Club Minutes: Enterprise Farmers Club, 1933

Farmers' Convention Committee....1933.

The committee of arrangements met at the home of the Chairman on Jan. 25, 1933. Besides the officers, M.J. Stabler, W.J. Thomas, J.J. Hutton, Jr., J.E. Muncaster, Sr., and M.H. Bancroft were present. The minutes of last year's meeting were read and approved. A motion was passed to re-elect the officers, C.L. Gilpin, chairman, and R.H. Miller, Jr., secretary. Similarly we elected a vice-chairman, LC. Burns being chosen. The date was set for Feb. 25, 1933, at Sherwood High School as usual .

The Ladies Committee was continued, with the officers being empowered to secure a Chariman, if Mrs. Cissel will not serve again. O.N. Stabler was re-named to head the Men's Comm. The assessment was continued at $.35 per member. A motion was passed to pay the Community Council dues of $4.25. L.C. Burns was named to serve as delegate to that body. Great stress was laid on the importance on each person bringing a full basket, for 6 people or money to provide for the same.

The following tentative program was arranged , subject as always to changes or substitutions arranged by the officers :

Domestic Allotment Plan ..... Dr. S.H.DeVault with discussion by J.E.Muncaster, J.W.Jones and P.G.Ligon.

Relief from the Tax Sitution .... Maj. E.Brooke Lee & Barnd.Welsh Progress of Eastern livestock Cooperative Marketing Assoc.

L.T.Skeffington, Manager.

Adjourned, P.H.W. Miller Jr. Sec.

The Farmers' Convention of Sandy Spring ..... 1933.

The 61st session of this annual gathering of the frayed remnants of a once honored profession will certainly go down as one of the liveliest, if not the most intellectual in the annals of this illustrious body. A much larger assemblage than usual in the morning was considerably augmented by noon, and thereafter the hall continued to fill, until a crowd of actively partisan politicrats jammed it to capacity, conservatively at least one-third of the reported 1000 in the newspaper reports. I feel that some apologies should be made to the shades of past conventions for an apprent desertion of past standards, by the metamorphess of the current edition into a rampant and truly pre-election battle ground, with the unusual feature, and one that certainly did nothing to diminish the numbers of the onlookers, of having each side represented by its most authoritative representative. But I must desist from too complete a description of the atmospheric qualities of the occasion and get to facts, else this paper, really closely related to guncotton, may , perchance, take on its attributes and explode, as did imminently threaten to do the last meeting in these classic halls.

The Convention was called to order at about the usual time on the morning of Feb. 25, 1934 in the high school auditorium by Pres. C.L.Gilpin. The secretary read the minutes of the preceding convention, which were apporved. Several letters were read from our Congressmen, in reply to the resolution opposing government reclamation of waste land, as passed at that meeting. At this time the chairman appointed a committee, composed of R.B. Farquhar, Jos. Milstead and Wm. Talbott, to handle and reolutions introduced, and bring them up for action at the afternoon session.. The following men were chosen to be placed in nomination at the annual meeting of the Community Council, for three-year membership in that body : O.W.Robey, W.J.Hinee and J.E.Janney. As Delegate and Alternate, respectively, to that meeting Willard Marlow and C.E.Bond were chosen. M.H. Bancroft then report on the major activities of the

Farmers' Convention.....1933.

Council within the past year. The membership has been increased by giving each supporting organization a representative, elected for a one year term. Traffic protection has been enhanced by the securing of a regular police patrol. An elm tree was planted on the school grounds during the eminently successful George Washington Bicentennial program arranged by the Council, which was most admirably worked up under the supervision of Mr. Bancroft. Protection from undesirable projects is being sought by zoning plans, which, however, await state action before completion. The report was adopted.

