Net Worth; Gross Habit

HELLO FOLKS! — I've heard that a man's net income is in direct proportion to his gross habit.

—o—

Public Law 480 has sometimes been titled "a give-away program" because only a small percentage of the value of the products sold actually returns to the U. S. in immediate cash. I believe the figure is about 3 per cent.

The amount that is not returned in trade is used up by our foreign embassies for their operation expenses, returned as a loan or just held in suspension.

This is not exactly an ideal situation, but under the circumstances it is the only answer to the problem of marketing our surpluses and the needy countries to get food for their people.

In order for Japan to buy food she has to sell her finished products. We have import restrictions that prohibit her from selling to us the amount of products necessary for her to buy needed food. Trade is necessary for the economic life of us both.

If the american farmer cannot sell his surplus food he is placed at disparity with the rest of the economy. The inevitable result of such a situation is an economic tail spin such as occurred in the early 30's. For if the farmer cannot buy the things he needs the whole economy suffers too.

We are draining our economic wealth paying for the storing commodities that should be in world trade. If we fail to move these and generate new wealth into the economy the inevitable happens. The same is true for other countries with exportable items. The ideal situation would be a gradual lowering of nearly all trade barriers.

True, we would be in open competition with foreign industries, but the wealth generated would more than make up for the original loss sustained.

However until the public becomes aware of these economic facts Public Law 480 is a must and is necessary. It benefits the U. S. and the other countries involved. It is not a give away program. It is an aid program.

—o—

You have all heard about the train that runs through the middle of the house. Well, the author of that song has nothing on us. We have got a boy here that has a mania for trains and bridges. So we generally have a train in the middle of our house.

Randy got a book for Christmas entitled "The Little Red Caboose". He knows it word for word, and for a long time it was his companion at night.

The book is still readable although there is more cost in the glue, Scotch tape and cloth that had been used for repairs than the book cost originally.

Good Extremism Is Needed — Ed

HELLO FOLKS! — My good friend, Herman Gruis, Jr., suggests that I write something concerning the extremism of such men as Adolph Hitler, Castro and Khrushchev. I think it is a good idea, so here goes.

As I see it, evil always seems to end up in extremism. It either starts moderately or else it just seems to. But unless it is checked it ends up in extremism. I believe it to be a truism that evil always destroys itself. For a long time, evil breeds more evil, but it eventually ends up destroying itself. Human nature will put up with a certain amount of evil for a long time, but eventually it tires of it and mistrusts it until good extremism rises up and replaces it.

How did the extremism of Adolph Hitler get started? As I recall history and understand it, there were too many moderate politicians in Germany at the time.

The saying, "All that is needed for evil to prevail, is for good men to do nothing," certainly proved true in the case of Germany's Hitler. There are so many seemingly "good" men who think it wrong to step out of the role of moderation. They seem to be consumed with the idea that to be a good Christian or at least a good fellow they have to be a moderate. I think that idea is a complete fallacy. I need to go no further than the word of the greatest authority that ever lived to firm up my convictions.

When Jesus Christ wanted a message to go to the Church at Laodicea he revealed it to John the Revelator and said, among other things, "so then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."

The modern church leader who is now dead, Ralph W. Hardy, put it this way: "The gospel of Jesus Christ was not placed upon the earth to make ordinary human beings."

So I believe that the very reason we have such men as Castro, Khrushchev, Hitler and many others of their kind is because we have so few good extremists. Too many want to sit back and read history rather than make it; or worse yet, they don't even want to study it.

If we are ever to have peace on earth — and I am certain we will some day — we are going to have to make it. The only was to make it is to live extremely good lives.

Good extremists are generally misunderstood. Their thinking is geared far in advance of the average person and, therefore, they are generally not called to great positions until extreme evil has forced the public to accept them. If, then we are going to be wise enough to place these men where they can do the job that needs to be done, we all have to be somewhat the good extremists ourselves. When we do not understand an extremist we are quite apt to conclude that he is evil, whether that is true or not.

Local Farmers Back From West

Hello, Folks! — I've heard it said that the condition of a man can best be determined by how he takes things two at a time, — pills or stairs.

—o—

Broad mindedness is just high mindedness which has been flattened out by experience.

—

A Smile is something that adds to your face value.

—o—

I am sure a lot of us have had thoughts we would like to express and along comes someone and takes the words out of our mouths and says it better than we can. Charles B. Shuman, President of the A.F.B.F. recently did that in an article in the Nations Agriculture. He entitled it, "The Risks We Take." Here is what he says:

"We have always had prophets of gloom and doom who see little good and much evil in our American social, economic and political system.

"We are also blessed with a relatively small group of rabid radicals who would discard proven methods and ideas for almost any new or revolutionary panacea.

"Fortunately most of our citizens have held fast to those democratic principles and rights that were so well established by the founders of our Republic.

"The Constitution and Bill of Rights set forth the guarantees that assure our political freedom. While no such formal document spells out a bill or rights to protect our economic freedom, experience and the success of our free choice system have demonstrated certain rights that are essential to our continued progress.

"It is commonly recognized that freedom to choose and the individual incentives thus generated are necessary ingredients of the successful system that has made us the world's leading nation. Less well recognized is the fact that for each economic and political right there is a corresponding individual risk and obligation.

"The risk to own property is contingent upon the use of the property in such a way as not to injure the rights of others. Ownership also carries with it the risk of loss as well as the opportunity to profit. The right to choose a vocation brings with it not only the responsibility to engage in work which advances the general welfare, but also involves the risk of business failure.

"The right to save or spend the earnings of capital, management or labor is accompanied by the risk of unwise choice or poor investment. The right to contract, the right to buy and sell in a free market, the right to work and the right of the individual to opportunity all have their corresponding risks.

"...eliminate risk or its cost it can only be transferred or spread over many people. If all risks were transferred from individuals to the public in general it would be necessary to almost completely eliminate all chance for profit and the opportunity for individuals to earn in proportion to their effort and ability.

"The radicals and pessimests among us who, becoming alarmed at occasional business failures and price declines, advocate government intervention to eliminate all risk are actually striking a blow at freedom and individual opportunity.

"The price for government guarantee against loss of job, business failure or market decline is the elimination of opportunity for the individual.

"Yes, freedom and opportunity come only to those who are willing to take risks — but that's how the world's most successful nation was built; by individuals who valued opportunity more than security."

—o—

Once women were said to drive men to drink, now they lead them to it.

—o—

Wesley Pierson and Enoch Peterson went on the Farm Bureau livestock tour to Montana the middle of September. They report a very interesting trip. They left Minneapolis the evening of September 14th in a special car aboard the Milwaukee Hiawatha Olympian. Upon arriving at Harlowtown, Mont., the group was met by Montana ranchers. They were treated to banquets and lodging at the expense of the ranchers and shown around various ranches.

They visited the Harlowtown, White Sulphur Springs, Two Dot, Big Timber, Forsyth, Billings area. This is all mile high country and noted for it's excellent cattle and sheep. The mountain peaks around the area reach a height of 10,000 feet.

The idea of the tour was to create better understanding between the ranchers and farmers of the two states.

—o—

Beans — a vegetable which someone is always spilling.

District Meeting To Be Held Here

I have some interesting figures concerning Farm Bureau. 29 per cent of all farmers belong to Farm Bureau; 3 out of 4 farmers who belong to any farm organization belong to Farm Bureau; The total gain in Farm Bureau membership the past 5 years is as great as the total membership of Farm Bureau's rival, The Farmer's Union. An interesting fact is that there is a higher percentage of farmers in Farm Bureau than there is laborers in Labor Unions; this despite the fact that many unions get their membership by compulsion.

