the age of 79. The worm's greatest
experimental scientist was past 70
when he devised the method of set
ting up revolving mirrors on top of
two California mountains, 22 miles
m.ri nnrt hv means of very deli
cate electrical devices measured the
time that it took a beam of lignt to
travel from one mirror to tne otner
Th flirnrfi which he arrived at, 186,'
213 miles a second, has been accept
ed by men of science everywnere.
Pi-.ntirnilv all that has been
learned of the physical properties
of matter in the past tnirty years
Vina hppn th result of Michelson's
research and that of men who got
thoir purlv trainlne under him. A
thousand years from now Michel
son's name will be one of the two
or three names of men of this era
which will be remembered.
PROFITS
The Fnrd Motor Company's prof
its for 1930 were $55,000,000, and the
company has $300,000,000 In cash
resources. The General Motors
tlnn earned a profit of $176,
922,650 in 1930 and has cash re
sources of $364,000,UUU.
The General Motors Corporation
paid $9,538,660 In dividends to
stockholders, and over $10,000,000 to
Its employees In bonuses and spec
ial otnnU dividends. Ford Paid a
higher average scale of wages and
no bonuses. All tne siock in me
America is owned
by the Ford family. Mr. Ford
bought out all the others so he
would not have to consult a board
of directors when he wants to make
an experiment costing millions of
dollars.
He was the pioneer in the indus
trial policy of steadily reducing the
price of the product as the marker
broadened, and the success of Gen
eral Motors has been largely based
upon following the path first mark
ed out by Henry Ford. He was the
first to establish the eight hour day
and the five day week in industry,
and Is now working on a plan for a
ten month year for Industrial work
ers, at the same annual rate of pay
that they now earn In twelve
months.
RADIO
Nearly thirty years ago I was
with Marconi when he first success
fully pqtnhllshed wireless communi
cation across the Atlantic. At that
time, the only wave length used was
3,000 meters.
Ton venrs aeo Marconi began to
experiment with waves as Bhort as
25 meters and found that they wore
remarkably free from Interference,
fading" and static, and could be
directed almost as accurately as a
beam of light He predicted to me
in 1927 that the great future devel
opment of radio communications
would be with short waves.
Now the International Telegraph
and Telephone Company announces
that, with a transmitter which one
can hold in his hand, they have es
tablished communication over long
distances, with a wave length of
only seven meters, which is entirely
free from fading and static disturb
ances. This may prove to be the
long heralded achievement which
will make radio communication as
accurate and reliable as communi
cation by wire.
SMELL
Scientific research- has developed
the mechanical eye, the mechanical
ear and the mechanical sensitive
ness to touch. There are electrical
and chemical devices which can dis
criminate between the tastes of dif
ferent substances. The only one of
the five senses which hasn't been re
produced in the laboratories is the
sense of smell. Nobody has yet in
vented a mechanical nose.
Smelling involves a very delicate
chemical operation. The nose de
tects minute traces of chemical
substances whose presence cannot
be discovered by any other means.
There is no odor which cannot be
reproduced chemically, but so far
science has been baffled in every ef
fort to detect odors by means of
any kind of machine or chemical
process.
That is not to say that the me
chanical nose is an impossibility.
As yet, there is no apparent neces
sity for such a device. Once let the
necessity arise, and it is better
than an even chance that some
chemist or electrical engineer will
find a way to do the job.
They are particularly exposed to
competition of Australian wheat in
Europe and the Orient and of low
grade Canadian wheat in the Ori
ent. Growers there stand to gain,
however, through any improvement
in world prices that may be brought
about by reduction of our export
surplus in the country at large, and
in the export surplus of that area,
with its special types of wheat in
particular. So long as they produce
a considerable export surplus in
that territory, they cannot expect
to enjoy much benefit from tariff
protection on wheat, even if the rest
of the country should get onto a
domestic basis. Their problem is
the more difficult because extensive
diversion of wheat lands to other
uses does not seem to afford ade
quate relief.