The first speaker on the regular program was L.T. Skeffington, manager of the newly formed Eastern Livestock Growers Cooperative Marketing Assoc. He depicted most interestingly the progress of that body since its opening the first of August. The necessity for the formation of such organizations has been very great in the Midwest, where the movement had its inception and where alarge portion of the livestock is now thus marketed. Altho only $6,000 of the total $25,000 capital of the local organization was paid in at the time of its opening for business, credit was established early, and now over $20,000 has ben subscribed. Only a small loss was sustained during the first five months, when total sales amounted to $314,000. The cattle and lamb crop had been largely disposed of before the opening, total sales for the period being 4700 of the former, as well as 600 calves. It is aimed to improve the very poor veal market. In the whole program, it was emphasized, no vain expectations should be cherished of livestock priced obtained by the association for its patrons being more than the actual values inherent therein. Satisfaction should result if low spots are taken out. Mr. Skeffington pointed out that Maryland has only furnished 11.6% of the receipts in Balto., while Virginia has 52%. Many feeder cattle are raised in the southwest portion of that state. Prices for such animals are so much out of line with those obtaining for fat stock, that purchase of them thru the association is not urged this year, tho hopes for the next marketing period are entertained. The fact of only 60 stockers and feeder being moved this year shows

Farmers' Convention....1933.

the fertile field availabe for development. In response to questions, Mr. Skeffington said that dumping by large concerns during local shortages is responsible for lowered prices. The long range outlook for cattle is poor, tho higher prices may be expected during April, May and early June. There is a short supply of sheep and lambs. Freight rates will keep the California lambs from competing with local ones. J.W.Jones , who somehow finds time from his many other duties to serveas secy,-treas. of the marketing association, made further remarks, which were continued after the recess for lunch. Over $25,000 has been subscribed, with $21-22,000 paid in, so that now borrowed funds are available without endorsement. He said they had been most fortunate in securing a man with needed experience of Mr. Skeffington. A much larger volume of business is needed, so that the money put in by the farm Bureau may be returned.

At this time the resolutions committee reported favorable on the two they had recieved. The first, looking to the reduciton of the horse-power tax for motor vehicles, was approved and copies ordered sent to the members of the legislature from the two counties. The second one opposed issuing of bonds by the county at this time for any purpose whatever. Considerable discussion was had. A.D. Farquhar pointed out the failure to live up to promises in the matter of allocation of funds within the county, citing expenditues of 38% in the Northern, 24% in the Eastern and 38% in the Western portion of the county, when the division promised had been 50%, 22½%, and 27½%, respectively. A motion was passed to defer action until after the discussion of the tax situation later. By motion, our perennial feliciter, Guy Nichols, was appointed, with James Brown and Graville Thompson to thank the ladies for their good offices, and invite them to join us at their conveince.

The first speaker on the afternoon was O.M.Kile, corresponding secretary of the Montgomery Country Givic Federation and a man who has been intimately connected with the long fight to obtain farm relief thru government help. He gave an extended exposition of the Domestic Allotment

Farmers' Convention....... 1833.

plan, now pending in Congress. He outlined the various attempts to secure substantial farm relief, beginning in 1920 with the object to extend foreign markets, and find outlets for the surpluses resulting from the greatly expanded production brought about by the war. Cooperative marketing agencies were set up and price agreements were sought. There was a great disparity between agricultural and other prices as is now the case, when the former stand at 51% and the latter at 105% of the pre-war level. President Coolidge vetoed the first relief measure to pass Congress, The McNary-Haugen bill in 1927, which would have transferred more income to farmers, The principle involved is practically the same as that in the current Allotment Plan. The allotments of the crops included in the plan will be based on a comparison of the actual national needs to the total production. If/say only 600,000,000 bus. are needed out of a total of 800,00,00 bus, then the allotment for wheat would be 3/4 of the previous years total. Gertificates would be issued on this basis, and farmers participating would be compelled to reduce their acreages to that figure. A bushel of wheat will be supposed to buy at the pre-war figure, and buyers will pay to the government the difference between that price and the world price. The fund established thus will be returned to the farmers, resulting in a boost to the final price they receive. Peanuts, butter and hogs may be eventually included, the latter because the corn crop is largely marketed thereby. Wheat and cotton, only, are now included. Land removed from a given crop cannot be put in a competing crop. Mr. Kile was of the opinion that no such legislation may necessarily be passed at this session of Congress. However, President-elect Roosevelt is pleged to relief along these lines. If past policies are not reveresed and some real help given farmers, trouble may be expected next year.

Following this talk, John E. Muncaster, in a very concise and pungent paper outlined the salient points of the program. He cited the well-known scriptural example, whereby Joseph carried over the surplus of the years of plenty to those of want. He characterized the holdings