Edition Bobbett1. Texts by Elizabeth F. Bobbett: 1.1.3. Correspondence, Letters to newspapers
1942 Elizabeth Bobbett: Letter to the Leinster Leader, 24.01.1942
Sir. The entry of the USA into the War will no doubt have serious effects on the economic position on Eire. We have been depending on USA for supplies of wheat, petrol, kerosene and many other commodities that go to keep our factories working.
It is to be lamented that our Government seem to be so divorced from the true position of the agricultural community that they are satisfied to take holidays from the middle of December to 4th February, instead of holding special meetings and conferences to discover the best means of helping our farmers to produce sufficient food for our people in 1942.
Dr. Ryan is reported in the Dail as stating that "45s per barrel for wheat was a good economic price, but no price could guarantee that they would get enough home-grown wheat. They relied on the farmers for that." Will Dr. Ryan publish the cost of production of wheat in the various counties to prove his statement? If farmers find that growing wheat at 40s per barrel was totally uneconomic in 1941 they are not going to risk further losses by trying to grow wheat at 45s per barrel and no manures to be had in 1942.
I grew wheat last year (1941) and had only six barrels per Irish acre, which worked out at (40s per barrel) £12 per Irish acre. It had cost me £14 per Irish acre to produce. Had I been less patriotic and sown oats instead of wheat I would have had a yield of about 15 barrels per Irish acre, which would have realised £13 10s at the Government price, and the oaten straw would have been valuable fodder for cattle.
Had our Minister for Agriculture backed the farmers' efforts to produce the necessary food and guaranteed even 50s per barrel for the 1941 wheat crop, I firmly believe that sad statement of the Minister for Supplies to the Correspondent of the "Yorkshire post" (as reported in the Press on new Year's Day) "that he thought they would have to ration bread as we had not enough wheat," would have been averted.
The farmers reward for the marvellous efforts to produce food in 1941 has been the intensive harassing by the Rate Collectors, Sheriff and Income Tax Collectors.
Dr. Ryan stated also that "we have more cattle and more fodder in the country this year, so the shortage of farmyard manure should not be acute." How can we hold our cattle to make the much needed manure when we need the ready cash to meet our public and private liabilities.
There is only one way of doing so, and that rests with the Government: To immediately grant a moratorium on all arrears of rates, annuities and bank debts due by famers, and to free the national credit of the country, making it possible to give, interest free, national credit loans to farmers, to close the price gap, and to relieve taxation.
The farmers are loath to destroy their land by growing wheat of which they have sad experience. I am sure the majority of farmers would rise to the occasion provided that the Government after publishing cost of production of wheat would fix in consultation with the farmers a price per barrel estimated to cover all costs of production and give the farmer a fair profit for his goods in this case of National Emergency, where the Nation is depending on the farmers for their daily food.
It is up to the public to realise that the farmers are the saviours of the Nation when facing the danger of famine. Yours faithfully, Elizabeth F. Bobbett, Springfield, Wicklow.