An American View.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 October 1921, Page 4

An American View.

THE FARMER AS A FACTOR IN THE NATION’S I’KOSI’EKITY. The plea ol the labor leaders against a reduction of wages would he sound ii' wages were being ieduced below the level of prices ruling for the products of labor, or below the general compensation of the great body of workers outside of their own organisations. The trouble at the present time is that what t'.e labor loaders use pivle-t----lag against has already happened to more than on"-!iall the workers ol this country. Thee Icadeis are trying id maintain the pay el a mimuily, at 'he expense of the majority. The farmers and producers at p:nrticnllv nil primary products and raw materials have taken rodm-imis of approximately one-hall the value of (heir products. The prices ol their products aie hack to the pre-war level. They have lost a great proportion of the purchasing power they have been using ill recent years, and the market fo: the SCI vices of all tho workers who have been supplying them lia~ hocli ciirt dU'd accordingly. This is the fumlniii ntnl cause of the unemployment which has spread over this country in rh- last vear. since cotton, corn, oats, Fve Stock, lice, wool, hides, dairy products. tlax seed, the principal metals and other primary products began to fall. It is true that, as factory-workers ami others were thus forced out ol employment the evil cflecls ' ave been increased. lint the original impulse and lhe main influence comes I loin I his great body of people who extract wealth di’cctly from nature and who are largely dependent upon world markets. Moreover thine is no piospeet o' a ■r ove:y ol farm prod ets lo the levels of war time. Drill'd lc they ate now unduly depressed an i v. dl -> i'V ba-h lu a him in'il level with imp;'"Vvimmi in gei uni rend it ion . be; any expee’.a-ib-ii i bai they will recover to t'.e war level, or to the present general level of wanes anil manufael lire. l goods. iwholly unwarranted. The sooner wartime pri.es and wages ale liirgoiteii die hot lor. They arc normal in times of peace. - From a Banking Journal.