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OUTLOOK FOR FARMER CO-OPS BRIGHT, IS REPORT CHICAGO, Ill., Jan. 10.—-Parmer co operatives played a vital role during 1945 in achieving an unprecedented record of production, John H. Davis, executive secretary of the National Council of Farmer Co-operatives, told delegates at their annual meeting to day, in his report given at the Edge water Beach Hotel, Chicago. Davis reviewed the activities of the National Council of Farmer Co-opera tives on the legislative front pointing out that 1945 was one of the council's most active years in legislation. He also pointed out that the organization had taken an active part in supporting legislation making the United States a member of the food and agriculture organization. Among other measures which the National Council of Farmer Co-operatives supported, said Davis, were United Nations Organization, FAO, reorganization of farm credit fa cilities, incentive payments for le gume seeds, an adequate school lunch program, the food stamp plan, an ex panded vocational educational pro, gram and legislation to retain farm manpower ment. Refusal of the OPA "to recognize the right of co-operatives to pay pat ronage refunds" has been a source of constant difficulty during the last year, reported Davis. "On the whole, reasonably satisfactory arrangements were worked out sooner or later—but too often later and sometimes so late that irreparable damage was done to producer^," Nevertheless, the council has consistently supported the price stabilization program. Turning to the attack on co-opera tives, "the real fight is still ahead," Davis indicated. "Those who initiated the attack on co-operatives were not motivated by a desire for tax equality. Their real motive was and is to cripple co-operatives as pace-setters." Davis was careful to distinguish be tween the vast majority of business men, large and small, who are willing to meet co-operatives competition on "even terms" and the small group of "selfish businessmen who, knowing the truth, deliberately promote part truths and untruths in order to crip ple co-operatives as competitors." Recent government reports by the joint tax committee on internal reve nue have strengthened the position of farmer co-operatives, Davis said. "These facts prove that farmer co operatives are operating on sound co operative principles and in the inter Great opportunities lie ahead for farmer co-operatives, Davis predicted, and the future depends on the ability to adopt a general program for agri culture which will maintain a free market structure In which farmer co operatives are an integral part. Does Montana— (Continued from Pn«e One) in this case to a process, still going on quite visibly, of adaptation of peo ple to resources in Montana. A bal ance of land and people in this state must yet be found. Rut the problem is really concerned with the type of balance which Mon tanans desire. People can almost lit erally have the kind of balance of numbers and resources which they want. Balance is subject to the kind of economic culture which a people desire. A declining population is the only prospect which the present co lonial, dependent economy of Mon tana can make possible. A balanced economy—diversified, with multiple economic interests, with no depen dence on a single economic activity or corporation, free—can give Mon tanans a balanced ratio of people and resources, a ratio which will permit a sound population growth. Today a balanced economy must be planned through co-ordinated resource development. Resource development through the planning action of busi ness and government, community and state, state and region, region and nation will bring-—and only this can bring—the rising equilibrium of num bers and economy which a young peo ple have a right to expect of so young and so rich a state as Montana. Labor Actively (Continued from Pnjçe One) IBEW: and Lewis G. Hines, national legislative representative of the AFL. Wetzig again testified before the Irri gation committee. The CIO and AFL representatives put on the record all the basic reasons for labor support of MVA despite heckling by Senator Overton, chair man of both subcommittees and fore most senate MVA foe. Overton's efforts to discredit Davis as unqualified to testify on river prob lems were upset when the CIO spokes man stated, "I worked for the army engineers when they threw the dikes up on the Missouri river. I was born and raised within three-quarters of a mile of the Missouri river, seen, in the last four years, land worth $200 an acre