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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 22, 1955)
t Both Slff SS Have mole Arsenal in on Dispute Farmers Income Figure Ciled To Support Desperation Claim Editor's note: How had off ii the American farmer? The following dis patch, by the veteran United Press reporter who covers the Agriculture Department in Washington, gives facts and figures on both sides of the hot political battle over the farm situation. Br GA.YLORD P. GODWIN United Press Correspondent Washington '(UP.) Just how lerious is the "farm situation" that the politicians are talking about? Democratic critics of the ad ministration's farm policies say the farmer is really hurting in the pocketbook. But Secretary of Agriculture Ezra T. Benson says American agriculture is ba sically "in a sound financial condition. Both sides have ample arsen als of statistical ammunition. Those who picture the farm situation as prety desperate cite ,the farm income figure. This is the figure that shows what the farmer in the country have left over each year, as net earnings, after deducting their production costs from their crop and live stock sales. This figure has dropped from more than $14,000,000,000 in 1952 to a rate of $10,500,000, 000 for 1955. That's a decrease of 27 per cent. And it has come at a time when the rest of the nation's economy is enjoying boom-time prosperity. The Agriculture department reported Friday that a further decline in farm earnings is in prospect for 1956. Benson and his supporters note that the number of people living on farms also has de creased since 1952. If you look at farm income on a per capita basis that is, total income di vided by the total farm popula tion of men, women and chil dren you find that it hasn't dropped so sharply after all. Per capita farm income, from all sources, was $949 in 1952 and $913 in 1954. That's a drop of less than four per cent. The 1955 figure won't be available until the year ends, but doubt less it will be a little lower. Politicians and economists who take a glum ,view of the farm situation point to the "cut price squeeze" on the farmer. What they mean is that trie prices of farm - produced goods have been going - down fairly j steadily, while the farmers' costs have held steady or gone up. For example, a bushel of corn brought $1.51 in 1952, but only $1.14 last month. Whereas a tractor that sold for $980 in 1952 was tagged at $2020 last month. The government has a compli cated formula for measuring the prices a farmer receives against the costs he has to pay. It's called "parity." When costs and prices are in the same balance thev were in the period 1910 1914, the parity ratio is 100. It so happens that in 1952, the par ity level also was exactly 100. It's been sliding downward ever since and so far this year the average is 85 per cent. Con sidering last month, alone, it was 82 per cent. Economist Don Parrlberg, an assistant to Benson, says present farm price relationships are "about midway" between the post-war boom when parity shot up to 115 per cent and the de pression of the thirties when it sank to 58 per cent. "Present price relationships for agriculture . . . may be some where near normal for modern day periods of peacetime full employment, taking into account our heavy government stocks," Parrlberg says. . In discussing farm finances, MEDFORDeJltiks Tribune United Press Full Leased Wire United Press Full Leased Wire Second Section MEDFORD, OREGON, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1955 Six Pages 1 -' '- ; jj 3 PRETTY, TOO Egyptian-born Tina Cadeaux, 24, secretary to Democratic Hep. B. F. Sisk of California, spruces up after winning the Capitol's popularity contest. She won out over employes of the House, Senate and Library of Congress in contest sponsored by Roll Call, a bi-weekly newspaper for members of Congress and their employes. Morse Will Introduce Bill for Access Roads Portland (U.PJ Sen. Wayne Morse (D-Ore.) yesterday told a joint congressional interior sub committee he plans to introduce a bill in the next Congress call ing for greater funds to be ap propriated for construction of ac cess roads. One of the main points brought out by southern Oregon logging and mill operators in committee hearings last week was the need for more access roads into federal timber areas. Sessions Aimed at Breaking UN Deadlock United Nations, N. Y. (U.R) The Big Four United Nations ambassador called, a series of sessions yesterday aimed at breaking a year-long deadlock on membership in the world body. The top delegates of the Unit ed States, Britain, France and Russia held "consultations and conservations" at the UN head quarters seeking agreement on the admission of 18 new mem bers to the