PAGE TWO
HEFPNER GAZETTE TIMES, HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY, DEC. 17, 1931.
FAILURE OF NATIONAL FARM BOARD
DEPENDS ON PERSONAL POINT OF VIEW
By CALEB
Is the Farm Board a failure? The
answer, as I see it, is "yes and no."
No governmental institution in
recent times has had to face such a
heavy storm of criticism and con
demnation as the Federal Farm
Board is now facing. But most of
the criticism Is based upon the fact
that the Farm Board's efforts at
stabilization of the wheat and cot
ton markets fail to keep the price
of those commodities up to the high
levels of boom times. Very little
criticism, except such as originates
with purely selfish commercial in
terests, is based upon the primary
purpose of the Farm Board, which
is the encouragement and develop
ment of farmer-owned cooperative
marketing associations.
That is the primary purpose for
which the Farm Board was estab
lished. The title of the law creat
ing the Farm Board is "the Co-operative
Marketing Act" There is
room for very grave doubt that
Congress showed good judgment in
tying up a financial scheme for sta
bilizing prices of future commodit
ies with a scheme for the encour
agement of co-operative marketing.
It was like tying something which
has always proved a failure with
something which under intelligent
management has always proved
beneficial. And it is human nature
to see the failure and not see the
benefits, which fact in itself, ac
counts for a great deal of the pres
ent criticism of the Farm Board.
Careful study of the second an
nual report of the Federal Farm
Board suggests that perhaps, even
admitting the loss of $177,000,000 in
its stabilizing operations, the ulti
mate benefit to farmers through
the establishment and financing of
109 major commodity co-operatives,
which include 11,950 local as
sociations having a total member
ship of about three million farm
ers, is worth the cost These asso
ciations handle cotton and cotton
products, dairy products, forage
crops, fruits, vegetables and nuts,
grains, livestock, poultry and poul
try products, tobacco, wool and mo
hair and miscellaneous commodit
ies. They did a. total business in
the last fiscal year of two billion
four hundred million dollars. Dairy
products and grains ran almost
neck and neck in the total volume
of sales by farmer owned coopera
tives, the business in grains done
by these organizations being six
hundred and twenty-one million
dollars, and in dairy products six
hundred twenty million.
The Farm Board encouraged and
aided these cooperatives by loans
amounting in all to $109,000,000.
These were not loans against crops.
but loans for the purpose of enab
ling cooperatives to purchase nec
essary equipment, finance the con
struction of warehouses and ele
vators in short, to provide facil
ities for carrying on a business of
dealing in agricultural commodit
ies. Crop loans are not within the
Farm Board's authority.
I think there is a general agree
ment on the part of thoBe who have
had intimate relations with the de
velopment of cooperatives under
the Farm Board that on the whole
the standards of efficiency have
been materially raised and very
material benefits have resulted to
farmers selling their products thru
well-managed cooperative associa
tions. Great stress Is laid by the
Farm Board on the importance of
management, a phase of coopera
tive work which had not previously
ODD BUT TRUE
JOHNSON.
received the attention which It de
serves. There is no magic in the
word "cooperative," as the Board
takes pains to point out in its re
port Selling farm products is a
highly competitive business and it
takes a competent business man or
group of business men to operate
that business successfully, whether
the selling organization is owned by
the producers themselves or by pri
vate interests. And, as the Board
pointed out in its first annual re
port a year ago, the organization of
the cooperative marketing of farm
products to the point where the
great majority of farmers will ob
tain the fullest benefit from this
system is not a matter that can be
achieved in one year, or two years,
or hardly in five years.
As in every other line of busi
ness activity, the history of well
managed cooperatives is that they
are successful, and of badly man
aged cooperatives is that they are
failures.