The so-called "claim that our sur
plus wheat cannot be sold abroad
at world prices" may mean one of
three things. In the past our sur
plus wheat has been sold abroad
at world prices; it can no doubt be
thus sold in future. The Farm
Board has pointed out, however,
that the prospects are that during
the next few years our substantial
surplus of wheat cannot be expect
ed to sell abroad at prices satisfac
tory to farmers. The editor, how
ever, evidently wishes to argue that
the surplus wheat can be sold at
world prices and the growers as
sured a higher price on the wheat
consumed at home, with the result
that the average price received
would be satisfactory to growers.
This argument raises several
questions. One is the probable re
action of foreign governments to
such a policy on our part It is
true that Great Britain, Holland,
Belgium, and China admit wheat
duty free, and that Japan gives a
drawback on flour exports com
pensating for the duty on wheat
imported. It is also true that none
of these countries would be certain
to impose anti-bounty or anti
dumping duties on wheat. What
their reaction to a policy of differ
ential prices on export bounty can
not safely be predicted. With cheap
wheat in prospect, with abundant
supplies available in other export
ing countries, the possibility of dis
criminatory action would be much
greater than if wheat were scarce
and dear. In the case of Great
Britain, it is less difficult to con
ceive of adverse measures because
Canada and Australia are large ex
porters of wheat and would con
sider their interests hurt by a
dumping policy on the part of the
United States, and because Argen
tina, an important market for Brit
ish goods, would feel the same, to
dia might also feel hurt Apart
from embargoes or discriminatory
duties against our wheat exports,
other means (such as an import
quota system, already much dis
cussed in England) could be em
ployed to defeat a dumping policy
on our part No country with a
huge surplus of wheat such as ours
has ever adopted an export-bounty
or export-dumping system. In ex
tent, if not in kind, the policy would
be new.
If the United States as a whole
were on a domestic basis as to
wheat, and the country outside the
Pacific Northwest a net-importing
region, the case of the Pacific
Northwest would be closely analog
ous to that of eastern Germany,
where an import certificate or ex
port debenture system was devised
to meet such a situation. As it Is,
the cases are not parallel, for the
United States is a net-exporting
area outside the Pacific Northwset
The import certificate plan was
devised in Europe to apply to com
modities of which the country was
a net importer on the whole. The
theory was that the exports would
be more than offset by imports, and
that the cost to the treasury would
be nil, because whatever wheat was
exported would be replaced by
wheat imports. In Germany, how
ever, rye became a net-export crop
while the system was in operation,
and the system yielded a real ex
port bounty on rye. In Poland this
year there is a surplus of wheat as
well as rye, and the system virtu
ally gives an export bounty on both.
Hungary last July adopted an ex
port bounty device.
Whether Foland ana Hungary
will find the system effective for
their farmers and tolerable for
their treasuries, it is too early to
say. But it is significant that Ger
many, during the past year of ex
t r e m e agricultural depression,
found it necessary to suspend her
import certificate system. It was
proving too heavy a burden on the
treasury; and in the case of rye,
of which she had an export sur
plus, it was resulting not in raising
domestic prices, but in depressing
rye prices in her export markets.
The price of domestic wheat has
been held up in Germany this year,
not by the application of this sys
tem, but by a combination of an
extremely high tariff, $1.62 a bushel
since October 28, 1930, milling regu
lations requiring a high minimum
percentage of domestic wheat and
other regulations. Even so, prices
of domestic wheat have been far
below duty-paid prices of foreign
wheat. Germany's wheat export re
gions have gained less than her def
icit regions under this year's system.
The suggestion that the Federal
Farm Board buy domestic wheat
at prices above the world level, sell
the export surplus for what It
would bring, and sell the balance
at home for enough profit to offset
the loss on export sales, is not new.