United Nations. No Big Four meeting was planned informed sources said, but the delegates met in small er meetings to try to reach some agreement which then could be presented to the top repre sentatives of their delegations. The General Assembly studied a new proposal by the United States, Britain, Canada, and three other nations to establish a committee of 60 nations to dis cuss possibilities and time and place for a conference on char ter review. New York (U.R) For the teen-aged set: a new, heavy knit cotton sock that features a pock et on the cuff for holding combs, keys, lipstick, or change. The sock has a thick ribbed top that can be rolled either to expose the pocket or cover it. It is wash able, but don't forget to empty the pocket before the sock hits the suds. Estacada Youth Hurt When Run Over by Car Oregon City U.R) Toney Eden Warre, 19, of Estacada, was in satisfactory condition to day after being thrown from his auto and run over by the speed ing vehicle Saturday. Clackamas county sheriffs of ficers said Warre fell out of a partially open door and was dragged 50 feet before being run over by a rear wheel. . George Hull, 16, a passenger remained in the driverless vehi cle as it went off the road, ripped through 50 feet of hedge and stopped on the porch of a house. He was not hurt. Subscribers To report improper or non-delivery of the Mail Tribune phone 2-6141 before 6:45 cm. daily and 10:30 a.m. Sunday. Ii regular delivery arrives short ly after you call please notify of fice thus eliminatine special mes senger service. Yvonne De Carlo Marries Stunt Man Hollywood (U.R) Actress Yvonne De Carlo, 33, for years Hollywood's most glamorous spinster, married actor Robert Morgan in a surprise ceremony at Reno yesterday, her studio announced. The film Queen and Morgan, a stunt man and supporting play er whom she's known for five years, eloped to the gambling city after finishing a picture at Universal - International studio, "Raw Edge." Roy Calhoun, her co-star in "Raw Edge," gave the bride away at the ceremony in the Reno Episcopal chapel. Prince oi Monaco Plans Visit To US Monte Carlo, Monaco (U.R) Bachelor Prince Rainier III of Monaco intends to start on his long-delayed visit to the United States early next month, mem bers of his entourage said today. Palace sources said Rainier plf.ns to devote much of his time studying automobile pro duction. These sources said the hand some 32-year-old prince's trip was not a wife-hunting expedi tion. The prince recently admit ted in an unusual broadcast to the citizens of his tiny princi pality that the question of get ting married has been causing him some concern. Prospect Lions Club Files Incorporation Articles of incorporation for the Prospect Lions club were filed Nov. 19 at the Jackson county clerk's office. The articles stated the club was formed from a cross-section of .people in Prospect and sur rounding areas. The purpose was to promote good citizenship, government, better understand ing, and to aid civic and indus trial betterment. The articles provided for by-laws and the election of officers. The articles of incorporation were signed by George A. Hub bard, Lowell W. Ash, and Paul J. Pearson, all of Prospect. Benson often quotes the old say ing that "Price times volume equals income." He's calling at tention to the fact that, even if prices are down, production is high. Farmers may be getting less per bushel for their corn, but they're growing an awful lot of corn. This year's total harvest of all crops is expected to equal ! sssa and may surpass the all-time record of 1948. The dark side of the produc tion picture is that huge sur pluses are piling up in govern ment warehouses, and these ex- ort n Hfnrfascincf pfteot on farm markets. The hoard of surplus j farm commodities which the gov ernment has taken in under price support operations has passed the seven billion dollar mark, and is still growing despite strin gent controls on planting. Some Facts Here are some other facts and figures which might be added to the debit and credit sides of the farm balance sheet: Debit. American farms are mortgaged for $8,200,000,000. That's a seven per cent rise in farm mortgages since last year. Credit: Farm real estate values are up five per cent since 1954. Farmers seem reluctant to sell their land, and those farms that are sold are usually snapped up at a good price. Debit: The farmer's share of every dollar that a housewife spends for food has shrunk from 47 cents in 1952 to 41 cents this year, and is still going down. Middlemen, processors, haulers, retailers and the like get the rest. Credit: The continuing rise in the U, S. population ' is steadily enlarging the demand for farm products. 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