| Summary: | Farmers Pinched By Higher Freight Rates. Farmers Pinched By Higher Freight Rates. J. W. Shepard, manager of Lewiston Graingrowers, Inc., reports that wheat growers of the Pacific northwest are alarmed by the proposed increase in maritime and rail rates on wheat and flour. The Graingrowers, Inc., is a cooperative organization. Mr. Shepard reports that at meetings of growers and farm organization leaders at Spokane, Lewiston, Walla Walla and Dayton, alarm was expressed that, even if wheat prices went to $2 per bushel, present and threatened increases would soon hold down the purchasing power of the growers to a bare subsistence level. Mr. Shepard lists the following problems discussed at organization meetings: 1. The proposed intercoastal steamship rate increases of about 10 percent on wheat and flour, scheduled to become effective June 1. 2. Modifications as to free transit, proposed by railroads and middle western mills and markets set for oral argument at Washington D. C., June 11. 3. Proposed substantial permanent increases in freight rates upon most of the commodities shipped to and from the interior of Washington, Oregon and Idaho- scheduled for hearing before Interstate Commerce Commissioner Aitchison at Portland, June 15. 4. The increased rail freight rates upon wheat and flour, recently made effective from the south Atlantic and Gulf ports into the southeast, scheduled for hearing at Seattle about July 15. 5. Skyrocketing of ship charters, needed for transportation of wheat. 6. Further increases that railroads threaten upon wheat and flour if the 20 per cent increase in railroad labor wages, under various "make work" laws, become effective. 7. The Pettengill bill, which recently was passed in the lower house of congress. The growers are rallying resistance through a Tri-State Wheat Transportation council incorporated under the laws of Oregon, with a board of 15 growers five each from Washington, Oregon and Idaho. The growers complain further of unfair Canadian competition. Mr. Shepard says much Canadian wheat moves over American railroads to north Atlantic ports, at 4 ills per ton-mile, while our Inland Empire wheat is charged 14 to 16 mills per ton-mile for movement to north Pacific American ports.
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