—o—

The little boy looked intently at his father, "Daddy, are you still growing?"
"No, Sonny, what makes you think so?"
"Because the top of your head is coming through your hair."

—o—

"That boy has taken some money!" he stormed.
"How can you be so sure," protested his wife, "why, I might have taken it."
"No, you didn't," Fathers retorted, "there is some left."

—o—

My apologies to Mrs. Ivan Johnson and Mrs. Carroll Olsen. I mentioned in another column that Mrs. Carroll Olson was elected secretary of the Oakland-Moscow Unit. I should have said Mrs. Carroll Olson was elected Woman's Committee Chairman and Mrs. Ivan Johnson secretary. I was at the meeting, but the Moscow men were serving that night and I was working in the kitchen getting lunch ready.

—o—

The Shellrock Unit recently reorganized. Winston Hammersly was elected chairman; Helmer Erdahl vice chairman; Mrs. Martin Struck, Secretary; Mrs. Winston Hamersly, Women's Committee chairman. Mrs. Lawrence Gustafson and myself were speakers at their meeting.

—o—

An important meeting for Farm Bureau members is coming up Wednesday, March 16. The District Spring Conference will be held in Albert Lea. This meeting is open to all Farm Bureau people. Officers especially are urged to attend. This meeting will be for Freeborn, Dodge, Mower, Steele, Waseca and Faribault counties. We expect a large attendance. These conferences are always interesting with pertinent questions of the day analyzed.

—o—

The new School Milk program available to all schools in Minnesota now; both public and parochi... and private. Here is a chance for all citizens to take advantage of a program that will increase the consumption of milk and create better health for the children. If your school is not now taking advantage of it, better get the facts and help yourself to health. One fifth of Minnesota farmers income comes from dairying.

Direction Is All Important

HELLO FOLKS — A French man asked a German guest how they told the difference between an optimist and a pessimist in Germany.

"Very simple," the German explained. "The optimist is learning English, the pessimist is learning Russian."

THE NEW father learned all about relative humidity by holding his infant daughter on his lap.

—o—

AT TIMES my son has got me fearing
He might, perhaps, be hard of hearing
When out at play, although I call
and when I say, "Go wash your hands,"
Or "Put your toys away," he stands
Around as if he hadn't heard
A single solitary word.

It's only when I tell his mother
Some whispered little thing or other
I'd just as soon he would't learn,
I find his hearing's no concern

—o—

I HAVE HEARD a number of great speakers in my life. I love to listen to people who have something to say.

Recently I had the opportunity to listen to Sterling W. Sill. He is manger of New York Life Insurance and one of the nation's greatest personnel motivators. I listened to him for a total of about three hours and wearied not one bit. The mind of Mr. Sill is so full of ideas to motivate people into doing things that he doesn't bore you.

Among the many things he said was that in 1830 it was recommended to Congress that the patent office be closed because nearly everything that could be invented had been.

Since then 2 million patents have been issues. Without these patents we would not have any of the conveniences which we have today, among them being the telephone, phonograph, radio, television, autos, tractors, electricity and most of the fine clothes we wear. We would still be about 80 per cent farmers, wearing home spun clothes, home tanned shoes and walking most every place we go.

He mentioned that the brain is the size of our two fists, is composed of 70 per cent water, has 2 billion cells and can store more there than all the libraries in the world, and that only a fraction of it is used during the lifetime of a man. He also stated that we literally create our own mind by how we develop it.

He went on that the mind is something like a climbing vine. It tends to pull itself upward by the things it attaches itself to. When we build bars in our homes instead of altars our minds tend to follow the action.

There are 168 hours in the week. He said that 40 of them we use to make a living, the other 128 we use as we please. We need about 56 of those to get our rest and the other 72 we could use to improve ourselves.

He state that the most valuable thing in life is life itself. The one business in life is to succeed, he said, and no man need fail. The fundamental law of the universe is that we all get paid for what we do. We do not always reap as we sow but we often reap what others have sown, and the rewards are not always seen immediately. For instance George Washington is still receiving rewards for the good he did, as are the other good and great men.

This is of course, just a fraction of what he said but gives you an example of what he has to offer.

Fond Memories Of Cold Snow

Hello Folks! Just a year ago we visited Virginia City, Montana. I hadn't heard of the place before, so I wasn't too excited about going there, but this was our vacation and it was hot in the Gallatin Valley where we were staying with my in-laws. We left early one morning. As we looked westward we could see snow capping the mountains over which we were to pass. With the temperature over 90 degrees in the valley it would seem good to throw a few snowballs.

Virginia City is not on a main highway. We left No. 10 and took state highway 34. It is a new road and very good except for a few miles that is rough and gravely. As we climbed the mountain range the temperature became very comfortable; finally we even rolled up the windows. We got very close to the snow but didn't get to throw any snow balls.

Virginia City lies right in the heart of the Rockies. A gulch goes right through the town along side the street (there is only one street). The sights we were to see that day I will remember for a long time. Virginia City has a fabulous history. Silver was discovered there is such quantities that is became a boom town and, at one time it was one of the largest towns in Montana and its capitol. As happens in any boom town prices were exorbitant. Most of the equipment and clothing had to be shipped be stage over poor roads from Salt Lake City, 300 miles away.

Most of the mining was placer or surface mining. Huge equipment was moved in to do the work. The results of the big machinery is still evident as whole hillsides were moved to get at the silver.

A brewery was built and was the next largest industry. A theater was established and New York players were engaged to perform. Of course when the silver gave out everybody got panicky and the town was deserted overnight. Values dropped to nothing and nearly everything left as tho the proprietors had just stepped out for lunch. Hauling costs were too high to warant moving anything out. I'll tell you more about Virginia City next week.

—o—

"Why won't you marry me?" he demanded. "There isn't anyone else is there?"

"Oh Edgar," she sighed, "there must be."

—o—

Sometimes we hear the argument that our surpluses are not so high and that we should prepare for famines just as the pharoah of Egypt did under the direction of Joseph. I think it is a good idea to follow good examples whenever and wherever possible, but we should also analize the conditions and determine whether they apply to us or not. For one thing today we have swift means of transportation, we have knowledge of the use of soils, how to preserve moisture and fertilize them for maximum production. In other words our conditions today do not apply to requirements of ancient days. We know from past experiences about what the needs are for the days ahead, barring any unforseeable conditions. Production by irrigation can be speedily stepped up to meet urgent needs. It doesn't take much surplus to deaden the market and until we have good reason to build up wasteful supplies, I think we ought to keep them within proper bounds.

—o—

You can't kill time without injuring eternity.

—o—

Heaven must be in us before we can be in heaven.

—o—

It seems that congress insists on limiting the flexible program so much that it won't flex off rock bottom. If it won't flex that means we could get lower prices than ever.

Humor Ends The Tension

HELLO FOLKS — We were traveling over one of the roads near the Mississippi river in the eastern part of the state. It had been a constant suspense of up hill, down hill, around sharp curves, through canyons, along streams and over ridges. Some of us were car sick and most of us were getting a bit tired of it all.

As we came around one of the last sharp turns staring us in the face was a sign, crudely printed and nailed to a tree. It made us us all laugh. It read: "SOMETHINGS GOTTA GIVE".

—o—

WE HAVE all heard the expressions, "You have to have the bitter to enjoy the better." and "It has to be dark before you can see the stars" and quotations of such nature. At the Petersen home we have found the truth of such sentiments.

We had our share of problems the past summer. Problems that I am sure we have profited by. We had a sweet, new daughter in August, and about six weeks later our queen (meaning my wife) developed a severe infection and was confined to the hospital. That and an operation kept her there three weeks, with another couple weeks for convalescence at home.

