The producers news. [volume], January 18, 1929, Page PAGE TWO, Image 2

About The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
THE PRODUCERS NEWS
Paper of the people, by the peeple, f#r the peeplc
By Peoples Publishing Company, Publishers
CONTINUING—The Outlook Promoter, Tho Out
look Optimist, The Dooley Sun, The Antelope In
dependent, The Sheridan County Nows, The Pio
neer Press and the Sheridan County Farmer.
CHARLES £. TAYLOR, Editor anU Manager
FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 1929
SEEING IS BELIEVING
The Producers News is making no rash guarantee or
false statements, but we claim a circulation larger
than all of the other newspapers in Sheridan county
combined.
The merchant is not asked to take this statement at
its face value. Our mailing list is open to the public
and it is every merchant's privilege, who plans on an
advertising campaign to investigate this list and other
lists in the county for the good of his own business.
The Producers News is owned by 600 farmers in
Sheridan county and goes into practically every home
in the county as well as the homes of those bordering
Sheridan county in Daniels and Rooosevelt. This is
all trade territory tributary to Plentywood, and most
of these readers make Plentywood their trading cen
ter.
The merchants of this city cannot be fooled by rash
statements of newspapers claiming as great or greater
circulations than the Producers News. They know that
this paper has been in circulation in Plentywood for
nearly 11 years, that it has taken over several papers
in the county with their circulation and that it has
held the distinction of being one of the foremost week
lies of the state. They have seen the local postoffice
filled with sacks of newspapers to be distributed in
Plentywood, over the entire Soo line and east and west
of this city,
ceased. Many small contests put on by this paper have
drawn into the treasury over $3,000 at a time in sub
scription money in two or three weeks with the terri
tory barely touched. It is almost an insult to the mer
chants' intelligence of this city to make claims of
greater circulation than the Producers News when
liciting advertising, giving the impression that
contest could build up a circulation from a comparative
ly few subscriptions to thousands, when it is already
known that the Producers News covered this county
in practically every home.
But seeing is believing. Look over our mailing lists,
see the territory covered, give the matter
thought, and you will then understand that another
hoax js being perpetrated by soliciors who are either
deliberately trying to fool you or are themselves en
tirely ignorant of the situation which they profess to
know so much about and even guarantee—we wonder
what they mean by guarantee and what their
tee is worth when the truth is known.
Mr. Advertiser, we
Its continuous growth has never
SO
a mere
serious
guaran
again claim a circulation larger
$han all the other papers in Sheridan county combined,
and we welcome the opportunity to show you our list,
and we know then that you will be satisfied. And this
is a live list, practically all paid up, covering Sheridan
county, and giving the merchant* ppe of the best medi
ums in the state for advertising their wares.
c_
THE NARCOTIC TRAFFIC
Every few days comes reports of quantities of opium,
morphine and other narcotics being unearthed by fed
eral men and other officials of the law, or of acts com
mitted by persons under the influence of drugs.
When one considers that not over two or three weeks
ago one shipment of the drugs amounted to over five
millions of dollars, the habit-forming
have gained a large number of victims in the United
States.
menace must
The effects of drugs as stated by eminent authori
ties is one of the most deadly human beings have to
fight once they become addicts, and the victims go to
the lowest depth of degradation to secure the dope.
Every crime under the sun has been committed by peo
ple under the influence of different forms of narcotics.
The users of drugs at the present time seem to
come from the rich and leisure classes, who in their
desire for excitement become drug addicts, the habit
becoming stronger with
One reads of
use.
some of the most pitiful stories ct._
published, coming from the lips of innocent young
men and women, led in their quest of adventure to
take of the needle
ever
par
pipe, with the oonsequental re
sults of a ruined and degraded life, .
End with the taking of life—both their
or
many of which
own and others.
We are fortunate in the small towns of the west to
know very little personally of the narcotic evil and its
victims, but in some of the larger cities of Montana,
it already has gained considerable headway, as articles
in the newspapers of those cities testify to in telling of
narcotic raids.
