The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, August 30, 1917, Page 3

In the interest . of @ square deal for the farmers A magazins that dares ty print the trath Nonpartigan Teader Official Magazine of the National Nonpartisan League VOL. 5, NO. 9. FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA, THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 1917. WHOLE NUMBER 102, Disaster Threatens Farmers! Menace of Low Price Wheat Faces Northwestern Growers; Farmers’ Friends Put Up a Stiff Fight ii WA R PR OFTEER When the United States became involved in war and sent out a hurry call for help, who was it that started out to Uncle Sam’s rescue? Not Big Business, but Mr. John Farmer. But now that the farmer has made sacrifices in an attempt to increase his wheat crop, has taken on heavy financial burdens to buy high priced seed, and has met with the misfortunes of adverse weather and bad growing conditions, who is it that is trying to prevent him from getting a fair price? Whd is it that is trying to steal his clothes while he is rescuing Uncle Sam? This picture tells you. S THIS edition of the Nonpartisan Leader goes to press, the fate of the Northwestern wheat grower is hanging by a slender &l thread. Twelve men, members of the price fixing commission ) named under the food control bill, are meeting in secret session at Washington, D. C,, to determine the price at which the United States government shall take over the 1917 crop of wheat. The decision of these men will spell either a fair profit, a bare ability to continue in business, or absolute ruin for the wheat grower. The first reports that came from Washington were that Herbert Hoover, food administrator, was using his immense influence with the commission to have a wheat price fixed that would give the wheat growers of the Dakotas, Montana and Minnesota a price of about $1.65 at the local elevators for No. 1 Northern, with proportionately lower prices for lower grades. This'news came with every mark of authority from members of congress who wired home that if any price above this were secured, it would be because of the leveling of clenched fists by the farmers in the face of the food administration. . PRODUCERS HAVE SPOKEN; WILL WASHINGTON HEED? Since that unwelcome news came to the Northwest, the farmers have spoken in no-uncertain tone. A flood of protest, swelling like a tidal wave, has rushed up from the wheat growers who saw themselves faced with the prospect of certain ruin. The roar of this flood has rolled eastward. It can hardly have escaped reaching the ears of the committee of twelve, meeting in secret session at the nation’s capitol. It is too early to praise or blame. No one knows definitely yet ~ what the decision of the price-fixing commission will be. This much can be said: Everything that could be done by the farmers of the Northwest and their friends, in the limited time allowed, has been done. The farmers have one of their best friends presént as a member of the price-fixing commission. This man is Dr. E. F. Ladd, president of the North Dakota Agricultural college. - This is the man that the North Dakota board of regents have plotted to disecredit and remove because of his'long friendship for the grain growers. If the regents had had their way, Dr. Ladd would not now be president of the Agri- -cultural college and had he been deposed as president, it is probable that he would not have been appointed a member of the price-fixing commission., Dr. Ladd has only one vote in twelve on the eommission, but the farmers can depend upon it tixat all his strength and influence will be used in their behalf. ; JOHN BAER IS IN THE FIGHT FOR THE FARMERS The farmers have in congress John M. Baer, whom they elected to represent them, Baer is keeping in touch with every move in the price-fixing game. The Leader is sorry that it has been unable to present as many of John Baer’s cartoons recently as the farmers would like to see, but Congressman Baer, in working for a fair price for the farmer’s wheat during these few weeks, is doing more important work than he could possibly do with his pen and crayon, important as his cartoons have proved to the success of the farmer’s movement. The Nonpartisan league has sent William Lemke of Fargo, its at— torney, back to Washington. Lemke has always been known as a good friend of the farmer. As chairman of the North Dakota state Repub- lican committee and in his legal practice he has made many friendships in Wazhing'ton which will be valuable to the farmers in this, their hour of need. : Governor Lynn J. Frazier of North Dakota, elected by the farms ers, has urged a price of $3.06, the same price that ruled when wheat trading was stopped. Unable to get away from the duties of his office, the governor has sent a representative to appear before the price-fixing commission and urge the case of the farmer. NONPARTISAN LEADER WORKS TO DO ITS BIT The Nonpartisan Leader has attempted to play its part in getting a square deal for the farmers and in laying the true facts of the situa- tion before the price-fixing commission. The Leader has gotten in touch with 150 practical farmers and has had telegrams sent from these men to Dr. Ladd, to be laid before the price-fixing commission, to show that body the actual costs of rasing wheat this year on North Da- kota farms. - - ‘When the price of the 1917 wheat erop is announced, whether it is satisfactory or unsatisfactory to the farmers, this fact should be re< membered : According to the testimony of members of congress, who should be in position to have accurate information, any price above $1.65 at (Continued on page 18) PAGE THRER