The criticism to which the Farm
Board is being subjected is not,
however, ostensibly directed at its
operations in the development of
cooperative marketing. The point
of the criticism is the apparent
failure of is effort to stabilize wheat
and cotton prices by financing or
ganizations which have bought and
are holding large reserves of these
commodities that have been stead
ily dropping in price. The weak
ness of the Farm Boards position
under this kind of attack is that
there is no way whatever of de
termining whether prices would
have gone down still farther if it
had not been for these stabilizing
operations. The Farm Board con
tends that there would have been
a much more serious drop in wheat
and cotton prices if it had not
stepped in. This may be true, but
it can t be proved. Wheat and cot
ton responded to the natural law
of suppy and demand and the ef
fects of a worldJwide depression.
No effort ever made by any gov
ernment to stabilize prices of com
modities in the face of diminishing
demand and increasing supply has
ever been successful. The Japan
ese government tried to stabilize
the price of silk at sixteen dollars a
pound, with the result that every
body rushed into silk production
and the price fell to two dollars a
pound. The British government
tried it in the case of rubber, which
went up to a dollar and three cents
a pound. Everybody who could do
so began to produce rubber, and
you can buy plantation rubber now
for five cents a pound. The Brazil
ian government tried to maintain
the price of coffee at twenty-three
cents a pound an now has on
hand enough coffee to supply the
whole world for two years and is
glad to get six cents a pound for it
Canada made a great failure of the
effort to stabilize wheat prices sev
eral years ago. Every government
in the world which has any sugar
producing territory has tried and
failed time and again to maintain
the price of sugar.
So when you hear people criti
cising the Federal Farm Board,
ask them what it is they are criti
cising. The Board was directed by
law to do two things, one of which
had an excellent chance of success
and the other of which was certain
to fail. Its work in promoting co
operative marketing by farmer-
owned organizations has been suc
cessful. Its attempt to peg the
prices of wheat and cotton has
Don't Fail to See
Home
Town
Mystery
Unemployment
Benefit Play
Presented by Faculty of
Heppner Schools
SCHOOL GYM-AUDITORIUM
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Tieat Market Sluggish
With Losses for Week
Local wheat prices were lower
for the week. Markets were dull
and sentiment decidedly mixed
Export business was impossible
and California remains out of the
market for local wheat, reports the
Portland Grain Exchange for week
ending December 12.
Considerable confidence was
shown by buyers at times, but
there was very little wheat offered
and the constructive news relative
to wheat was overshadowed by the
general decline in the stock and
securities markets and the abnor
mal state of international credit
A private estimate for winter
wheat showed the smallest area
since 1913, with condition well un
der the ten year average, Cana
dian and American visible supplies
decreased almost six million bush
els; but Argentina is offering wheat
freely and stocks of Soviet wheat
in Liverpool are pressing for sale.
The Pacific Coast export business
In wheat centers at Vancouver, B.
C, where sales of low grade to the
Orient are reported at approximate
ly nine million bushels for Decem
ber shipment and about five or six
million for January at prices about
11 or 12 cents a bushel under local
wheat The discount on Canadian
money of course accounts for
about 7 cents a bushel at the pres
ent rate.
Australia has made heavy for
ward sales which with those from
Argentina and Canada fill most of
the current requirements and leave
the United States stocks intact
Portland Futures show net loss
for the week as follows: Decem
ber off 2c and May off 2 3-8c per
bushel.
GOOD PAY STEADY WORK.
Several choice openings in cities
and towns for ambitious men and
women. Experience unnecessary.
We finance you if required. Write
today. Mr. Thomas, Superintend
ent 426 Third St., Oakland, Calif.
L. B. Led bettor and brother of
lone were business visitors in the
city Monday.
Hi--!! !-!iWi-' 't JMYA'-PW. -T"F7
' ' " " ' , r -y '
'' For Trouble'
- III MCARTBUfM
, V I MEAOACM I
When
FOOD SOURS
ABOUT two hours after eating
many people suffer from sour
stomachs. They call it indigestion. It
means that the stomach nerves have
been over-stimulated. There b er.cess
acid. The way to correct it is with an
alkali, which neutralizes many times
its volume in acid.
The right way is Phillips Milk of
Magnesia just a tasteless dose in
water. It is pleasant, ellicient and
harmless. Results come almost in
stantly. It is the approved method.
You will never use another when
you know.
