Show I II I 1 r r r w woi Price Control oi Problems f l li y i Enliven Inflation R Threat j Three Distinct Groups Hold Up Definite Action I U. U S. S Farm Bloc Is Often Confused i. i With Farmers Farmer's Organizations By BAUKHAGE National Farm Fam and Home Hour Commentator Service 1343 1313 II 11 Street W N-W Washington D. D C. C There are three distinct groups in m Washington all pulling in different directions at price control legisla legisla- tion There is a group which believes believes believes be be- with Bernard Baruch that a ceiling must be put on all prices and wages There is a group represented represent represent- ed by Leon Hendersn price control control control con con- administrator which believes that only those prices which show signs of getting out of hand should be controlled There is a third group in congress which simply refuses refuses refuses re re- re- re fuses to take any action These latter are the ones who are responsible for delaying consideration of the present bill which is widely criticized by many in all three groups The result of these conflicting groups is a growing fear that inflation inflation inflation tion which cannot be checked will willbe willbe willbe be upon us bc before ore we know it For a while it was thought that the administration might follow Canadas Canada's plan of price control which is soon to be put into effect First Canada tried a piece-meal piece method similar in some respects to Mr Hendersons Henderson's ideas Then inasmuch inasmuch inasmuch in in- as this did not work satisfactorily satisfactorily satisfactorily satis satis- ceilings on both prices and wages were written into a new plan which more nearly resembles that supported by Mr Baruch's fol fol- fol- fol lowers Details of Britain's price control policy were recently reported by officials officials officials of of- here and they reveal some interesting theories of particular interest interest interest in in- terest now This policy may explain why it is being said that some people people people peo peo- in inV V Washington believe a little inflation is a good thing in spite of the dire warnings as as- asto to what will happen if price rises are not checked i immediately British Bidding System The British it seems have come cometo cometo cometo to the conclusion that freezing prices and wa wages es and profits just do not go in hand nd with a maximum war effort in a democracy They say frankly You have to bid for a maximum war effort In other words you have to permit the workman workman workman work work- man to get bigger wages you have to give the farmer higher prices you have to offer industry a bigger profit if you expect a maximum effort effort effort ef ef- ef- ef fort in the machine shop in the field and orchard behind the desk Therefore you have to follow a certain certain certain tain amount of elasticity in prices and wages and that means a certain amount of inflation Equally frankly the British have evolved this maxim Building morale morale morale mo mo- mo- mo rale is just as important as checking inflation You can give the workman workman workman work work- man certain cert n social advantages to improve his morale you can remove remove remove re re- re- re move some of the business mans man's restrictions restrictions but but you must also bid for their services with something more material material money When full war production is fully achieved when every human unit and every piece of material which is not actually needed for the minimum minimum minimum mini mini- mum non-defense non production is at last being utilized in the war effort then prices can be frozen the British British British Brit Brit- ish believe and not before It is perhaps this philosophy which some of the administration leaders have borrowed and which eventually eventual eventual- ly will be adopted by congress congress if if it is not too late by the time congress congress con con- gress makes up its mind to act Farm Bloc And I Inflation n In the next few weeks you are going to hear some unpleasant things about the farmer He is going to tobe tobe tobe be blamed whether justly or not for encouraging inflation by refusing refusing refusing refus refus- ing to allow farm prices to be curbed sufficiently to hold off tion In this connection you are going going going go go- ing to hear the term farm bloc applied to al the Ithe interests working rightly or wrongly for the farmer This inclusive use of the phrase is incorrect A bloc according to the dictionary is Bloc French bloc or lump 1 Politics a in European countries especially in France and Italy this was before Mussolini and Petain Petain Pe- Pe tain tam of course a combination of s two or more ore groups or parties willing willing willing will will- ing to make common cause for some definite object b In the United States a combination of members I of different parties for a similar purpose purpose purpose pur pur- pose especially in congress as the agricultural agricultural- or farm bloc a bloc in the United States congress formed in 1921 by members from agricultural states to secure agricultural agricultural agricultural tural legislation irrespective of party lines By the definition a bloc is composed composed composed com com- posed of members of congress but many people when they use the word include the farm organizations which maintain their offices in Washington The Grange the Farm Bureau Federation and the Farmers Farm Farm- ers Union Like the United States Chamber of Commerce the Congress Congress Congress Con Con- gress of Industrial Organization and the American Federation of Labor the agricultural organizations organizations organizations are pressure groups lobbies groups lobbies if you will Bloc and Politics There is a reason why the bloc can and sometimes is is more likely to be an evil force than the The bloc composed of politicians politicians politicians poli poli- who must have votes at the next election try to promise out-promise their political opponents Therefore they will promise to vote for special I legislation and even vote for it as asI asit I it is brought up But sometimes their real purpose is not to get a certain law passed but rather to promise it and work for it until they themselves are elected The need for the farm organizations organizations organizations did not appear at the beginning beginning beginning begin begin- ning of the nation When representation representation representation tation in congress was established on a geographical basis this was an agricultural nation Each farm was wasa a unit which to a large extent represented represented represented rep rep- resented a section cross-section of the nations nation's nations nation's nations nation's na na- na- na tion's economic activity and inter inter- est Then conditions changed cities and industrial centers grew up whose problems were entirely different different different dif dif- dif dif- ferent from the economic interests of the farmer At first the result was rebellion small rebellion small revolts but significant significant significant sig sig- sig- sig ones the Whiskey rebellion rebellion rebellion rebel rebel- lion Shays' Shays rebellion attempts by force to obtain recognition of the rights of special groups Finally the farm organizations came into being At first their chief objective was to obtain public school and agricultural agricultural agricultural agri agri- cultural education This movement was the beginning of the department of agriculture the land grant colleges the state agricultural agricultural agricultural ag ag- ag- ag institutions Gradually these organizations began to give more and more time to promoting the farmers farmer's interests by obtaining state and federal legislation for his benefit Of course some of the methods of these groups can be democrat anti ic We Ve frequently hear more about them than about the honest effort and sometimes not until much harm has been done That is why Secretary Secretary Secretary Secre Secre- tary says that each group must operate tolerantly and above all openly and frankly not through I stealth and concealment Carrying the Mail I I IA I wr y a 1 l' l l n S A navy mail clerk on a trip to the local post office to pick lick up mail mail or for officers and men serving on h his station It is in this manner that officers and men on shore obtain ob tain taro mail from their families sweethearts and friends as well as from official sources The crossed quills and three stripes on the rating badge above abole this sailors sailor's elbow indicate that he is a Yeoman coman first class c while the serl service ce stripes near the wr wrist t indicate indicate indicate in in- that he lie has lias served four hitches bitches or ora ora ora a total of over oter 16 years in the navy |