With a large family and lots of special problems we were hard put to fund the answers to them. This is where we saw the "stars" or should we say the "better"?

All of a sudden the neighbors started bringing in food. Relatives came to clean, cook, bake and wash and friends took care of the baby, along with the relatives. Without even asking if they could neighbors came into the fields to pick corn.

One lady who had just retired from 40 years of teaching and had raised a family of nine, besides, called and said that she wanted to keep house for us while Vera was unable to. She did a magnificent job of management and we are so grateful to her and all the friends, neighbors and relatives who did so much to show their kindness.

Things are pretty well back to normal and we are convinced that there is really a lot of good in the world, and I am convinced that there is no lack of charity.

Farmers Claim Taxes "Unfair"

Hollo Folks! Some people are like blotters; they soak it all in and get it all backwards.

—o—

Life today is not a fun-way street.

—o—

Forgive and forget, and you'll never regret.

—o—

This is the time of year when Farm Bureau goes to work on resolutions for the coming annual meetings. The other evening the resolutions committee composed of Eric Ausen, John Nordby, Mrs. Lawrence Gustafson, Doug Vandgrift and myself, met at the Bureau office and with Doug as chairman we went into the study of resolutions and problems to be studied at the various units in the next few months.

Senator Rudolph Hanson was our guest and gave us a number of ideas and suggestions we might present to the farmers of Freeborn County. One of the problems we went into was the discrimination of taxation between residential and farm property. From a summer report of the Minnesota Department of Taxation the following facts were revealed:

Farm property is assessed an average of 43 per cent higher than is residential property. 

The law states that all property shall be assessed at its real and true value. Generally this has not been done for various reasons and instead a percentage of the real and true value is used. 

There are seven types of property. The state average ratio of assessment is as follows:

TYPES                                     RATIO

Residential                               30.44 per cent

Multiple dwelling                     37.82 per cent

Commercial                             38.79 per cent

Industrial                                  35.06 per cent

Public Utility                             45.88 per cent

Lake Shore                              16.20 per cent

Farm                                        43.68 per cent

Total Acreage                          35.99 per cent

With farmers in a cost squeeze now, and taxes making up a large percentage of their expenses, it is important that each citizen bear a fair and proportionate share of the tax dollar. In Freeborn County the difference is about 35 per cent. In other words the farmer is paying over $3 to the rest of the tax payers – $2 as far as real estate is concerned.

—o—

Another problem taken up at the meeting was the moving of sealed corn and grain. In Freeborn County the A. S. C. Committee has been rather slow in getting the stored corn moved out of the Government bins so that the farmers can get their bins ready for the new crop. With the drought we are having here it is more important than ever that the stored corn be moved early. Last year the Freeborn County Farm Bureau passed a resolution asking the county A. S. C. Committee to put forth greater effort in getting the bins cleared for further storage. 

—o— 

A person learns a lot by traveling. Other people do things differently and we get new and helpful ideas that we can put to use. 

One idea that South Dakota is using that I think is good, is using different colors on the road markers. For instance highway 16 is green, 14 is orange etc. Another idea I like is the using of the "Yield" variety of signs; where instead of having to come to a dead stop you must yield right of way to the other car.

The quality of our highways is gradually catching up to our high powered cars. It have been a slow job but many of these new roads are really nice. Here is a tip for anyone taking a trip toward the Pacific Northwest. Taking highway 12 from Wilmar or there about is a fast route. If you wish more scenery No. 16 is very good also but a bit slower and farther. 

—o—

There is a lot of stir and talk around the state regarding the revisiting of the constitution of the state. Many ideas and proposals are advanced as to why this should be done. Most of the arguments for carrying out this program sounds quite logical. However, some of the main reasons for advocating a revision are not aired to any great extent.

The big question at issue is the reapportionment of legislative districts. This particular problem has come up in many states of recent years. In most cases a reapportionment under the old process would mean giving control of both houses of the legislator to the urban areas of the state. Reapportionment in Minnesota under the old process would do that very thing.

Michigan recently reached a fair basis of reapportionment by deciding to put the House membership on a population basis and the Senate membership more nearly on an area basis. Farm Bureau sponsored and worked for the proposal that was finally adopted in that state.

Minnesota has a trust fund which has been built up over the years largely from the income received from the occupational tax on iron ore. The fund at the present time amounts to 236 million dollars.

The state constitution provides that only the income from this fund can be used. The income from this trust is earmarked for school purposes. This income is small because of the low rate of interest secured on these funds.

Some people think that the trust fund is large enough and that it would be better to use that portion of occupational tax income for general state needs instead of adding any more to the trust fund. This is another question that might come up in the revision of the state constitution.

—o— 

A cannibal is one who loves his fellowmen — with gravy.

Roll Up Your Sleeves, Folks!

HELLO FOLKS! — Warning! — When the politicians tell you that you may have to make sacrifices, they mean that taxes are going up.

—o—

THE RAINFALL for July totaled 2.6 inches around here. That makes a total of 16.6 inches for the year, so far.

—o—

THE POULTRY business has been agonizingly slow in returning to normal profit levels. For three years eggs have been selling much below profitable prices. I personally thought that two years of such prices would be all the poultrymen could take, and that before long the supply would level off with the demand, bringing with it fair returns for the producers. Now the experts are predicting better prices for eggs in the days ahead.

Poultry raisers all over the nation have gone broke. In the eastern states, where the trouble started and was caused by integration, there are third and fourth mortgages on some of the enterprizes. Feed dealers and companies who extended credit have found themselves in trouble. I understand that loan companies and banks managed to keep from getting hurt too badly.

I predicted about a year ago that the worst of it was about over and Minnesota could soon be profitable area for expansion of egg production. That prediction has been slow in fulfillment.

I understand now that the astern markets went in for the locally produced eggs, thinging that they would be fresher and therefore more acceptable to the public. In this they were disappointed. The eastern eggs, while fresh, do not have the quality that the midwestern eggs do. Many of the seaboard mixes have feeds that do not produce hih quality eggs. The feeds there are higher in price, and therefore the cost of producing eggs is higher. Now they are again beginning to look to this area for their eggs.

We can produce the best eggs in the world, due to our abundance of corn and soybeans, which make up the best ingredients for quality eggs. If we insist upon quality control in the care of the eggs I believe we can get our markets back and keep them. Competition will always be keen, but that has to be expected and is a good thing if it is not over-done.

Another thing that seems to be in the wind is a trent to smaller or shall we say, family sized flocks. We are finding out that these large flocks cannot maintain as high production per hen as the more moderate sized flocks and that the extra savings made in labor does not offset the loss in feed efficiency.

It all adds up to the belief that perhaps at long last we have learned a big lesson in eggs and that the farmer may again soon be the one to produce the bulk of the eggs. I hope so anyways.

To Cut Supply, Create Demand

HELLO FOLKS! — It took us a long time to learn it but we finally got through our heads — the fact that it is impossible to get more than the law of Supply and Demand will allow. The only way to get more than we now have is to create more demand. There are many ways to do that; some of them are — advertising, stimulating trade, creating markets abroad and at home, helping others to help themselves. We are now in the process of learning that wealth must be produced. Create a desire and a way will be found to get. Then production will take place and wealth is created. That is one of the things that made America what it is today. It is the thing that will make it greater tomorrow. I am not referring to money alone, nor just mundane desires. The rule applies to every good thing in life. Also to the things not so good, but let's not mentions them.

—o—

The annoyed girl said to her date, "Lets go someplace where we can each be alone."

Father was scowling over the report card. Said the little boy "Naturally I seem stupid to my teacher, she is a college graduate."