Be sure to get the genuine Phillips
Milk of Magnesia prescribed by
physicians for correcting excess acids.
25c and 50c a bottle any drugstore.
"Milk of Magnesia" has been the
U. S. Registered Trade Mark of the
Charles II. Phillips Chemical Com
pany and its predecessor Charles H.
Phillips since 1875.
failed, as every intelligent person
must have realized in the beginning
it was bound to fail.
PINE CITY
ALMA NEILL, Correspondent
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Foley spent
Sunday afternoon at the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Lon Wattenburger.
Mr. and Mrs. Helms and children
called at the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Charley Bartholomew Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. John Healy made
a business trip to Heppner Saturday.
Jim Ayers and Mrs. Elder were
business visitors in Hermiston Sat
urday.
Bobby Morehead, little son of
Mr. and Mrs. Charley Morehead
who has been sick with diphtheria
is reported to be improving rapid
ly. As no new cases have broken
out in the community it is consid
ered that all danger is past
The Pine City schools opened
Monday after being closed since
last Tuesday owing to a case of
diphtheria in the community.
Mrs. Ollie Neill and daughter
Neva were business visitors in Her
miston Saturday.
The Pine City school auditorium
has been freshly painted and kal
somined by the high school boys
and Mr. Atkin.
Charley Barhtolomew is taking
over 2500 head of sheep to feed
this winter.
Percy Jarraon and son Oscar
were visitors in Hermiston Satur
day. Miss Lila Bartholomew visited
at the Ollie Neill home Friday and
Saturday.
Lucille and Junior Wattenburger,
the small children of Mr. and Mrs.
E. B. Wattenburger, were vaccin
ated for diphtheria Friday.
Everybody come to the two one
act plays to be given at Pine City
Friday, December 18. Eats are to
be served after the performance.
Apron and Cooked Food Sale.
The ladies of the Christian
church will hold an apron and
cooked food sale on Saturday, Dec,
19th. Look for further announcement
C. L. Sweek, circuit judge, and
J. S. Beckwith. court reporter,
came over from Pendleton Sunday
for opening of court here Monoay,
For
This
Xmas
Let us suggest
gifts that are
sensible, serv
iceable, useful,
and reasonable
in price.
MUNSINGWEAR for Women
HOSIERY There could be no more appropriate time for reduc
ing prices than now at Christmastime:
$1.95 Hosiery Reduced to $1.50 $1.50 Hosiery Reduced to $1.00
Bralbriggin Pajamas
Rayon Pajamas
All in one-piece, two
piece and ensembles.
Gowns Vests
Step-in Chemise
Breeviations
SILK AND WOOL
HOSIERY
Silk Union Suits and
Bloomers
for Little Ones
Also
TOWEL SETS .
LUNCHEON SETS
BLANKETS
LOUNGING ROBES
STATIONERY '
HANDKERCHIEF
SETS
HOUSE SLIPPERS
Leather and Felt
MUNSINGWEAR for Men
UNION SUITS in Heavy and light wool and cotton.
Handkerchief Sets Hosiery (Fancy, in Xmas Boxes.)
Suspenders and Ties (In Gift Boxes) Wrist Watches
Slippers Felt and leather and sheep-skin lined. Garter Sets.
Gloves Lined and unlined.
Our GROCERY Department
is featuring many Holiday Specialties:
CANDY NUTS FKK8H, SEASON
ABLE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Shaving Sets
CLARK'S
Fast Economical
These essential transportation require
ments are fulfilled by our service and
more it is also DEPENDABLE.
$10,000 Cargo Insurance
for your protection.
John Day Valley Freight Line
(Incorporated)
M. VENABLE, Manager.
Office S E. May St Phone 1363
f mBm i
i
Pirates
of old, tradition has it, bur
ied their gold fof safe-keeping.
So did many of our ancestors.
Today that "burying" procedure
would be ridiculed . . in fact,
the thought of it banished as
involving too great a risk to even
be considered.
You can bank here in AB
SOLUTE SAFETY. And
your savings earn INTER
EST besides !
Fir& National Bank
HEPPNER, OREGON