The penalty for peddling dope is very severe, and
strong efforts are made by officers of the law to pre
vent its use, but when one reads of millions of dollars
worth of narcotics being captured in one shipment,
it is wondered how many millions of dollars worth of
dope gets by the watchful arm of the law, to debauch
the young men and women of this country.
Sometimes we wonder if the life of the idle rich is
as pleasant as it seems, if one could see behind the
curtains as they fall upon the drama of life.
«î
MORTGAGING THE FUTURE
The other day we overheard a discussion on the
merits of the installment plan of buying which is now
plays such a large part in our mode of living.
The argument waxed warm and the more conserva
tive speakers voiced their disapproval of the plan,
asking the question, where will it end, this mortgaging
of our future? The opposition stated that without it,
a great many of us would be without the pleasures of
life and even some of the necessities. The more con
servatives argued that some day we will no longer be
young and the result will be a colorless old age de
prived of the comforts of life which have been squan
dered in youth because of the chance to buy that
which we have not the
for
money to pay because of the
easy-purchasing plan. The proponents of the easy-pay
ment method of buying said that perhaps we wouldn't
have saved the money anyway and instead of fritter
ing it away, something is accomplished by buying a
substantial article and succeeding in paying for it in
some way as the installments come due.
Then the radical outsider asked the question: What
has brought about this condition that has made it al
most a universal plan to purchase on installments and
mortgaging the future, when under the proper system
we should be able to pay cash for the things we need ?
This question was met by a shake of the head and no
one answered the quesiton. So the spokesman answer
ed himself by saying: Conditions have come to the
place where the producer is no longer getting the
return for his labor that will enable him to live and
buy the necessities of life and some of the more or
less luxuries without taking a longer time than he
can afford to wait in this short life and still enjoy
himself as he desires. He is willing to take the chance
of paying for the article together with interest and
a higher price because of not paying cash, ip order that
he may partake of the spices of life as well as
more fortunate friends who are able to pay cash. Of
course he knows that he is mortgaging his future, but
what of it—he is going to live. Old age must take
care of itself. Of course, he said, if the article pur
chased is an absolute necessity, such as a home, he
is more or less justified as he is making an investment,
which w'ill tend to give him, independence in his old
age. But if the article purchased is something that
will last but a brief period of time with money con
tinuously going into it for upkeep, the radical ended
with a retort, when he is old, you can bet your last dol
lar, the huge investors in partial-payment loans are not
going to look after him.
At the end of the old man's talk, for he was well
along in life, one of the younger generation spoke up
and said, well you have a good argument alright, but
the partial-payment plan is here and here to stay. I
don't know what causes it, but I know we never would
have anything if we didn't use it, and the debate broke
up as the parties moved away.
his
HOOVER AND FARM RELIEF
Some of the Senators and Congressmen are trying
to get through a make-shift Farm Relief Bill in Con
gress at the present short session, but it seems to be
the concensus of opinion that an extra session should
be called by Hoover for the purpose of dealing with
the farmers' problems. Those in favor of an extra
session cite the fact that Hoover made promises of
relief for the farmers during the campaign and that it
was now up to him to make good, and that a make
shift bill at this time is unenecessary unless it would be
to pass the buck to Coolidge, leaving Hoover out of it
and the farmers with farm relief of doubtful value.
MAKING GOLD FROM BASER METAL
For hundreds of years men tried to make gold out
of baser metals. They had no success. But the great
Krupp works in Germany have just done more than
that. They have made a metal that sells for twice as
much per pound as gold, out of such cheaper substances
as carbon, cobalt and tungsten. Better even than
king gold, this new metal is so hard and takes such an
ma
edge that it will cut through glass like putty, and will
drill through cast iron four times as fast as the best
tool steel.
Widia" it is called meaning "like a dia
mond," and the name will soon be as familiar
on, that other remarkable modern invention of turning
wood into silk. Widia will make for cheaper autos and
airplanes by the speed with which it cuts and drills
steel.
as ray
The same day as widia was successfully tested in
America, word came from England of the perfecting
process of electroplating that makes cardboard or wood
as tough as iron. That means wonderful progress in
airplane manufacture too.
This old world has advanced faster in the past score
of years than in all of its previous history in scientific
achievement, but we are at just the beginning. In the
next score of years even greater wonders will be per
formed.
