CALMER ALASKA
CARL RASMUSSEN, ri'ITOR
Published < very Friday at Palr.er, Alaska, by the Fatanuska Valley
Farmers Cooperating Association, for the purpose of giving new* of the
Association's work, problems, accomplishments, loca1 and gcmn 1 news*
Subscription by Fail f 1.75, yearly._Box $ 1.00, Bing1e copy10^
FARM PRICE,PROGRAM, GETS TANGLED.
The farm price program is getting so complex that it will require
a Phileadelpha Lawyer to explain its parts and implications soon. The
Government thro\igh its price controlling agencys insist that prices
remain the same or lower and then wish to subidizc the farmer who has
produced at a loss with U.S. funds. One large farm orginization, the
National farmers Union is supporting the subsidy plan and its President
James Patton is making strong charges against the oppisition, stateing
that the interests opposing the subsidy plan are the large form int r
ests who want uncontrolled prices which would undoubtnbly cause infla
tion, which caused such a disastrous bolwup after the last Worl r.
The Farm Bureau Federation, led by Ed O-'Ncal, representing the large
cotton planters and Earl Smith, representing the large and finnncialy
successful corn planters of the Middle Western States are leading the
fight against the subsidy plan, those men and their supporters are
violently anti New Deal and have tried to hanatriftg- Or prevent any
legislation from passing Congress that would toive rid to the small
farmer, including Farm Security Adminstration, Tripe A, crop insurance
and other benificinl leglislotion for the small farmer.
The Farmers Union is especially bitter tward the Farm Bureau end its
sponsor the Extension Service, because they feel that the Farm Bureau
controlled by special interests and that instead of useing th*'3r influ
ence to help'all of the farmers, they are serving certain small groups
who do not need help, to the disatvantage of the mass of the fr rmtrs.
The Extension service is accused to useing their influence an' in some
instances, service to orginize the Farm Bureau which supports them .
One pertinent question that pops up is; should U.S. Govorment paid
employees in the Extension Service use their time and influence in
support of any special organization and how -bout the others, when this
occurs? We do not believe that this charge holds good against the
Extension Service people as r whole, because we know of exceptions, but
believe that it shoxild not be permitted anywhere.
The position of the National Grange is not quite clear, but President
Goss seems to be supporting the anti-subsidy group, the Grange as a
whole is known to be on the conservative side and they have never been
very enthuastic about the New Deal. One large Cooperative Council,
headed by C.C. Teague of the California orange growers is supporting
O'Neal and Smith, and Charles Holman renresenting large dairy interests
who have been charges as being monopilists, is on the anti-subsidy side.
Farmers in the Matanuska ^alley may wonder how all of this affects
them, so we will ask them to consider just what good has the Farm
Security and the Triple A been to them,and how could the funds that hav
been used to build additional improvements to the facilities cf the
Co-op. been secured,except from the F.S.A.? Did your AAA paym ats help
you when you needed it badly? Well regardless of your political beliefs
it would be a good idea to think the matter over and try to see which
side the bread was buttered on, did Ed O'ncal or Earl Smith try to
make your broad more palatable? We dont think so.