—o—

Two boys on a picnic with the parents got to playing with heavy road-grading machinery. Set a match to the gas tanks and got hurt. They won a big law-suit.

Two fellows got caught stealing gas. Fine-25 dollars. Gas stealing must be profitable.

Two boys went through 8 or 10 stop signs trying to outsmart the law officers. They got 10 dollar fines.

One of the boys that got caught in grand larceny is still running around and getting into as much mischief as usual. Got caught speeding since then, — thirty days license suspension. He is still driving. They haven't done anything to his father for permitting it.

These are just a few of the things going on around here, and we sit by doing nothing about it. Keep this up long enough and perhaps history will reverse itself and someday they will raid this country and send us off to darkest Africa as slaves.

This is suppose to be a civilized country where the law abiding are free to do as they wish and the law-breakers are punished enough so that they will want to obey. Guess we got our signals mixed.

—o—

It looks as though the bulk of the forcasters are proving right: it as really a dry spring and if my own predictions are right we will have a very wet July and August. At least if winds preceding 100 days are correct.

—o—

Candle Dipping

A candle's but a simple thing:
It starts with just a bit of string.
Yet dipped and dipped with patient hand,
It gathers wax upon the strand
Until, complete and snowy white,
It gives at last a lovely light.

Life seems so like that bit of string!
Each deed we do a simple thing:
Yet day by day, if on lifes strand
We work with patient heart and hand,
It gathers joy, makes dark day bright,
And gives at last a lovely light.

Jared Proves A Big Tease

HELLO FOLKS! — Linnea celebrated her sixth birthday today. A comical incident occurred that made us all laugh. The children had special suits made for Halloween a couple of years ago such as ghosts, leopards, devils, bunnies, etc.

It seems that only the leopard and bunny suits still exist. Linnea claims that leopard suit and Merilee uses the bunny suit for pajamas.

Last night they each had on their favorite costumes. Big brother Jared, who is never slow to tease, bit the tail of the leopard.

Before Linnea would go to bed her mother had to wrap the tail with bandage because it hurt. The bandage was still on this morning when she came to breakfast. It was sort of an honor badge, I guess.

—o—

A MAN'S REAL MEASURE 
By W. C. BRAUN

The place to take the real measure of a man is not in the darkest place or in the church singing hymns, or at his desk, nor in he cornfield, but by his own fireside. There he lays aside his mask and you may learn he is an imp or an angel, cur of king, hero or humbug, I care not what the world says of him: whether it crowns him boss or pelts him with bad eggs.

I care not a copper what is reputation on religion may be; if his children dread his homecoming and his better half swallows her heart everything she has to ask him for a $5 bill, he is a fraud of the first water, even though he prays night and morning until he shakes the eternal hills.

But if his children rush to the front door to meet him and love's sunshine, illuminates the face of his wife everytime she hears his footfall, you can take it for granted that he is O.K. for his home is a Heaven — and the humbug never gets that .... white throne. He may be a rank atheist and red flag anarchist, roller and a mugwump; he may deal 'em from the bottom of the deck and drink beer until he can't tell a silver dollar from a circular saw, and still be an infinitely better man the the cowardly little humbug who is all sauvity in society but makes his home a hell; who vents upon the hopeless heads of his wife and children an ill nature he would inflict on his fellow men, but dares not.

I can forgive much in that fellow mortal who would rather call anger to the eyes of a kind than fear to the face of a child.

Farm Leaders Fight Farmers

HELLO FOLKS! — The way the corn referendum vote went it seems that the pseudo farm leaders who were fighting Benson discovered they were fighting the farmers instead.

—o—

THE CORN referendum vote was not a complete victory for those who believe in the American way of life. There is still that 65 per cent ruling that is going to keep farmers producing corn at an extremely heavy rate, a rate that may make it a ceiling instead of a floor. However it is gratifying to know that there are so many farmers who realize that the Government is not a profitable market for farm produce and that it can not guarantee as much as can be had on a competitive market.

This move in corn is a big step in the right direction, and if our congressmen are smart they will give farmers a chance to vote on other commodities the same way. It is one sure way of getting the farmers to choose their own program instead of the congress getting their own necks wrenched by making a false move.

Farm productivity is moving up at the rate of 6 per cent per year, and there is no indication that it is going to slow up. That means that the consumer is going to get his food cheaper each year. This is good for us all. Food is today the best buy it has ever been but not the best buy it will be in the future. Therefore a change in farm programs is bound to have to take place and the sooner the farmers get the change the better off we will all be. The consumer has as much stake in this as the farmer as his total cost of living is tied to it. If we get a sound fiscal policy going nationally and all segments of the economy use good sense in their demands we can have an ever upward increase in our standard of living. However with our society becoming more and more integrated all the time if some one "goofs" and does too much "rocking" the whole system can crash.

There are so many angles to our economy that it is an almost impossible job to know how each fits in and what effects what. One of the big problems that is going to be an issue is the role to be played by Church and State.

I believe that right now the State is usurping some of the role of the Church should have for best results, and we also know that the Church can usurp some of the State's duties. History has shown that.

To me it is all very interesting, that is why I write this column. We each need to teach the other and learn all we can. None of us know all we should but the sooner, and the better, we do know the better a future we are going to have.

—o—

I GOT so wound up on the going subject I almost forgot to tell a joke; so here goes;

He— "Honey, I loves you' bathing suit."

She— "Sho nuff?"

He— "It sho does."

Horses Show Good Sense

HELLO FOLKS — The true value of horse sense is clearly shown by the fact that the horse was afraid of the automobile during the period when pedestrians were laughing at it.

Old-timers are people who remember when women with holes in their shoes were broke instead of stylish.

—o—

We got our car keys back! When the family was on vacation the car keys got lost at the roadside fountain near Adrian, Minn. Somebody, we don't know who, found them and send them into the Disabled American Veterans. They in turn sent them back to us, as our license number was on the key chain. — We probably won't forget to send them some money for their courtesy, next time they send our identification.

In the years that the DAV has been returning keys to the public they have returned almost 1 1/2 million keys to Americas motorists.

—o—

So the steel strike is on and who stands to gain? Nobody. Absolutely no one. Whether the steel workers get the raise or not they still don't win. And it is for sure that the buying public has to pay more for what we buy. If we don't pay more the economy has still suffered because of loss of wages and foreign imports will continue to increase flooding our markets and that is bound to increase unemployment, and we can't have a sound economy with the people out of work.

It seems that the steel workers don't want a strike; for according to surveys taken more than 60 per cent of them are satisfied with the wages they are now getting. It seems they realize that most of the increase in wages will just add to the cost of living and what good is a wage increase if it is just more and cheaper money being handled.

There is no denying that much of the cost of a product is labor. In the line of some foods, such as milk, it is almost 100 per cent labor, and a lot of that is poorly paid. There are some high profit items in which labor is only a minor item but as a whole about 80 per cent of the cost of a product is labor. Even the profits, if they are plowed back into more production, are a form of labor. At least they create jobs.

Then there is the matter of taxes. They are mostly for labor in government services, and therefore necessary. So if labor costs go up so must taxes.

Suppose that the workers get a 15 cent hike, such as they have been used to getting the past years. If, as seems likely, that labor is 80 per cent of the cost of production then by the time everybody gets their raise, which again they must have to be fair to everyone. Then the most the steel workers can get out of the 15 cent raise will be about 2 cents. Suppose that it puts them in a higher tax bracket. That 2 cents will have melted to nothing and they may even be out dollars.

On top of that it gives the foreign goods a chance for greater competition. Any way you figure it even one day's lay-off because of a strike and the men will be behind in take-home pay.

Steel being basic, sets the pattern for all industries, so as steel goes so goes the nation, as far as wages, prices and probably the whole economy.