WILL THEY DO IT?
The history of all nations shows that agriculture is
the poorest paid of all occupations. That is how the
name "peasant" came to be applied to the farmers of
European countries. The word, peasant, means a poor,
ignorant and ill-bred person, a boor, a rascal, a sense
less hind. Although producing the food of the world
they were obliged to eat the poorest of food and
the shabbiest of apparel, all because others controlled
the prices of their prdoucts and made fortunes from
speculating in the aggregate production. They
treated with contempt by all other classes, except
eral times when they rose in rebellion against the
ditions that oppressed them.
wear
were
sev
con
The first great revolt of these slaves of an economic
system noted in history occurred in the year 1096 when
hordes of peasants along the Rhine, men, women and
children, joined in a tremendous revolt, and many thou
sands of them were slain by the troops of aristocracy.
Another peasant revolt occurred in England in the
year 1381, due to heavy taxation of the farmers and
other oppressive means used to get the wealth
pro
duced away from them without giving an adequate re
turn. King Richard II induced them to disperse when
they first marched on London, by promising to grant
their demands. After finding out that his promises
were like the promises of present day politicians, abso
lutely worthless, the peasants again rose in revolt, but
the king was able to crush and disperse the
ment with his soldiers, killing thousands.
A revolt of the peasants in Germany in 1524-25 over
ran that country for a time but the aristocracy and
other classes were able to subdue them with military
force, and by terrible cruelties.
move
These revolts show that the condition of the farmers,
or peasants, as they were called in derision, was the
same in all countries. They were forced down the
scale of industry until they were the poorest paid of
all. Huge so-called civilizations were built on their
production of wealth, yet they shared nothing but ithe
hard toil necessary to produce it. They were not even
entitled to representation in government. They had no
remedy except revolt and with the military power over
them revolt proved useless. They are still peasants in
European countries.
The American farmer is now on the road to the same
kind of thing—peasantry. Anybody that understands
ehe basis of our economic system knows that it is the
same thing that made peasants in Europe and it is al
ready starting to bring the same condition to the farm
ers of this country. Those that prosper by the very
reason of this sinking down of the scale of industry of
the farmers of this country will try to flatter them into
the idea that this is not so. However, nothing is more
immuable than economic law, and under the present
system of industry the farmers who cannot see the
fate of agriculture in thf light of history is not aware
of the facts. Will the capitalists of this
country stop
the coming of a condition that has been proved inevi
table in all past history under the present system of
industry? Will they do it? History says, "No."
—Mille Lacs Co. (Minn.) Times.
A
Economic Articles
By Leiaml Olds, Federated Press
*
Robotry Rampant
Fewer bosses and many more pay
rollers is the forecast of Editor Gris
wold of the Chicago Journal of Com
merce in a pithy article on ike pre
dominant trend of production and db
tribution. He feels that this tenden
cy probably stifles inti»/«dualism but
holds that it is highly essential,
pecially to the succès-' of this country
in competing with nations abroad.
This fits in the pessimistic view
expressed before the American Associ
ation for the Advancement of Science
by A. J. Lotka, mathematical expert
for the Metropolitan Life Insurance
Co. Lotka contended that there should
be no concern oter the difference in
fertility between the best and the
diccre or bad human stocks because
the modern tendency is toward
tralizing the management of human
affairs in the hands of relatively few
highly competent persons. Hence the
world's need for exceptionally gifted
men tends to diminish.
"Modem large scale production," he
said, "has brought it about that a rel
atively few best minds are sufficient
to keep the machinery of the modem
community running, not only smooth
ly but on the upgrade. The trend is
toward an ever increasing concentra
tion of the world's significant tasks
in the hands and minds of few. Why,
then, should we take thought to im
prove the proportion of best minds in
es
me
cen
Displaced Producers Shift to
Distribution
extraordinary shift of Ameri
ca's working population since 1920
from commodity production to com
munication, distribution and personal
service was featured in a discussion
of unemployment figures at the annu
al meeting in Chicago of the Ameri
can Statistical Assn. In a paper bas
ed not only on government statistics
but on data gathered from business
and other organizations Lawrence
Mann of the New York state depart
ment of commerce brought out occu
pational changes amounting to a veri
table revolution in the use of
power.
