AGRICULTURAL RELIEF

731

AMERICAN WHEAT MARKETING BOARD OF CONTROL

with authority to organize State boards of control, under such charter, when
and where deemed advisable. ’
Without threatening to penalize farmers for violation of governmental marxeting
 decrees, without the menace of “forcible control” veiled with threats of
Federal court proceedings in the conduct of their business, quicker and more
satisfactory results could be had through an “educational persuasive control,”
vet positive in its power in controlling the distribution and marketing of interstate
 and foreign wheat shipments.
Such a board of control, acting under a Federal charter, clothed with power
to direct the distribution of wheat, both interstate and foreign consignments,
with the responsibility of established rules for inspection, grading, classification,
and packing, as well as directing shipments, could successfully stabilize and
maintain a fair standard price for wheat.
The board of control, acting in conjunction with State boards and in constant
touch with the producers, could be the most effective force in controlling wheat
acreage and preventing overproduction, the greatest (difficulty in maintaining
stabilized prices. The membership to be based on “acreage planted,” by estimating
 in advance the acreage required to produce sufficient wheat for normal
requirements, and the fair proportion in each State, the board could go a long
vay in systematizing production as well as marketing.
The dollars-and-cents argument would count more with farmers who know
they are not getting a fair deal than all the talk and speeches that could be made.
Once the farmers realize that they will get more for their wheat; that prices will
be maintained and stabilized from one crop to another; once they realize that
the boards of control are working in their interest for better pay for their wheat
there will be little difficulty in controlling distribution. Everv farmer will be
zlad to take advantage of this, his own ageney.

THE SAME APPLIES TO OTHER COMMODITIES

Marketing of other commodities could be provided for by the same system,
rach major product being covered by a separate Federal charter. The authority
bo inspect, classify, and direct interstate shipments, preventing gluts in large
markets, shipping where the products are in demand, and avoiding cut prices
ind consequent losses would prevent farmers from remaining outside of coopera-‘ive
 organizations and as nonmembers taking advantage of organized prices for
ndividual gain,
It would prevent dealers from buying from nonmembers and overstocking
market centers in order to break prices.
{ft would so regulate distribution that consignments of food products could be
made in an orderly manner to supply the demand at stabilized prices and at
ess cost to consumers.

MUST BE ORGANIZED ON A LARGE SCALE

Farm commodity marketing.to be effective must be organized on the same
vast scale as other industries. This is the tendency in other countries, as witness
he recent Argentine beef cattle agreement which ended an international “meat
var” between American and British interests.
Recently the Cuban export sugar interests organized to control their industry
hrough the formation of an ‘International Export Sugar Commission,” now
1aving in their organization five-sixths of the exported sugar of the world. They
oldly but justly state that—
“It is the purpose of the ‘International Export Sugar Commission’ to clearly
ind definitely control world production and eonsumption of sugar.”
Scientific discoveries and engineering developments have brought the business
vorld within speaking distance. Trans-Atlantic mail service within another
vear will be reduced to 30 hours’ time.
Combinations and financial transactions involving any amount can be as readily
ransacted between New York, London, and other foreign countries as they can
se between New York, Chicago, and other business centers. }
If provision is not made so that American farmers can organize comprehensively,
hey will in a few years be at even greater disadvantage in the markets of the
vorld than thev are to-dav.