Whether it is a straightforward,
affirmative policy that would work
to the advantage of wheat growers,
could probably not be conclusively
answered until it was tried. Some
reasons for believing that it would
work badly can be stated.
It would involve a government
monopoly of the grain business, do
mestic and export and very sub
stantial restrictions on the buying
operations of our own millers. It
would necessitate fixing prices and j
price differentials in all sections for
all types and grades of wheat It
would mean buying at government
risk. It is hardly conceivable that
the task could be executed with sat
isfaction to wheat growers, many of
whom believe they wer dealt with
unfairly when the wheat price dur
ing the war was fixed at $2.25 a
bushel Chicago. It would be impos
sible, without considerable tariff in
crease, to maintain prices 42 cents
a bushel above Winnipeg or Van
couver prices, since Canadian wheat
is worth more to millers than the
great bulk of our wheats. With an
export surplus of 200 million bush
els (a conservative figure with our
present production since feed use
would presumably be curtailed and
production expanded), it would re
quire a profit of 12 cents a bushel
on 500 million bushels, to cover ex
port losses of 30 cents a bushel on
wheat exported. Moreover, the pol
icy would almost certainly tend to
increase our export surplus, for
there are important areas in which
an assured advance of anything like
32 cents a bushel over an export ba
sis would be stimulating to expan
sion of acreage. Such expansion
would tend to hold world prices
down or to force world prices still
lower.
Wheat farmers everywhere are
taking disastrously low prices and
the situation is getting worse in
stead of better. The world visible
supply of wheat on March 1, this
year, was 630 million bushels. This
is 29 million bushels higher than on
February 1, this year; 79 million
bushels higher than on March 1,
last year, and the largest on record
for all time. Both the United
States and Australian visibles are
at new record levels.
It would be stretching the imagi
nation a good deal to assume that
other countries are less jealous of
the welfare of their farmers than
we are of ours. We will not permit
dumping of agricultural products
into this country, and I cannot see
how other countries could be ex
pected to permit dumping of our
surpluses against the interests of
their farmers. Even though em
bargoes may not exist at the pres
ent time in the countries you men
tion, it does not take long to erect
such barriers when the occasion
arises. Speaking of fair play, it
seems to me that should be the
spirit of our relations with other
countries in the disposition of ex-
The
Kilowatt Kiddles
Bring
HOT WATER
ELECTRICALLY
Jack and Jill went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water
BUT The Kilowatt Kiddies have not even hills
to climb to bring you Hot Water ELEC
TRICALLY. Invisible as they are, Charlie
and Clara Kilowatt keep your tank brimf ull of
abundant hot water. It's always just the right
temperature for the Monday morning wash
ing, the morning shave the hundred-and-one
household jobs that are made easy with a de
pendably constant Hot Water supply.
The Kilowatt Kiddies invisible symbols of
service they stay on guard to give you hot wa
ter the instant you touch the tap. Charlie and
Clara Kilowatt never sleep . . . they are yours
to command every minute, day or night, with
never-varying precision.
The Kilowatt Kiddies would like to serve
YOU with ELECTRIC Hot Water. Learn all
about its economy, dependability and conven
ience from their sponsors, the
Pacific Power 6- Light
Company
"Always at Your Service)"
MMHUD)
MELEAIMILIITY
portable surpluses, like wheat If
that is to be the spirit there cer
tainly is no excuse on our part for
dumping.
In the light of these facts and
many others that may be educed, It
seems to us a serious mistake to
lead farmers to believe that they
can continue to produce the present
exportable surplus or anything like
it without suffering the baneful ef
fects of taking world prices. Hence
our justification for urging farmers
to reduce their acreage of wheat
THE FORD
TUDOR SEDAN
lp
Long9 hard use shows
the value of good
materials and
simplicity of design
EVERYWHERE you go you hear reports of the good
performance and reliability of the. Ford.
One owner writes "The Ford Tudor Sedan I am
driving has covered 59,300 miles through all kinds
of weather. It is still giving perfect satisfaction.'