man
Mann's estimates place the number
of wage earners and farmers in 1927
at 32,188,000 compared with 31,272,
000 in -1920. These figures, showing a
gam of 916,000 jobs in 1927 compared
with 1920, in no sense refute the fre
quently published figures showing
heavy decreases in the number of
jobs offered by railroads, mines and
factories. But they show heavy com
pensating gams.' in Employment con
nected with automotive transporta
tion, telephone service, hotels,
taurants, barber shops, etc.
Summarizing his results Mann
showed 10,030,000 workers employed
in agriculture in 1927 compared with
10,953,000 in 1920, a decrease of 923,
900. In the production of minerals,
except petroleum, the number fell
from 975,000 in 1920 to 910,000 in
1927, a decline of 65,000. In manu
facture he included auto repair shops
and found 9,960,000 workers in 1927
compared with 10,752,000 in 1920,
drop of 762,000. "
res
a
But in transporta
tion and communication, in spite of
decreased railroad employment, the
How Wall Street Affects
Farming
The connection between the orgy of
speculation promoted by multimillion
aires in New York and the inability
of farmers to purchase fertilizer for
the coming crop year was revealed in
an address by A. W. Sheldon of the
National Fertilizer Assn, before the
annual meeting in Chicago of the
American Statistical Assn. According
to Sheldon the fertilizer manufactur
ers fear that the high money rate
which resulted from this profiteering
debauch will mean a material cut in
next spring's purchases of fertilizer.
. The greatest difficulty of the ferti
lizer industry, said Sheldon, was the
instability of the farm industry
which it depends. In striking charts
he traced the correlaton between an
nual sales of fertilizer and crop val
ues in the proceeding year. The dras
tic deflation of the farmer in 1929-21
brought a corresponding drop in the
quantity of fertilizer sold,
more than 7,000,000 tons in 1920 sales
fell 4,750,000 tons in 1921.
Sheldon discussed the present situa
tion largely from the viewpoint of
southern cotton buyers who buy
more than 60% of the manufactured
fertilizer. Farmer purchases of ferti
lizer, he said, are financed to a con
siderable degree through the inter
mediate credit banks. These banks
float their bonds in New York and so
the New York money market deter
mines the intermediate credit bank
rates.
High money rates in New York, he
pointed out, had forced the Columbia,
S. . C., intermediate credit bank to
raise its interest rate from 4% to 5%
on
From
niMiiimMiiiinmiiwmniiiWHHiiiiiniitnni iinnnminminnnnnwni/^1
"•HiamiMMMiimii
THE WASHINGTON SCENE
i
By LAWRENCE TODD, Fédéra ted Press
à
. .
Washington—(FP) — Political for
tunes are being made and lost in the
strange lottery of human caprice
which is the favor of Herbert Hoover,
president-elect of the United States,
as he sits in his well-guarded suite in
the Mayflower hotel and listens to the
proposals of Republican leaders. Hoov
er listens. He promises nothing. But
the politicians are not dismayed at
his becoming one of themselves. They
I ;
our midst,
barely enough tasks for them to do.'
For there are even now
Lotka asks whether the human race
is not headed for a condition in which
a majority of robots, stunted in men
tal growth, will do the rough work of
the world for a small aristocracy of
best minds set aside for the creative
function.
He sees as the alternative
such an arrangement of mass produc
tion as will yield a greater surplus of
collective leisure.
These effects must be borne in mind
in any consideration of the long list
of mergers which characterized the
business history of 1928 and will
tinue as important features of 1929.
They are far more important to the
individual worker and his children
than such other effects of rationaliza
tion as elimination of waste, reduc
tion of overhead, increase in efficien
cy or greater productivity.
con
Control of the economic life of the
people is passing to a few great banks
administering completely integrated
industries. This renders the sociali
zation of administration imperative if
an age of social degeneration is to be
avoided. The increased leisure made
possible by mass production must not
remain the monopoly of a small mi
nority of idle wasters in whose inter
est the best minds drive a regimented
proletariat.
to !
