4— Lancaster Farming. Saturday, January 10, 1959 Editorial - - We had almost —not quite—manag ed to forget the season for new farm pro gram ideas is upon us, when the first "new" suggestion was brought to our attend on. This one being proposed by a Universty of Chicago economist, D Gale Johnson. We haven’t obtained a lull outline of this proposal, but here are some parts and our comments. It contains six basic points for cur ing U. S. agricultural ills. Excuse our cynicism, but we have an automatic dis trust for any and all programs for an in credibly complex farm problem, which would erase the problem with six basic points. Maybe the problem ’s simple to cm economist but it still involves all plant, animal and phys'cal sciences, hu unan relations, politics, social and econo mic factors and even f ncludes implica tions dealing w'th international politicsj Postwar agricultural programs are at iault, Johnson claims. They have increas ed farm output and governmental costs whTe reducing net farm income. (This thesis ignores such factors as World War 31 and Korean War programs, when h gh ■farm production was a major military weapon. It also ignores non-governmem improvements in farm research, commu nications, equipment and philosophy. It ignores private industry demands for in creased farm production to furnish need ed industrial raw materials. It ignores natonal and international inflation; the domestic unemployment problem; auto mation, and a number of other influenc ing factfcrs.) We should step ALL programs which increase farm output and wh'ch cannot be justified on a basis of providing bene iits worth what they cost. (All right pro lessor, where de we start. Shall we scrap the extendon service's work? It costs money and increases produchon. The conservation programs? After all we do not need surplus" land and water re sources tins year, so let's quit trying to hold on to them. Supervt sed farm loans of the Farmers Home Administration might be said to cost money and it they are succeed ng in them purpose, they in crease production. Why try to hold in telligent, respons ble young families on the land where they can lead productive and valuable lives? The REA? After all it costs money and only opens entire new markets for countless manufacturers, mer chants and labor But then, there is 11- tle question that electrfied farms are more productive Of course, one problem with both FHA and REA programs is that they pay ther own way and return a tidy profit to the govemmen I —a very rare happening for federal programs.) Facing this point real sbcally. It oi lers very little F ist, there are too many poltical "pork barrels" nvolved Second, these programs, winch result m greater production are pnmarly designed lor far more important results Thrrd, -without any one ol these "costly” programs, the 'J S would have a different larm prob lem food shortage. Four'h, new fed eral services can prove value compara ble to tnat of the USDA research, service, education and guidance and admin stra tive bureaus Fifth, ■‘hese "surplus-creat ing programs" cost relatively little in No Friday Meetings Slated More than 120 meetings, sales, judging events, contests and banquets are included in the 1959 Farm Show schedule A schedule of educational meetings of farm organiza^ tions shows that ior the first time in many years, no groups liave planned meetings for Friday, final day of Farm Show Week The Farm Show program includes a warning that Har- nsburg has instituted a new traffic system in the down-town area Many streets are one-way and special pedestrian lights have been installed at cross-walks, themselves and as we have said, several pay their own way and then some. Johnson soys C€C surplus stocks should be withdrawn from the U. S. mar ket and disposed of through foreign aid. nibio Material: Mark 10 17-31 (This is by far the best suggestion of his national Kcadm S : Matthew s 10-23, program. Especially, if the cost is tabula ted in national defense for foreign ad expenses, rather then being loaded on the farmer's bdek. Food, technical tran ing and guidance and sensible aid pro grams are more valuable in the "cold war" than any other weapon) T AST WEEK’S study was about Johnson cdso colls for a five-year f that happened; tins J , , . . week-the story is about a muacle ' transition period of lowering price sup- that dldn>t happen This miracle —. ports, rather than suddenly doing away had happened — would have with them, allowing fanners time to ad- been more astonishing than the just to lower prices. Along wife this successful-one. It would have been would bo a pro*™. sp s ed tbo £ £££2* fer of labor from farm to non-tarm iobs. taJkmg a b o ut it. ' (There are currently 3Vz milhon jobless The big news ,W Americans Flooding the labor market would have been ',|j m lE| with unskilled form workers won’t help that a ri S h man ‘ § them. Continuing programs’ des.gned ; rf. J ulumately curtail farmer spending wont Josing his money ||g open new industrial jobs. The only way or getting it -4 ,Hi to move a "dyed-m-the-wooT' farmer stolen, but just jPaj from the land is to prove to him over a b l’ giving it period of years to he can't survive. The “f news . be hind-the end result means decreasing farm spena- news W o U id have been rea i mg, requiring fewer farm supplies with a miracle. It would have meant the host of bankrupt farmers )o nmg the absolute changing of a man’s mind. ranks of the unemployed. What would have to ha PP en to the rich man’s mind would be far more Logically, if farmers receive reason- °£ a wonder than what happened able incomes from their products, they too™^ 3-11(1 more im P°r will buy manufactured goods, offering new investment and labor outlets. Pro- Leave AH giams to produce a prosperous national But those are all only if’s, Might economy—where be'ter farmers may buy " Would-have-beens . n i , , , ~ The fact is, the rich man did not out their neighbors and permit them to change his mmd> he held on to move off ihe form smoothly, without what he had. He wasn’t happy hardship and glutting the labor market—about it at all; “he went away in would seem sounder than efforts to great distress’’ as one modem "push" farmers out of business. translation puts it. And Jesus who watched him go, must have felt an There's another point. Price supports even deeper regret, for Jesus loved wouldn't be used to influence the level of noteasytoseesome , . , T .,,, ~ , one you love choose the road to form prices. (With this one we re writing darkness rather than light. for his complete program How you can The yoU ng man—for he was establish a pr.ce support level without it young and influential as well as influencing prices is beyond us. We re-rich —had asked Jesus What he reived our information on his program ° ught . do “ mherlt ete ™al ~ j , , , ~ , life.” That was his way of asking second-hand and just hope the go-be- the questlon that comes m many tween made a mistake. If he didn t, Dr f orms ; How shall I get ught with Johnson did.) God? How shall I be saved? How Johnson emphasizes his program can I find life’s meaning-and live would take ot least five to ten years, by it? Where is the road to Light? , How can I fulfill my highest des (Fxve to ten years seems a reasonable period for wrecking the SCS, ASC, FHA, REA, extension service and USDA—and. ocmkrupting many of the nation's farmers. T From here, this would appear to be the goal of the Johnson Plan. Which brings us to one last point. The Johnson Plan's appearance ■nerely serves to illustrate once agan that there is only one person who can solve the farm problem. That person is, —the American Farmer. Economists, sociologists, politicians, ustorians and editors can't do it. When the American farmer gets sick and tired— enough - - of losng up to 80 per cent of the market value of his products, be cause of a one or two per cent "surplus" TO PLANT CERTIFIED SEEDS —ln the production <■■■ m produchon, A workable program will any crop it is best to start with the best seed availali come forth. With other kinds of seeds a mixture of varieties may ’ | secured and result in lower yields of lower quality croi Until then, we will see suggestions Order seeds early so that the variety may be secured T for price supports designed to "not" in- 1959 Agronomy Guide available from our office is strong r. fluence prices. recommended as a help in all farm crops ’ Lancaster Farming mam in a pile and leach away is to be discouraged. If I 1 y Lancaster county’s own Farm is to be done, then a manure pit is suggested so that 11 We *k |y liquids may be retained and much 'of the fertilizer va 1 Penna saved. In spite of increased use of commercial fertihzt i Duke st the value 01 barnyard manure is to be recognized as a d(1 Lancaster, Penna mte farm asset. ; Phone - IjT.iuw.ster : Express 4-3047 Dan MtG-rtw, Editor. K Dnector aTTusintss d Man-i’pe? ri by keeping a good set of farm records, many succc’ 1 Dfata’-iisiied* November 4, ins s ful faimers have found this quite essential These fat’J Published every Saturday by account books are available through our Extension Oft ] Lancaster Farming, T/incu et< r Pi , , , , ~ , , „ Dntored as 2nd class matter at 3t a normal cost and we recommend this record keeping Lanc.isti r, Pa under Act of Mar one of the most important farm management pracho addltlona! cn ' ly - Vlount With production costs mounting in most agricultural ent Subscription Rates S 2 per vear prises it is very helpful to have farm records to reveal t shlcentsears5 hI cents ears 55 Sinffle copy Prlce leaks in your business and to learn of the phase in the p' AlSthe Way Lesson for January 11, 1959 The Time . . . TO LEARN VALUE OF FORAGE GROK; A new Forage Testing Service is bei i started at Penn Stale University; this w \ be conducted similar to the complete s(J testing program The farmer is to secuS a forage tost carton at our Extension Off: I and a special drill with which to colli the sample. The forage is then sent A Penn State for the test Information on In actual nutritive value of the hay, silaij pasture, or some grains will be returned 3 the farmer Additional del ails may be .ured at the County Extension Office. 1 Max Smith TO CONSERVE FERTILIZER VALUE- IN MANURE The practice of allowing any kind of farm manure to i TO KEEP FARM ACCOUNTS Start the new year gram making the greatest return. The young man’s friend, t have thought that question] less; for he was an extraorJ good young man. He told J Cs ! Jesus did not doubt him, gS had been keeping the Ten] mandments ever since he cJ member. But Jesus said, “yJ one thing." Only one—bul v '' terrific one thing! Get rid of j* own, Jesus said, give it to th* i then come follow me. - Follow Me Perhaps the young man fa hear that last sentence ia could hear was "leave alii made a mistake that is nj this very day by people wja away from being Christians ji is a Christian now an old ma t a for more than the first sixtyg of his life refused to be a fl tian. He resisted all that - of his family could say to hifl reason was af least an honci He knew that the way he m s || money—or to be more precS knew that the way he tried tol money—namely by gambling! not a Christian way of IrvirJ was not going to pretend tc| Christian and a gambler to;. tiouble was that m his mind I a Christian was chiefly notJ something he very much et| doing, at the racetrack or oiJ green tables m a club long as you think of the ChrJ life as a giving-up, a cuttu!| of some habit or possessor! you cherish, you never do jJ right slant. The heart of the(J tian life, what makes it -3 while, is in that "Follow mt 1 Major Operation Would Jesus say to even', “Sell all you have and give*,; poor” ? Is it out of the questri a man or woman with mo”| “inherit eternal life” ? Is a something evil in itself ? This| hardly be true, otherwise g would not have said to gm? the poor, but to throw it lake Jesus counted smos i friends many persons with Jg eity, and this was the on!i * he ever advised to get rid o: J bit of it It is very likely money was a kind of babjs| for this young man —hauij enough at fiist but destined I j into a roai mg killer Two iney have the same disease, a J operation may be the only cul one of them The maw point i; i.d of whatever keeps joife going all the way with Clma . A. liJo| ur rj Press Service ) * eo,- BY MAX SMITH