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. Research and new sales
techniques also are opening up
new markets for farm goods.
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