Class Proves Enlightening

HELLO FOLKS: — A group of Freeborn County folks have been driving up to Waseca each Thursday for a course in "economics of Government," sponsored by the University of Minnesota.

The League of Women Voters has been sending different delegates each time. Some of them who have attended one of more of the classes are Mrs. Lou Gordon, Mrs. Melvin Gordon, Mrs. Lynn Stoker and Mrs. Lloyd Peterson.

Others who have been attending are Ellis Christianson, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Kuiters, B. F. Muldown, E. J. Narverud, Eldon Senske, Rev. O. A. Rust, Dr. Lynn Stokers, Al Cuppage and myself. As this column is written there are two classes yet to be held. Therefore the list of students is not complete.

These meetings are extremely informative. They present various economic and political thinking. The general rule is to have one hour or less of lecture, then one hour or more of question and answer.

One thing the lecturers have found out is that they had better know the answers to their field of discussion, because with a group such as this there are plenty of questions from many angles and it doesn't take long to find out where the weaknesses of the point of arguments are.

One thing I am sure of is that we have all come away with a greater understanding of economics and government, and with a greater respect for the other fellow's viewpoint. The instructors are the best the institute could find.

This is the second year such a class has been held. Last year the topic was "Minnesota Economics." I am quite sure that from the success of the two Institutes we have had we are apt to have another next year. What the course will be I do not know, but it might be something on the order of "Foreign Aid Programs" or "Foreign Policy."

If any of you readers are interested, please put in an advance application with our County Agent, Eldon Senske, by letting him know that you are interested.

WHEN EZRA TAFT Bensons was Secretary of Agriculture and Orville Freeman was governor of Minnesota, there was a wide diversity of Farm Policy. The then Governor Freeman was one of the then Sec. Benson's bitterest critics. He puller no punches in his criticisms of Benson's lowering of dairy supports, and freeing corn acreage. Freeman and his colleagues coined a phrase called "Bensonism", which was suppose to be a derogatory connotation. This word was the 'bad' name for the free-enterprise views of Benson, and everyone who espoused this view was something of an odd ball.

I suppose there is still plenty of difference of opinion, but for the most part Freeman has -------- his actions vindicated the policies of Benson. For instance, when the new feed - grain program was introduced, was it drawn up under the old acreage allotments? No sir! It was drawn up under the planning history of the Benson era.

When Freeman entered office he immediately set about upping the dairy supports that had been lowered by Benson. Immediately the surpluses that had disappeared under the Benson program. This year, after three years of higher supports and with the program in danger of reaching the 'smelly' stage, Freeman has followed his predessor by reducing supports, not just to the level that Benson had set but to new lows not even allowed by law. This was done by changing the formula. In the past the support price had been based on 3.5 milk. The new formula is based on 3.7 milk. This has the effect of changing the price of 3.5 milk from $3.05 cwt. to $2.95 cwt. Thus with nearly secret actions, Freeman, who had criticized Benson so unmercifully, has now admitted that Benson was right. Changing the formula for milk does not seem as drastic as dropping support prices to under $3 per cwt.