covered over with willows and sand because of certain dikes in there, when the floods came. No one up there had any way of know ing which way they were going to channel the river. My experience has been very practical, something I could see. raised on covered with about a foot of sand that probably came from Mon tana." I have I have seen the place I was JOIN THE MARCH OF DIMES I JANUARY 14-31 I I The Notional Foundation for Infantile Paralysis INVESTIGATION OF OPPONENTS TO MVA URGED KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Investigation of the membership and backing of the various major organizations on either side of the MVA controversy was urged by the executive committee of the regional committee for MVA at a meeting here December 21. The request was directed to Sen. El mer Thomas of Oklahoma, chairman of the senate agriculture committee, which is expected to hold hearings on the Murray MVA bill in February. The MVA executive committee said it believed such an investigation would disclose that the principal opposition to MVA was coming from power utili ties and other interests opposed to the people's welfare. Among organizations opposing MVA that the committee wants investigated are the National Reclamation associa tion, Mississippi Valley association and Missouri Valley Development as sociation. The committee elected A. J. Forth, business manager of Carpenters Local 201, Wichita, Kan., to the position of Kansas representative on the regional executive committee, confirming Perth's nomination by the Kansas committee for MVA. George J. Docking, president of the, First . National Bank of Lawrence, Kan., was elected a member-at-large of the executive committee. The committee expressed confidence that field hearings on the Murray bill, which it has been repeatedly urging, will demonstrate that people of the basin favor MVA. Sen. James E. Mur ray of Montana, sponsor of the bill, has requested that such hearings be held by the agriculture committee at Jefferson City, Mo., Omaha, Nebr., and Bismarck, N. D. CO-OPS AND THE INCOME TAX IN 1946 Probable 1946 developments in the co-op tax fight must be judged pri marily on the basis of both favorable and unfavorable trends during the year just ended. By far the most favorable omen was the last, the statement by Chairman Robert L. Doughton of the powerful house ways and means committee that "Just now we have no information which would appear to warrant a change in the present law." The Doughton declaration climaxed a series of helpful events which in cluded: 1. The legal opinion of Randolph Paul, nationally known tax attorney and former advisor to the treasury, 2. The vigorous defense of co-opera tives by the disinterested and leading industrialist Victor Emanuel, 3. The general discrediting of the National Tax Equality association (NT EA) as to credibility, or as spokenman tor business generally, culminating in failure of NTEA's effort to dictate policy on co-op taxation to the United States chamber of commerce, 4. Publication in the magazine "For tune" of the unsolicited feature story on co-operatives followed by the edi tor's own endorsement of basic co-op claims, 5. Increased and more sympathetic handling of co-op stories and news by daily and weekly papers and the press services, coupled with developing of co-op ads through CCA and FUGTA, 6. Failure of old-line competitors to make a convincing anti-co-op presenta tion before the house small business committee, 7. Issuance of the report of the Ca nadian Royal commission recognizing the justice of deducting co-op patron age refunds from gross income in fix ing income tax liability, and favoring total exemption in their formative years, and 8. Publication of statistics from Form 990 and of their analysis by staff experts of congress and the treasury. Neither the figures nor the analysis substantiated opponents' predictions that these would disclose billions of co-op income now escaping taxation. Both did sustain the claims of the co-ops. I Ship to the Open Competitive Market ! i ! Through your own agency The Farmers Union Live Stock Commission Company I So. St. Paul, Minn., West Fargo, N.D., Billings, Mont. I WHERE There Is buyer competition. Livestock is sold on it's own merits. Livestock is well sold. Livestock is well handled. Livestock is in safe hands. Other livestock producers, like yourself, realize the advantage of group action over individual efforts. I i I I I Shippers to this, your own agency I The Farmers Union Live Stock Commission Company I i So. St. Paul, Minn., West Fargo, N.D., Billings, Mont. and