The only real criteria for wage increases is productivity and education is the father of that. We can have increased wages as fast as we increase productivity and then they stimulate the economy.

The sooner the steel mills get to rolling again the better for us all.


BONUS:

Edwin B. Peterson to Address Unit

LYLE, Minn. —Edwin B. Petersen, Oakland area farmer and candidate for the Legislature earlier this year spoke to the Lyle-Nevada Farm Bureau unit Wednesday.

In the business session, Delos Fran, county chairman of the quality egg program, reported on progress; Mrs. Lee Martin reported on women's committee activities; Henry Lenz, Lyle and Harold Fossey, Nevada, were named membership chairmen; and three members from each township will be named to the resolution committee.

A Pot - luck supper was served before the meeting.

Determined by Where You Look

HELLO FOLKS — Marriage is supposed to be a 50-50 proposition, but did you ever see a woman's idea of sharing a clothes closet?

—o—

NEVER LET A difficulty stop you; it may be only sand on your track to prevent skidding.

—o—

EVER SINCE I have been writing this column I have been urging a greater study of economics in our schools. It is slowly coming, but there are a number of pressure groups who, for selfish reasons have been against it.

Now, however, there is an organization called "The Joint Council on Economic Education". It is forming nationwide to provide classroom materials, workshops for high school teachers, seminars for college economics professors and encouragement of business participation in the economics educational process.

It is already operation in 38 regional and state councils, with more being formed regularily. There is one operating in Minnesota now.

In Russia every student understands the Russian economic system. Here in America, where we have so much to lose, not one students in 100 understands the American economic system. Is it any wonder why the Communistic system is spreading? It certainly isn't because it gives the most for the people. It is only because it is being pushed and most of the people who understand anything about economics are being taught the other system.

With the competition Russia is giving us we are finally waking up to the facts. Who says that competition is not good?

A SURVEY WAS taken a few years ago among school children between the ages of eight and 19, the following qualities that were desired in a father were listed in the order of their importance.
1. Spending time with his children.
2. Respecting his children's opinion.
3. Being an active church member.
4. Being a college graduate.
5. Never nagging his children about what they should do.
6. Making plenty of money.
7. Being well dressed.
8. Being prominent in social life.
9. Having a love of music and poetry.
10. Owning a good looking car.

—o—

FRENCH FOREIGN Minister Robert Schuman is a confirmed bachelor. When asked why, he explained: "When I was young, I decided not to get married until I had found the ideal woman. Then I found her. Regretfully, however, she was looking for the ideal man."

U. S. Seeks New Trade

HELLO FOLKS — For many months Farm Bureau, with the Departments of Agriculture and a number of congressmen, has been working on a foreign trade program. It was first called "aid by trade" — now it is officially named "Trade Development Act of 1954."

The idea of the program is to help rid ourselves of farm surpluses at the same time we are aiding others, and in such a way that as many countries as possible will benefit from the program.

Many countries need food, but under present trade barriers and government inertia, these countries who so badly need our surplus food are unable to buy because of lack of markets in the U. S.

Japan, for instance, needs wheat, cotton, soybeans and dried milk — we have these things — and if Japan can sell her exports, she can buy food. The capital goods Japan has are needed in many Asiatic countries. These countries, in turn have strategic materials that we need. By creating the trade development act, private traders would sell surplus food to Japan and the Government would guarantee the money. Japanese traders would sell the Asiatic countries, and the U. S. would, in turn, get strategic materials such as manganese, chrome, mica, cobalt, etc.

There are other countries in similar positions. It does not take a great deal of imagination to realize the potentialities of such a program.

This trade development act coupled with a flexible farm program can do wonders for American agriculture. This is just one example of what Farm Bureau is doing, and what farmers can do when they unite their forces.

I would like to have each one of my readers try a little stunt and remember the lesson it teaches. Take a number of sticks — matches will do it you use enough. Break a few one by one. See how easily they break! Now put several together — they don't break very easily, do they? In fact, if you put enough of them together, you cannot break them. So it is with organizations. United we stand, divided we fall.

—o—

Sharon and Bruce hadn't seen each other for a few days. Now they were sitting together in the moonlight. Sharon said, "Whisper something soft and sweet in my ear." Bruce whispered, "Marshmallows".

—o—

One day we were all seated around the breakfast table. I noticed Ann hadn't washed her hands and face and said, "Ann, you haven't washed yet." She hurriedly grabbed her glass of fruit juice, gulped it down, and exclaimed jubilantly, "It's too late now!"

—o—

We were planning to go to the drive-in theater. Ann asked her mother. "When we going, Mommie?" "As soon as it get dark" said Mother. Ann went to the stairway door, looking in and exclaimed, "Nope, it ain't dark yet."

—o—

The Farm Bureau office is open each week day from 10 to 12 and from 1 to 3 o'clock. Saturdays 10 to 12. Remember those gas tax refund slips are due every four months now. Cora will take care of them for you at the office.

—o—

A favorite dish at our house is a thick slice of homemade bread with cream poured over it and topped with some kind of sauce or preserves. Rhubarb and applesauce are favorites for the dish — I also like wild plum.

—o—

Quite often you hear certain politicians and misinformed people say that price will not control production — that farmers will not  cut production if they are losing money. I think that is giving a pretty low opinion of the modern farmer. There may have been a time when the farmer didn't know what his cost of production was, but that time is pretty much in the past.

With high mechanism and education, the farmer has had to become a good business man, and as such, he knows fairly well what his costs are and when he is breaking even.

And I don't think there are very many farmers today who are going to farm at a loss. He may enlarge when the profits are narrow so that he can be more efficient, but just as sure as he does that, there are others going into a more profitable game.

All evidence, to date, proves that price is the main guiding factor in production. When farmers learn to apply the knowledge that is available to us today, prices are going to fluctuate less drastically. 

Why Cut Federal Lunch Program?

HELLO FOLKS — I don't know the President's thinking behind his desire to cut federal costs on the school lunch program. However, from this view it seems very unwise to seem to be interested in the health of the underprivileged on the one hand and then place in jeopardy the very program that should give many of the nation's needy some of the nutrition they need.

I do think that in the past the federal government has footed too much of the cost of the school lunch program. It is certainly wise for the state governments to share substantially in the costs; just as it is well for the local governments to share. This way there is not apt to be waste in the project. With local participation there will be more local control and local citizens own funds used unwisely if they can help it.

Equal Sharing

It seems to me that the program should call for about equal sharing between federal, state and local.

Even in our own communities, where there is hardly reason for poverty to exist, there are children who are not getting the proper nutrition. The reasons for this lies with the parents. Perhaps a drinking father or mother or both; indifferences as to what constitutes good nutrition; laziness when it comes to providing or the offspring and working mothers, more interested in earning money than to develop the citizens of tomorrow.

For many of these unfortunate children school lunches are the chief source of good nutrition. It does not seem good sense to put these lunches in jeopardy just to provide the proposed "pie-in-the-sky programs" into action.

—o—

DOES THE GROUCH get richer quicker than the friendly sort of man? Can the grumbler labor better than the cheerful fellow can? Is the mean and churlish neighbor any cleverer than the one who shouts a glad "good morning", and then smiling passes on?

Just to stop and think about it. Have you ever known or seen a mean man who succeeded, just because he was so mean?

When you find a grouch with honors and with money in his pouch, you can bet he didn't win them just because he was a grouch.

Oh, you'll not be any poorer if you smile along your way, and your lot will not be harder for the kindly things you say. Don't imagine you are wasting time for others that you spend: You can rise to wealth and glory and still pause to be a friend.
– Edgar A. Guest.

