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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1948 THE DAILY TIMES-GAZETTE PAGE THREH Oshawa Bargain Days = vi F riday And Saturday British And U.S. - Markets Compared Farmers are not losing money unless they sell for less than the cost of production, even if they sell their products for less than they might secure for them, W. J. Parker, Winnipeg, president, Manitoba Wheat Pool, told the annual meeting of the United Farmers of Alberta in Edmonton on Jan, 14. "The 160 million bushels of wheat, sold to the UK. could have been sold, if there had been no contract, at some price higher than $1.55-- how much higher I do not know. The other price usually quoted is the wheat board's class 2, which is based on the American market, but that is an arbitrary figure. Why not use the market established by the Argentine, on which they sold some wheat at $5 a bushel? It would be Just as sensible to use that figure, and then instead of losing the figure quoted, $123,000,000, we would prob- ably have lost twice that much. By that line of reasoning all farmers in Canada who sold wheat at less than the very top quotation during any year when we had an 'open fluctua- ting market lost money, That is just as sensible an argument as the one that is being put forward now. "My contention is that you haven't lost money in selling wheat unless you have sold it for less than the cost of production. You per- haps didn't make as much as you could have made had it been sold at a higher price, but the fact remains that you cannot lose money unless you sell for less than the cost of production. The state of farm mort. gages, bank deposits, bond holdings and apparent tax arrears amongst farm people in western Canada cer- tainly does not indicate that we have been selling very many things at less than the cost of production. There are so many evidences that the western farmer is better off now than he ever was before that it is difficult to work up much sympathy for ourselves amongst anyone ex- cept those who want the specula- tive market opened again. "Wheat today is sold under con- tract by Canada, the Argentine and Australia and even in the United States an export license is required for shipment of wheat abroad. Deals like the Canadian four-year con- tract with Great Britain are many and they are at different prices. I suppose the price in different coun- tries is largely dictated by the in- ternal domestic economy. "I repeat that although some of the terms ot the contract, such as the price and its duration, are de- batable, the principle has given a sense of security to western agri- culture not enjoyed before, and up until the present western agricul- furé has been reasonably prosper- ols, At least the farmers can be proud of the fact that they have to date supported a policy which has & A 4 'ment to -~ refused to exploit people when they are hungry and when goods are in short supply. We might respectful ly suggest that had industry and labor done the same thing in this rountry we might now be enjoy- ing a greater sense of stability and security than we are. It may even happen that some price controls on other things will be reimposed, both here and in the United States, to prevent the present spiral of in- flation reaching disastrous heights. "I do not want to say much about the other food contracts recently negotiated at higher prices. They have done much to create faith and stabilize the agricultural in- dustry in Canada. Whether it was the right thing to do or mot, I am not competent to say. No doubt many factors entered into the gov- ernment's. consideration of this move, The government had to make the decision whether Canada should hope to find her long-term market for these products in a sterling area or in a dollar area. Rightly or wrongly, they have ap- parently decided that the market is in the sterling area, Consequently they negotiated the contracts for bacon, beef, cheese and eggs at somewhat higher levels which com- pensate for the recent increased cost of production. "The only other alternative was to abandon the sterling market and presumably export to . the United States, which I suppose would have given us infinitely higher prices for cheese, beef and hogs than we are getting under the sterling contract. But judging by the outcry of the housewives across Canada against the moderate increase we have now it is not hard to visualize their re- action had the.market been open- ed up to the United States and we had gone up to that level. Wheth- er the farmer would have had more money left in the long run by. selling in the United States' market rather than under the present ec- onomy I do not know, I suppose it is debatable, "I think there is no question that the logical outlet for beef cattle is on a live basis to the United States rather than beef to a sterling area, but that is a