shippers to all other Farmers Union agencies in the Mississippi Valley are all working together for their mutual benefit. j I I j IN CO-OPERATION THERE IS STRENGTH SOUTH'S FIRST NEED, A 65« MINIMUM WAGE The substandard wages paid to the great majority of Southern workers are the root of the South's economic evils, declares the current "Freedom From Want" issue of the SOUTHERN PATRIOT, which urges Southern sup port for a (*c minimum wage, as pro vided by Senator Claude Papper's bill, S-1349, now before congress. The 65c minimum wage holds out benefits to every group in the South, says the PATRIOT. To the business man, large and small, it means pur chasing power and opportunity for new industry; to the farmer, it means a bigger market for his products; and to the community as a whole, it means more money available for education, hospitals, and community services. Warning that Southern congression al opponents of Senator Pepper's bill "speak for thé interests that profit from the South's misfortune," the PA TRIOT calls upon the Southern peo ple to counteract propaganda and pressure which threatens to defeat the bill. Can Industry Pay? figures to support its claim that South ern industries can well afford to pay the wage increase without price in creases: —In the Southern textile industry, the cost of paying the 65c minimum would amount to 33 million dollars; this industry's profits before taxes in 1944 were 871 million. —In the Southern timber industry, the cost to industry would be 18 mil lion: profits here were 156 million. —In the Southern tobacco industry the cost would be seven xaHRar against 154 million in profits The protests of employer spokesmen today are as hollow as those of the 30s. when Southern business solemn ly declared that wage-hour legislation would end Southern industry and free enterprise, says the PATRIOT. Far from hurting business, the 65c minimum would increase efficiency and protect honest employers from the unfair competition of sweatshops, according to testimony before the sen ate hearings, quoted in the PATRIOT. Low wages, on the other hand, de press Southern business by restricting the purchasing power which is its life blood; they distort the South's econ omy by discouraging the production of finished goods in our midst; they keep the Southern farmer poor by under mining the market for his product; they keep a large proportion of our population poorly fed, poorly clothed and poorly house: and they mean a general low level of income and prop erty values, resulting in shrunken tax revenues, which keep our education, health and social security standards shamefully behind the rest of the na tion. Such low wages—less than 65c an hour—are being received today by 47 per cent of all Southern textile work ers, 47 per cent of all Southern lumber workers, 58 per cent of all Southern tobacco workers, or 784,000 workers in these three industries alone, the PA TRIOT points out. Wartime develop ments have increased rather than les sened the gulf between wages paid in the South, and in the rest of the na tion for similar work, while cost of living has increased proportionately more in the South. The PATRIOT calls for the end of this Southern wage differential. Since the passage of the original wage-hour bill, providing a 40c mini mum, many changes have occurred in the nation's economy. The cost of living has risen so sharply that the 40c goal has not actually been achieved: the productivity per man | hour has almost doubled: the nation- j al income has more than doubled. If a nation with a national income of 69 billion dollars can set a 40c minimum wage, a nation with a 160 billion na tional income can set a 65c minimum, concludes the PATRIOT. Readers of The People's Voice can secure a free copy of the "Freedom From Want" issue of the Patriot by writing to 507 Presbyterian Building, Nashville 3, Tenn. DEMAND THE UNION LABEL! BUREAU OF RECLAMATION POWER RATES TO R. E. A. CO-OPS IN MISSOURI BASIN From a study of the power situation in the Missouri basin, prepared by Roscoe Flemming for the Regional Committee for an MVA, 257 Aquila Court Building, Omaha, Nebraska. Mr. Fleming says: There are nine Rural Electrification Administration co operatives for which data are available for 1944, and which were served from Bureau of Reclamation plants in the Missouri basin. These are : Actual rate per KWH Annual overch'ge over TVA rate Price TVA Rate .55 $17,934 KWH Bought Morgan County REA, Colo. .. $10,582,184 Poudre Valley REA, Ft. Collins .... Roosevelt RPP $ 76,136 .72 25,615 .94 2,836,296 .55 10,018 