'
number increased from 2,918:000
3,820,000 or by 904,000.
The number of workers employed
in distribution, according to Mann,
practically doubled, increasing from
718,000 in 1920 to 1,409,000 in 1927.
On the other hand the number in gov
ernment service went down from 1,
025,000 to 804,000, a decrease of 221,
000. The occupations classified to
gether under the general head of pro
fessional service accounted for 2,530,
000 in 1927 compared with 1,864,000
in 1920, an increase of 666,000. Fin
ally there were 2,625,000 employed in
personal or domestic service in 1927
compared with 1,864,000 in 1920,
increase of 761,000.
In highway transportation and
tomotive products combined the fig
ures show an increase of 1,143,000
workers due entirely to the develop
ment of the auto since 1920. The ho
tel, restaurant, barber shop and man
cure groups added 754,000 to the jobs
available outside of productive indus
try, according to Mann.
These figures were gathered not
much for estimating unemployment __
to give business information about
the purchasing power within a very
short time so that it bought in terms
of agricultural products nearly twice
as domestic market. They take no ac
count of several million potential
workers added to the job market by
the growth of population. They show
how the economic order is develping
nonessential services instead of in
creasing the number of commodities
or the amount of liezure made avail
able by advances in the technique of
production.
an
au
so
as
This forces the individual
farmer to pay about 8% on the money
which he borrows to purchase ferti
lizer or other necessaries for
year s crops. The fertilizer associa
tion has never gone through
with money rates so high.
The tremendous power on the farm
er exercised by the credit lords who
control the federal reserve was em
phasized earlier in December by ex
senator R, L. Owen, speaking in Tul
sa. Owen had an important part in
framing the federal reserve act. Re
ferring t ô the deflation of agriculture
in 1920 and 1921 he said:
"By the process of contracting cre
dit the gold dollar was increased in
much as it had done on the 1st of
January, 1920. Under the policy of
deflating credit the value of agricul
tural lands and property, including
stock, lost a value exceeding $20,000,
000,000 within about 2 years, bank
rupting hundreds of thousands of peo
ple who were debtors and had to pay
back the debt in dollars which had
nearly twice the purchasing power.
Owen makes very clear the inter
est of all workers, whether on the
farms, in the mines, on railroads,
stores or offices, in the control of the
credit system. By implication the
financiers who now control the sys
tem can manipulate credit to the
point where it virtually gives them
power to confiscate farms, factories
and business enterprises. As has been
pointed out, banks and insurance com
panies will own more land as the dol
lar becomes more expensive.
per cent.
next
a season
> »
......„uQ
feel that he is perfectly safe for the
old game of trade and stealth. The
chips in this game are patronage—
federal salaries.
Now that his trip through Latin
America is ended, the new chief of
state is picking his cabinet, calculat
ing the price he must pay for the
help of various vested political and fi
nancial interests, and planning the
courses he will follow in the coming
four years. He is, of course plan
ning on re-election in 1932. So he
â ?als with the Jim Watsons and Dave
eeds and Doctor Works will be on a
long-range basis.
First of Hoover's callers, when he
returned, was the lame-duck reaction
ary Lennoot, counsel last winter for
the power trust before the Senate in
terstate commerce committee. Len
root was Hoover's personal counsel
before the credentials committee of
the Republican convention at Kansas
City last June. His name has been
whispered in connection with the job
of secretary of state, but that is ab
surd. Hoover will keep Lenroot on
retainer as a lawyer; he will not try
to appoint him to any office where
the Senate may refuse confirmation.
Hoover, according to the present
opinion of men who traveled with him
to Buenos Aires, wants to be his own
secretary of state. He will name a
man for that post who will answer
his summons by push-button, and who
will explain away any difficulty into
which Hoover may fall. Mellon seems
to have forced Hoover to keep him as
head of the treasury, while Donovan
is practically sure of the Department
of Justice, with its endless possibili
ties of choosing injunction judges and
federal prosecutors» who will satisfy
the big employers.