—o—

SPEAKING OF being friendly, I just finished making the rounds on one of the numerous charity drives that take place this time of year. I wasn't turned down once and when I went to one home which had already given they gave again. Not only did they all give but they did it gladly. Not a grumble, not a grudge.

I don't know what this all indicates, whether it is because there is more money around or it is because people are getting more charitable. But one thing I believe it is all for the better.

Giants Don't Use Strength

Hello Folks — T'is excellent to have a giant's strength, but it is tyrannous to use it like a giant. Shakespeare.

—o—

Graduation is over. For us it was an important occasion; Lowell graduated from high school.

As we sat there in the auditorium along with more than 1,000 others parents and friends, watching the orchestra perform, seeing the graduates march in and everybody in their best attitudes I got to thinking "Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all reach the goals we set for ourselves, always be at our best, and everything be as beautiful as we would want it?"

Then I got to wondering why so few reach those goals. Perhaps none of us do. I believe it is because we don't make the things we have to do in life important enough. We lose faith in ourselves, we don't follow through in the things we know we should, and we very likely don't reach for the highest source of help we should.

I thought of the youths there and how wonderful it would be if by the concerted action of all of us they could be as wholesome and honorable as we would like them to be. I think possibly a few of them come pretty close to that goal, but certainly not enough of them. I am convinced it is the fault of all of us.

I think our teachers do a wonderfully good job of instructing them. Certainly there is a lot of room for improvement, but I believe that if we parents would do half as good a job with our children as the teachers do these young people of ours would get a lot farther in life than they do. Too often we fail to sustain the teachers and actually harm the teacher's ability to teach and the child's ability to learn.

I think the Commencement this year was the finest I have ever seen, the music played by the high school orchestra was exceedingly beautiful. The prayer was inspiring. The temperature was ideal and the speech was full of 'meat', and not too long.

—o—

They were discussing girls "How is it, Jim, asked Joe, "that you get along so well with the girls?"

"Easy," was the reply. "Try flattery for instance. The girl I was with last night got a fly in her eye. I said, 'I can't see how it could miss such big eyes as yours', after that I had her eating out of my hand!"

A few days later they met again. "H'm said Joe, "I don't think much of your flattery stunt. I tried it but it didn't come off so good."

"What happened?"

"The girl I was with got fly in her mouth."

—o—

The Corning glass works has developed a new family of basic materials, said to be harder than high-carbon steel, lighter than aluminum, and up to nine times stronger than plate glass. It is called Pyroceram. It is a finegrained crystalline material made from noncrystaline glass, but with a melting point near that of iron.

2 Theories About Life

HELLO FOLKS —

A Candle's but a simple thing:
It starts with just a bit of string.
Yet dipped and dipped with patient hand,
It gathers wax upon the strand,
Until, complete, and snowy white,
It gives at last a lovely light.

Life seems so like that bit of string;
Each deed we do a simple thing;
Yet day by day, if on life's strand
We work with patient heart and hand,
It gathers joy, makes dark day bright,
And gives at last a lovely light.

—o—

UNINSTRUCTED
"I'm going to send you down to earth".
Said God to me one day,
"I'm giving you what men call birth —
Tonight, you'll start away.
I want you there to live with men,
Until I call you back again".

I trembled as I heard Him speak
Yet knew that I must go;
I felt His hand upon my cheek,
And wished that I might know
Just what on earth would be my task,
And timidly I dared to ask.

"Tell me before I start away,
What thou would have me do;
What message would thou have me say?
When shall my work be through?
That I may serve Thee on earth?
Tell me the purpose of my birth".

God smiled at me and softly said,
"Oh you shall find your task,
I want you free life's paths to tread.
So do not stay to ask
Remember if your best you do,
That I shall ask no more of you".

How often as my work I do,
So common place and grim,
I sit and sigh and wish I knew
If I am pleasing Him.
I wonder if with every test,
I've really tried to do my best?

-----------------------------------------------------

Vera Petersen, 95, wife of Edwin Petersen, the author of these articles, passed away on Friday evening, June 19th 2015. 

A Danger to Our Nation

HELLO FOLKS! — A sure way of getting nowhere is to follow the crowd.

In life's garden it is as important to plant the right things as it is in a vegetable garden. What we plant and how diligently we care for what we plant determines the harvest.

In this garden of life, here is a sample of what to plant.

Start with four rows of peas:
One row of pleasantness,
Another row of perseverance,
One of preparedness,
The fourth of permanence.

Next plant five rows of lettuce:
Let us obey,
Let us be true,
Let us be faithful,
Let us be unselfish,
Let us love one another.

Three rows of turnips:
Turn up at meetings,
Turn up with a smile,
Turn up with determination.

Also there must be three rows of squash:
Squash gossip,
Squash indifference,
Squash criticism.

IT SEEMS from here, that we are going to face the facts that anyone in politics who stands firm for constitutional government is going to be bombarded with ridicule of the worst sort and have to face character assassination too.

For many years we have been heading deeper and faster into mob rule, government by whim and fancy and special interest legislation, plus circumventing the constitution, until it has caught fire and anyone who wants something done for them follow the pattern of former successes in the field.

People are less and less concerned about what has made and kept our nation strong (Meaning the constitution) and are more inclined to go for the quick and easy answers.

However, I don't believe the real problem is the people themselves. I believe that we have to face a far more sinister enemy than that. There seems to a well organized underground press that grinds out the poisonous venem against those who stand for constitutional government.

Who is this enemy? I believe it is none other than communism. Communism knows that the only way it can 'bury' us is to destroy our constitution; and by grinding out the "smear" against anybody who stands strong for it they can find plenty of fellow travelers and political opponents who are looking for ammunition to aim at their opposition. It therefore becomes popular to follow the crowd and the press has been plenty gullible at times following the trend.

This underground press is so potent that few politicians want to be the target. An example could be the wheat deal to Russia. There has never been any attempt to explain why the administration was so anxious to guarantee payments to Russia on the wheat. For lack of an explanation from the proponents we can only venture a guess of our own. Could it be because they were so anxious to avoid conflict with this press that the President risked his foreign aid bill in order to get the wheat legislation passed?

They're Flaws In Farm Bill

HELLO FOLKS — The house and Senate have just passed a 'Farm Bill' that is supposed to cut down the amount of wheat in storage and cut the production of it. It also again passed the emergency feed grain program.

I do not, at this time, know what contains in entirety, the program so I cannot say much about it except that if in the wheat bill the cutback in production is only 10 per cent, it will not reduce the production one bit. The reason is that we have the know-how to almost double the wheat yield. It is done by the heavy application of fertilizers.

In the past there has not been very much fertilizer applied to wheat, at least not in the principal wheat growing areas. However, the wheat men when faced with a further cut in acreage are apt to "pour it on".

I suppose there is some sort of a program along with it that pays the wheat grower in kind for retiring land, that wheat in turn is put on the open market. This is good and should be a help in reducing some of the wheat in storage. However, if we are going to really cut the wheat acreage enough to stop the excess production there will have to be a good deal more than 10 per cent retirement, for that 10 per cent is not apt to reduce wheat tonnage at all.

As for the emergency feed grain program, if farmers are allowed to change the acreages and put the acres that were retired this year into production there will be a build-up of feed reserves rather than a reduction. Those idle acres will really produce and within the period of a few years we will have probably produced more total feed than if they had not been idled. For the feed grain program to have any temporary success the idled acres will have to be permanently retired and additional acres retired with them. That will of course take more money from the taxpayer, or shall we say from the coming generation?

The whole fact is that we are not headed for a solution to the farm "problem" at all but rather building one with emergency programs.

—o—

I HEARD A verse that goes something like this.