Dist. No. 1 Nebraska .... Chimney Rock RPP Dist. Nebr. .. Riverton Valley Electric Ass'n. Inc. Wyo. Wyrulec Co. Wyoming .... Garland L&P Co., Wyo. Rural Electric Co., Wyo. Carbo P&L Co., Wyo. 16,853 1.23 1,372,224 .55 9,306 13,540 3,337,800 1.25 .55 7,704 9,177 947,906 1.07 3,960 .55 20,791 1.35 .55 12,212 1,559,775 2,390 1.52 1,045 244,461 .55 30,142 .92 2,487,600 .55 16,460 13,207 1.03 864,456 .55 8,453 Totals .. $24,232,702 $207,851 In view of this showing, what belief can be placed in the assertions of the Bureau of Reclamation that it is the farmer's friend so far as low-cost electric service is concerned, and that if he will just permit the bureau to sell the public power to be developed in the Missouri Valley, farmers will get low-cost power on a par with TVA rates. Editor's Note: Mr. Fleming has compared Bureau of Reclamation and TVA power rates. Rates quoted by BPA on Columbia River, for same service are 35c (35 mills). $87,092 I LL BE THERE, SAM! ! * Here is a part of a letter sent by one Co-op to each member: You are a member of a $185,000 Co-op. There are 469 other members. Now, this is a lot of members, and we all have some ideas on running our organization. So we are getting together in our third annual meeting to exchange these ideas and shape our plans for the coming year. Your ideas are important. May we have the benefit of them at the meeting?" It is not surprising that most of the members came to this meeting and freely discussed the affairs of their organization. You, too, will soon have the opportunity to attend your annual meeting and discuss the affairs of your Co-op. Why not take advantage of your rights in a dem ocratic organization. Here are some questions you might like to ask: Is your Co-op progressing to your satisfaction? Does it have sufficient volume of business? Is the financial condition sound? Are the members kept adequately informed? Should it be giving its members other services? - ! The best place to get the answers to these and other questions is at your annual meeting. Co-op members have the capacity to run their own affairs. WHY NOT DEMONSTRATE IT? This space provided by the following Co-operatives: THE FARMERS CO-OP OIL & SUPPLY CO. FARMERS UNION TRADING COMPANY of Conrad, Montana of Richey, Montana FARMERS UNION OIL COMPANY FARMERS UNION OIL COMPANY of Geyser, Montana of Great Falls, Montana FARMERS UNION SUPER SERVICE EQUITY CO-OPERATIVE ASSOCIATION of Chinook, Montana of Brady, Montana FARMERS UNION OIL COMPANY FARMERS UNION OIL & SUPER SERVICE STATION of Peerless, Montana of Glasgow, Montana POWER FARMERS ELEVATOR COMPANY FARMERS UNION OIL COMPANY of Williston, North Dakota of Power, Montana FARMERS UNION GRAIN COMPANY EQUITY CO-OPERATIVE ASSN. OF HARLEM of Poplar, Montana Branch Stations in Hogeland and Turner, Montana FARMERS UNION CO-OP CREAMERY Chinook, Montana FARMERS UNION LIVE STOCK COMMISSION CO. FARMERS UNION OIL COMPANY Union Stock Yards Roy, Montana South St. Paul, Minn. Billings, Montana Chas. D. Egley, Manager WINIFRED FARMERS OIL COMPANY Winifred, Montana FARMERS UNION OIL COMPANY FARMERS UNION OIL COMPANY Lewlstown, Montana of Glendive, Montana FARMERS UNION CO-OP DAIRYMEN'S ASSN. FARMERS UNION TRADING COMPANY of Ravalli County, Stevensville, Montana of Fairvlew, Montana FARMERS UNION ELEVATOR COMPANY FARMERS UNION EXCHANGE of Belt, Montana Kalispell, Montana FARMERS UNION MERCANTILE COMPANY EDUCATIONAL CO-OPERATIVE PUBLISHING CO. of Dodson, Montana of Helena, Montana FARMERS UNION ELEVATOR COMPANY FARMERS UNION OIL COMPANY of Valier, Montana of Plentywood, Montana FARMERS UNION ELEVATOR COMPANY THE FARMERS UNION of Chinook, Montana In Froid, Montana FARMERS UNION GRAIN COMPANY FARMERS UNION ELEVATOR AND OIL CO. of Peerless, Montana of Pendroy, Montana FARMERS UNION OIL COMPANY of Wolf Point, Montana FARMERS UNION OIL COMPANY of Joplin, Montana FARMERS UNION ELEVATOR COMPANY FARMERS UNION CO-OP OIL COMPANY of Rudyard, Montana of Richey, Montana FARMERS UNION OIL COMPANY FARMERS UNION ELEVATOR COMPANY of Opheim, Montana of Joplin, Montana FARMERS UNION ELEVATOR COMPANY FARMERS UNION OIL COMPANY of Hinsdale, Montana of Circle, Montana FARMERS UNION ELEVATOR COMPANY FARMERS UNION TRADING COMPANY Wolf Point, Montana of Butte, Montana FARMERS UNION OIL COMPANY FARMERS UNION OIL COMPANY of Havre, Montana of Flaxvllle, Montana EQUITY CO-OPERATIVE ASSOCIATION FARMERS UNION GRAIN & SUPPLY COMPANY of Geraldine, Montana Billings, Montana THE PEOPLE'S VOICE • It is owned by organized farmers and organized labor. 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