subject by itself. I cannot take time now to say more. "All these facts and many oth- ers Jogentier impelled the govern- make the decision which it did. But we must not lose sight of the fact that we have one of the Olympics Track And Field Coach Dean Cromwell, of Southern California University, who has developed more Olympic athletes than any other U.S. sport enthusiast has been named as coach of all U.S, track and field entrants for the 1948 g in in Canada should put more em- phasis on the educational side as to the individual's responsibilities in a democratic state, and an apprecia- tion of a farmer's vocation as a collaborator with nature in produc- ing the world's food supply, and with specific emphasis on the growing need for soil and water conservation. Additional considera- tion is needed for more efficient economic production and marketing. Agriculture should demand mone- tary and trade policies that will permit widest exchange of goods and services for the basic needs of the human family; that food products will have some prior- ity of consideration in international be actuated solely because of com- mercial interests. Food prod tion and trade has a very deep lasting social significance. ° "The man on the land no longer lives to or for himself, He is part and parcel of a gigantic world | movement that he himself is build- {ing provincially, nationally and in- ternationally. His motivating force is not the desire to benefit financ- ally in any way, Farmers and farm organizations in Canada must raise their sights and accept their full share of responsibility in the promotion of a wider and better un- derstanding as between peoples "in different countries in the interests of international peace and good- trade; and that food trade shall not | will. Where clean sea air promotes heolth, enjoy fomed 250 oftractive rooms; sea-water baths, Ship's Sun -Deck. eye 4 ig and European Plans, PAUL AUCHIER, Gen. 5 dln Weer ---- London, He was given the post by the U.S. Olympic track and field com- mittee. Cromwell, right, is Follis, 23, of Glendale, California. shown with one of his star hich-jumpers, Tom largest consuming nations immedi- ately south of us, and that the popu- lation there is increasing very signi- ficantly. According to the bureau of census in the United States, the pop- ulation in 1920 was 105,710,000; in 1930 it was 122,775,000--an increase in ten years of 17 millions. By 1940 it had increased to 131 millions, or an increase of approximately nine million in ten years. From 1940 to 1947 it had increased to well over 144 million, an increase of 13 mil- lion. The 'increase has very signi- ficantly accelerated in the last sev- en years, and if the acceleration continues the United States ih the near future may be importing con- siderably more than she ever has in the past. There is no doubt she is going to be very short of meats in the next 12 months, even to such an extent that it may be necessary to impose rationing again. This results from a combination of de- creasing numbers of cattle and the increasing human population and the maintenance of a very" high income. "In the meantime Canadian agri- culture will be reasonably prosper- ous, The impact of these contracts on a long-term trading "position is difficult to forecast. However, we do know we meed a liyestock in- dustry in Canada, and we need a good one. We need it first because the people need livestock products in order to have a nutritious diet. Secondly, we need livestock for a soil building and maintenance pro- gram. Thirdly, we need it for di- versified agriculture; it makes for economic stability. "Fourthly, the grain farmer needs the livestock industry because it provides a terrifically big market for feed grains, which in turn makes its impact on land use and wheat production, A flourishing livestock industry provides a good market and price fo arse grains. Livestock is the et for feed grains, as a very, ma small per- centage of barley goes for malting purposes and an even smaller per- centage of oats goes for milling pur- poses and heretofore the market has been almost wholly in Canada, This fact illustrates the interde- pendence of Canadian agriculture between livestock and grain grow- ers and between east and west. "Farmers and farm organizations Even for double the price you can't buy anything better than VISIT... ~ CREDIT JEWELLERS ... FOR THRILLING BARGAIN DURING OSHAWA SHOPPING DAYS! 32 KING ST. W. PHONE 389 outstanding specials! CLEARANCE OF In order to co-operate in Oshawa's Bargain Days, Erwinne's are continuing our Pre-Inventory Sale -- with Despite the drastically reduced prices you have our assurance of Satisfaction or ERWINNE"S ALWAYS Values up to $27.50 OUT THEY GO! 12.99 "Your new Suit for aster at a great saving. All are All Wools, neatly tailored, each a jewel & Of style perfection. 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