Selection of a chief for the Depart
ment of Labor has not been discussed
in the early interviews between the
president-elect and his advisers. There
is unwarranted talk of W. N. Doak,
vice-president of the Brotherhood of
Railroad trainmen, in newspapers that
are attracted by his record of hostili
ty to public ownership and his friend
liness to big business. Doak is in ill
health and could not perform the work
required of a new head of the depart
ment.
Southern politicians, includihg Sen.
Simmons, veteran corporation Demo
crat who led the anti-Smith movement
in his party, are asking Hoover to
name a man from the South as secre
tary of agriculture. The "Hoover
crats," as the anti-Smith Democrats
are called, have three candidates from
North Carolina alone. There is Hugh
McRae of Wilmington, a wealthy
banker and real estate speculator;
there is David Blair, Republican and
federal commissioner of internal reve
nue, who is by marriage a member of
the Cannon family, largest owners of
cotton mills in the South; finally there
is Stuart Cramer, mill owner and for
mer president of the American Cotton
Manufacturers' Association. Cramer
wanted to be secretary of the navy,
but Simmons will propose that he be
considered for the Department of Ag
riculture. It is to be noted that none
of these three candidates know any
thing about farming; they all qualify
Simplicity
of cooling system
is a feature
of the new Ford
1C
It?
n
i
o
A COMPLETE water plant Is
a part of every automobile
as it is a part of every mod
em city.
The purpose of this water
plant is to keep the engine
cooled to a temperature that
will make it efficient in oper
ation. If it were not for this,
the cylinder walls would be
come overheated and the
pistons refuse to operate.
The cooling system of the
new Ford is particularly in
teresting because it is so
simple and reliable.
When the radiator is full
, of water, the engine of the
new Ford will not overheat
under the hardest driving.
\ et the water Is so regulated
that it will not impair en
gine operation by running
too cold in winter.
The cooling surface of
the Ford radiator is large,
with four rows of tubes set
in staggered position so that
each receives the full bene
fit of the incoming air. The
fan is of the airplane pro
peller type and draws air
through the radiator at the
rapid rate of 850 cubic feet
per minute at 1000
revolutions per min
ute of the motor.
The hot water around
the cylinder head is drawn
to the radiator to be cooled
by a centrifugal water pump
of new design.
The entire cooling system
of the new Ford is so simple
in design and so carefully
made that it requires very
little attention.
The radiator should be
kept full, of course, and
drained once each month so
that sediment will not collect
and retard the free passage
of water. In cold weather,
a reliable anti-freeze solu
tion should be added.
As owner and manager of
this important water plant
you should also see that the
water pump and fan shaft
are properly lubricated and
the packing around the
pump shaft kept in adjust
ment.
Hose connections may
also need replacement after
long service. For those little
adjustments, it pays to call
on the Ford dealer.
He works under close fac
tory supervision and he has
been specially trained and
equipped to do a
thorough, competent
job at a fair price.
Ford Motor Company
Service
Our shop is fully equipped to do your overhauling or any
repair work your old car may need. We
your service. Monthly storage rate $6.
always at
are
I .
Kienast Motor Co.
Successors to Lang Motor Sales
Plentywood
Montana
enemies of the Child Labor a
ment and of trade unionism
• * * *
When Hoover asked the
respondents on his ship to sav
he was impressed with the abilit ,
Ambassador Henry P. Fletcher
had guided him around the'i* 1 ? 0
American circuit, there was n
net appointment attached to tl ?***
quest. Fletcher was made amh! ***
dor to Mexico by Woodrow Wik ^
and then departed from the rul!°#^
career diplomats by taking th* Ior
for Harding. He has been rich b*
warded by Harding and Coolie
Hoover has now complimented
The score is settled. Fletcher ° L
turn to Rome.
Jim Watson, majority leader in «.
new Senate, calmly waits for Ho 0 v
to bid for his co-operation h* ' r * r
will bid. ° Ver
as
Press
cor.
r*
f
A Tip for the
Wise Housewife!
For
The Best Meats
At th eLowest Prices
Come to
FORMAN'S
Where Quality
Prevails
And Service is
Prompt and
Efficient
Forman's
FRED FORMAN, Prop.
Plentywooé
Phone 17