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Show Why a Farmer Should Buy and Keep War Bonds by Paul A. Eke Agricultural Economist College of Agriculture Moscow, Idaho THE American farmer is ready now to make personal sacrifices sacri-fices beyond what the government has asked him to do by direct taxation. He will do this to hasten the end of the war and in this way save lives and the mental anguish an-guish which comes from separation separa-tion of families and living under strange and uncomfortable conditions, condi-tions, both on the battle fronts and in defense centers. The mostlog-ical mostlog-ical sacrifice for the next few months is to operate the farm as economically as possible consistent consist-ent with high production and to spend as little as is consistent with good health and spiritual alertness for living costs, and then put the balance into War Bonds. The farmer will in 1944 be more able than during the past 2 or 3 years to buy Bonds. Up until 1941 most farmers had gone through 10 years of acute agricultural depression depres-sion and 20 years of below normal incomes. Most of them had longtime long-time and current indebtedness forcing their hands at all times. Now in the main these debts are in a shape in which the farmer is master or they are completely paid off and forgotten. The farmer has at last a free choice as to what he will do with his modest and well-earned "earnings." From the standpoint of good business there are many good reasons rea-sons for buying Bonds now and keeping them. 1. It is better to buy Bonds than to bid against other farmers for what few farms are now for sale and thus, inflate land prices. 2. It is better to reduce large inventories in-ventories of livestock and put the money in Bonds now when meat is much needed and high priced than to carry over into the postwar period or into the next drought when there will be rapid liquidation and probably prob-ably packing house gluts and lower prices. 3. Farmers are all familiar with the wisdom of saving now to replace equipment wearing out but not being replaced. 4. Saving money as Bonds will make possible new homes, barns and conveniences after the war when the boys need a job installing these things. 5. Perhaps we need to mention the high pressure stock and town real estate salesmen and sellers of other "gold bricks". Buy Bonds and be out of ready funds when these "gents" appear. ap-pear. Of course there is the matter of retirement for many farmers soon after the war. War Bonds will be a place where the best interest rates now available for savings can be made. Perhaps the children chil-dren will need more education after aft-er the war, or the boys may need some financial assistance in starting start-ing in farming or in other lines of business. It is hard now to buy anything except necessities and get our money's worth. For that reason, let us go along with the patriotic citizens of our country and put our financial power back of Uncle Sam. U. S. Treasury Department |