MEN ARE FOUR

He who knows not and knows not that he knows not. He is a fool. Shun him.
He who knows not and knows that he knows not, teach him. He will learn.
He who knows and knows not that he knows, he is asleep. Awake him.
He who knows and knows that he knows, he is wise. Follow him.
– Lady Burton.
From Life of Sir Richard Burton

What Else To Consider?

HELLO FOLKS — Rudy had been walking past the Midtown National Bank the afternoon of the big hold-up, and they had summoned him as a witness. The D.A. was quizzing him in the hope that a lead might be found on the identity of the daring bank robbers, and was listening intently to Rudy's eye-witness account.

"So I'm walking past this bank, and these guys come running out a second or so after there's a great big explosion inside the bank. And they have bags of money in their hands, these guys, have, and they chuck these bags in a car what's at the curb, and they pile into that car and take off like sixty,"

"And you say you just stood there?"

"Yes sir."

"You didn't do a thing?"

"No sir."

"You didn't think anything about it?"

Rudy nodded emphatically. "Oh yes sir! I thought to myself. 'Well this is a helluva way to run a bank, and I'll be damned if I put any of my dough there.

—o—

Winter?! Don't mention it. I have had all of it I want and enough to last next year too.

—o—

YOU PROBABLY saw a feature in The Tribune a few days ago about some of our citizens studying, "Facts for the Future – A Growing Minnesota." As was mentioned, this course is sponsored by the extension service of the University of Minnesota and the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

This is the kind of course that should be studied by every person in the state. In fact it must be understood by the majority of citizens if we are to have the kind of future in which we can all live and prosper.

We hope that in the near future someone will invite you to their home and with the interest of your neighbors you will all sit down and study and discuss the problems and the solutions for a growing and changing world.

This is a course that is bound to stimulate interest in anyone remotely interested in the future (and we had better all be). It is divided into four parts, to be discussed in four separate meetings.

Regardless of political or religious preferences we must all unite in such a worthy cause. In a democracy the general public is depended upon to keep the nation and it's various cultures keyed to a high standard. Without the public taking part and understanding these complex factors, the nation falters and we find ourselves thinking and doing the things that lead to the downfall of our society.

The extension service is to be congratulated for this fine effort to bring the facts to the public. It will take the co-operation of all of us to put it across, so let's get in there and pitch.

Twisting Words Changes Meaning

HELLO FOLKS — Words turned around can mean entirely different things; take these for instance.

A Jeweler sells watches, but a jailor watches cells.

A Teacher trains the mind but an engineer minds the train.

—o—

IT IS VACATION time again and while this reminder may be a bit late for early planning it is still not too late for any or nearly all of us to plan a bit of relaxation while the weather is warm and outdoor recreation pleasant.

Farmers are, I believe the greatest violators when it comes to 'getting away' from it all. Some of the best farmers I know haven't had a vacation for a long time and few farmers take as much time off for relaxation as they should

On the farm there are always many things to do and I have yet to see a farmer that has all his work done up. On top of that we generally have bills to pay and equipment that needs replacing. With such facts staring us in the face it is hard to justify the spending of a lot of money and time in seemingly non-profitable pursuits. However, I think vacations can be one of the best health factors outside of good food and a relaxed mind. There is not a better way to give the body and mind a chance to rejuvenate than a good 'get away from it all' session.

—o—

AN AFRICAN chieftain flew to London for a visit and was met at the airport by newsmen. "Good morning, Chief," one said. "Did you have a comfortable flight?"

The chief made a series of raucous noises-hank, oink, screech, whistle, zzzzz-then added in perfect English, "Yes, very pleasant indeed."

"And how long do you plan to stay?" asked the reporter.

Prefacing his remarks with the same noises, the chief answered, "about three weeks, I think."

"Tell me Chief" inquired the baffled reporter, "where did you learn to speak the english language so flawlessly?"

After the now standard honk, oink, whistle and zzzz, the chief said, "short-wave radio."

—o—

THERE ARE A lot of problems, troubles, woes, pain, heartaches and general difficulties in life. It is hard to see the aged infirm, the crippled child, life taken in its bloom, or any other such things. About as tough a thing to see or know about is a hard working man with a new farm, a wife and four small children to care for, taken down to his bed with out a chance to earn a living for a while.

Such a man is Francis Miller. I drove into their farm a while back, and his good wife was out in the barn doing her best to care for the livestock. Francis had been carried to the house the day before. He has had a lot of trouble with his hip and was coming along pretty well with it when all of the sudden it started acting up again. He is now in the Cities with the doctors working on him. I know you all join with me in wishing him a speedy recovery.

A lot of you know the Millers. They are a big family of Moscow township, top-notch livestock m... and specialists in pure-bred hog... They are nearly always at the County fair with the hogs.

____________

Stephen Hopkins, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, was 10 times governor of Rhode Island.

Farm Programs About the Same

HELLO FOLKS — The total rainfall for here during the month of July was 3.1 inches. That was considerably less than at Albert Lea and Austin. I understand Austin had about six inches.

—o—

IT IS NOT what men eat but what they digest that makes them strong; not what we gain, but what we save that makes us rich; not what we read, but what we remember that makes us learn; and not what we preach, but what we practice that makes us Christians. – Francis Bacon.

—o—

I DON'T write much about farm programs these days. The reason is that they have become so obnoxious with their political meddling that I feel they do more harm than good. An idea can be perfectly good, but before the 'cooks' get done, it is so messed up with political meddling that is it hardly recognizable, and probably as worthless.

I think it is about time the various farm organizations start using their back-bones instead of their wish-bones and agree to get the government out of the pricing business and decide to do their own supporting of farm commodities. These organizations have grown stronger in recent year and with a bit of help from our Congressman in the form of a revolving fund to help support commodities, to prevent disaster prices, these organizations can very well do more for the farmers than the government could ever hope to do.

If labor had gone to the Government to get the benefits that have received over the years they would find themselves in the same 'pickle' the farmers are in.

With the farmer's setting their own support prices they would not set them at levels that would create or perpetuate surpluses.

With no surpluses there would be no depressed prices. The consumer would not be irritated by having to pay tax money to support and store food they can't eat.

Hence, there would be better rural urban relations. Our farm economy and therefore our total national economy would be healthier and the "Gross National Product" would be higher, if the famers handled their own program, and they rightly should.

The whole history of farm programs proves that they have been a dismal failure.

It all harks back to the old adage: "If you want a thing done right, do it yourself."

Farmers Face The Crossroads

HELLO FOLKS — The Man from Mars had just arrived and landed in the Congo. He approached a native and demanded to see the leader.

"Lumumba or Mobutu": asked the native. "Take me to your leader now," said the man from Mars, "And we'll dance later."

—o—

ELECTION TIME is drawing close, and with it political fever is getting hotter.

As far as the farmer is concerned there is a clear line of demarcation to choose from for the first time in a long while. The leaders on the Democratic side are making no 'bones' about their plans. They are for strict controls with teeth in them that will make the farmer a complete puppet of the government, with police to regulate every bushel of grain and pound of meat.

None of this is free choice planning. This is socialism, and absolute complete. Or shall we call it dictatorship.

On the other hand the Republicans are holding up the prospect of flexible prices that will vary with the demand. It will (if I understand it rightly) be a combination of controls with the faint hope of future economic controls eliminated. Most Republicans know as well as do many of the Democrats that neither of these ideas (and none of them are new) will solve the farm problem. It will never be solved until the farmers get together enough motion to create their own farm program.

As for me, I don't go for either one of the ideas. The plans of the Republicans will tend to keep farm prices down and deaden the economy. The plans of the Democrats will eventually destroy freedom in American and with it the whole national prosperity and standard of living. If the plans of the Democrats succeeds the Communists will have won the cold war without a battle. The Communists plans for the farmers are almost identical to the platform of the Democrats.