Another owner describes a trip of 3217 miles
in 95 hours over bad roads and through heavy raitt
and sleet in the mountains. "Throughout the en
tire trip," he writes, "the Ford performed ex
cellently and no mechanical trouble of any kind
was experienced. The shatter-proof glass un
doubtedly saved us from serious injury when 8
prairie chicken struck the windshield while we
were traveling at 65 miles an hour."
See the nearest dealer and have him give you a
demonstration ride in the Ford. Then, from your
own personal experience, you will know that it
brings you everything you want or need in a motor
car at an unusually low price.
L O W F O II II PRICES
43 to G3
(F. o. b. Detroit, plus freight and delivery. Bumpers and
spare tire extra at lout coil. You may purchase a Ford car or
truck for a small down payment, on convenient, economical
terms through your Ford dealer.)
(X OF THE CRUCIBLE OFTEARS' PSE
comes lhit.r .
J YEAR
GUARANTEE
r4 thrifty hornet throughout the country, you'll find
overwhelming proof of the expense-free perform
ance of General Electric Refrigerators. Now with
price reductioni General Electric announcei a 3-Year
Guarantee. Every new General Electric Refrigerator
it warranted free from service
expense for three long years.
The simple mechanism is sealed
in the gleaming Monitor Top,
permanently oiled safe from air,
moisture and dirt Cabinets are
all steel porcelain-lined easy
to clean broom-room beneath.
Accessible temperature control
i r ,..1,1 mAAM.
"$ I mstant tesponse to every need.
? I At new low prices enjoy General
Electric convenience and econo
my now.
Join mi in tbl Ctnirat
Bit
BUctric Program, broadcast
ttery Saturday tvtning, en
0 nation-wtdt N. B. C
mttwerk
Down payments art
as low as
no
(14 months to pay)
GENERAL ELECTRIC
ALL-STEEL REFRIGERATOR
Commercial Refrigerator! Electric Water Coolers
Electric Milk Coolers
PACIFIC POWER
& LIGHT COMPANY
"Always at Your Service!"
Eat more froah fruits arid vegetables NOW I They are donbly essential
In tne Spring of tne year. Tliey tone np your appetite mane yon xeex
more eneriretic. more alive. You will find the neatest variety of these
fancy Spring fruits and vegetables abundantly displayed in our stands.
ana priced lower man tney nave been lor years, guauty ana economy
have made our stores "famous for fruits and vegetables."
Saturday & Monday Specials
MILK
Darigold Brand, a Western
product.
PER TALL
TIN
8c
SHORTENING
White and Fluffy note the
saving
4 lbs 49c
mm a fresh stock- 0Q0
CuFEE
Only 3 more days left of the Big Coffee Sale. We actually
sold 301 pounds of bulk coffee in Heppner alone last Satur
day, eclipsing all former records. We announce that we take
pride in selling goods of such superior quality as our bulk
coffees. FRIDAY, SATURDAY, MONDAY, ON'LY.
MacMarr
Coffee, 3 lbs.
.85cmCy31bs. 55c
L
PAR
HAS NO RIVAL Is absolutely 9 LiTe
the finest and best soaD Dowder &
on tne market.
P"kgs.
85c
I MACARONI I I PANCAKE FLOUR I
Fresh stock, just arrived. The wonderful MacMarr.
Note the saving.
5 ft Q s Large Pkg 19c
LBS 4 tJC No. 10 Sack 59c
t ancy siae, wen streaKeci
Swift's bacon. Per Lb.
27c
CHEESE
Fancy full cream
Oregon loaf.
B-LB. LOAF
$1.15
VEGETABLES
Everything you need in
fresh fruits nd vegetables
yon will nnd here. Every,
thing fresh and the price
right.
BEANS
Mexican Reds.
Note the price.
10 LBS.
44c
PHONE 1082
Orders of $3.00 of over
delivered FBEB.
HOTEL HEPPNER BLDO.