To sum it up it means that the farmers are at the cross-roads. They can go ahead and solve their problems the way they want or they can let the politicians do it for them and reap the bitter consequences.

What with famers making up only 10 per cent of the population and the consumers the other 90 per cent we may be sure that the farmer is going to come out on the thin end of any farm program that Congress may propose. For the consumer wants cheap food. That is only natural.

The farmer on the other hand wants a purchasing power equal to that of the rest of the nation. He will only get it by doing for himself what he should have done 30 or 40 years ago.

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PHOTO CAPTION:

WIDE OPEN — A herd of porkers runs loose in one of 10 lots on the Petersen farm. Says he, pasture raising saves labor and costs and allows him to raise more pigs in a single man operation.

Ed Viewed An Emperor

Hello Folks!! I saw the Emperor of Ethiopia (Halie Selassie) in Austin a couple weeks ago. I happened to be in Austin. I noticed a lot of people lining the street so I followed suit. After quite a wait he came from the Hormel plant.

The Parade was headed by a police car with signals flashing and as the procession entered Main Street the siren sounded. I saw his grand-daughter also. She looked pretty much like any other person from the glimpse I got of her. I was rather surprised that Haile Selassie looked as young as he does. Of course from the pitch of his hat brim to his chin there wasn't much distance, but I was less than 10 feet from him.

It is interesting to recall the recent history of Ethiopia. When Mussolini invaded the country Selassie protested to the League of Nations, but the politicians were too busy playing politics to listen to him. Mussolini ended his life in the typical fashion of all tyrants. Today Haile Selassie injoys the privilege of ruling between 10 and 15 million people. It brings to mind what the Savior said, "The meek shall inherit the earth."

—o—

I think giving is the secret of a successful life. And I think we never reach the point of diminishing returns if we give the proper thing and in the proper time and place. However, I do think indiscriminate giving just for the sake of giving can be a terrible liability. For instance at one time our government was giving anything and everything to Russia without a thought of the consequences. The taxpayer was saddled with heavy burdens of taxes and federal debt to do so. Now we are being saddled with even heavier debts and taxes just to pay for our folly. The same way with dozens of other countries. They get the gifts then turn around and despise us for it.

It works the same way with children. While a proper gift at a proper time will help to show our love toward a child, if those gifts are given too often without the child earning them they almost invariably become selfish and fail to develop character. I have almost forgotten the quotation in "The Vision of Sir Launfall" "It's not what you give but what you share, for the gift without the giver is bare." I think when we learn to give properly we will have gone a long ways toward eliminating wars and bitterness.

A bitter tongue can burn up more people than an incendiary bomb. A winner never quits, a quitter never wins.

—o—

The column I wrote two weeks ago sounded awfully hard-hearted when I read it. I imagine it did to you readers also. It was mostly because I left out one adverb. No wonder the editor gave it such a startling title.

—o—

John Nyenhuis and family were heading for California. They were traveling across the hot Mojave Desert. They saw a tiny speck down the road. As they drew closer the discovered it was a man in a bathing suit. John, the ever courteous, stopped the car to see if he could aid the man. "Yes", the man said, "How far is it to the ocean?" "Oh! about 300 or 400 miles," says John. "My! My! It is a wide beach, isn't it?" exclaimed the man.

That's Exactly What He Means

HELLO FOLKS: Rog, Skophammer enhanced the Pied Pipers column by having his wife write in his place. Her stories about the children reminded us about ours. Brent is three, going on four. About six months ago at breakfast time he asked for a soft egg. His mother obliged with a soft fried egg. He didn't want it.
"I want a soft one."
"Well this is soft."
"No, one like this." and he picked out one that was fried hard.
"That is a hard one," his mother informed him.
"Well it is soft to me." and that was that. To this day when he wants a soft egg he means just the opposite.

He has a mind strictly his own. The only way it can be changed is with a pat on the back; low enough and hard enough to be effective. Of course some things are not important enough to warrant that, such is the case with the egg. In fact, it is quite humorous.

—o—

ONE OF THE interesting observations about farm politics and policies is the change in thinking concerning the programs. For several years we heard a lot of talking about 100 per cent of parity. The parties who did most of the talking about it seemed to think they knew what parity was.

Now that their favorite candidates are in office the idea of full parity has been quietly laid to rest after having been given a fatal dose of 'facing facts'. It and talk about the danger of the family farm losing its place have suddenly become unpopular.

Not that full parity shouldn't be our aim and it could be a realized goal if we would just go after it in the right manner. The problem is in getting enough farmers to agree on the means, and getting the politicians out of the 'pudding'.

We have a clear example of how it can be achieved. All we have to do is look at the products that have no government interference. They are generally the most profitable. The only exceptions are the products where the famers under controls can horn in on the others farmer's markets and run them competition.

The politicians would like to have put a floor of $13 or $14 on hogs about seven years ago. Statesmen refused to go along with the plan and the result is hogs have averaged nearly $4 a hundred more than that since then.

One of the surest ways of assuring the farmers a better income is to put the support price low enough that it does not encourage excessive production. How about zero to 70 per cent, as the secretary suggested.

Small State Has Big Name

Hello Folks! — What's in a name? Rhode Island which is the smallest state in the Union has the longest name.

—o—

A small community is one where you chat for a while on the phone even if you got the wrong number.

—o—

In a column written by Drew Pearson a while back, mention was made of the fact that food prices went up two per cent since 1952, while at the same time prices to the farmer dropped 16 per cent. 

In writing his column Mr. Pearson was doing his best to smear the present Administration and blame it for the condition. It is true that that is the way prices have gone until lately; but he fails to put the blame where it belongs.

There are three reasons why farm prices fell. One was because we were coming down off a war time peak, and the demand for the food was not so great. Two, Congress (in its effort on won votes) kept high supports (which were put there to encourage production) in which in effect gave many of our young farmers a false incentive to go into farming when they should have gone into high paying jobs that were begging for good men. Three, the farm efficiency went up almost 25 per cent in that length of time, which was bound to reflect in the market place and give the consumer a better buy. In the meantime the cost of processing went up in the direct proportion to the wage increases, minus the greater efficiency. 

It is true that the big processors made bigger profits. Their business expanded as they were more efficient. At the same time the small businesses lost ground. This is to be regretted unless we realize that it added to our standard of living. It seems that in our social progress there is bound to be growing pains, we can either work with this progress and adjust or fight it and get hurt worse. 

We know that around here the small creameries have faded out and the stronger ones have grown. The same thing happens in a forest as it matures. If it did not do so there would be no tall timbers for lumber. So all in all, while we regret to see the small community enterprises die out, it seems to be all for the best and we learn to adjust to the changes and in a little while we see the advantage in the change.

—o—

Congratulations to Cliff Cairns on his promotion to the position of manager of our Wilson and Co plant. I am sure that it was a good move. I had the pleasure of working with Cliff on the Minnesota Spring Barrow Show and realized then that he had a real gift for following though on a project, along with a sound approach to the problems at hand. No doubt these qualities and the 'spirit of motivation' were the things that qualified him for the position. I am quite sure that I speak for the community when I say "Best wishes and success in your new job, Cliff."

—o—

I see that one long range forecaster is predicting a dry spring and a wet July. I agree with him. In my observation of the weather, I have noticed that we generally get our rains from 90 to 100 days after heavy winds. For instance we generally get our most winds in Feb. and March and our heaviest rainfall in June. This year we got very little wind until the second week of April, and it has not stopped blowing as of this writing. So look out for July.