The Journal

State Grange Master in Favor of Price Supports

Joseph W. Fichter, master of the Ohio State Grange, was the principal speaker Friday evening when the 75th anniversaries of Olive and Jackson granges were observed with a county-wide meeting in the First Methodist church, Caldwell. Both granges were organized in 1874.

During his address, the head of the grange went on record as favoring farm price supports at a fixed level not lower than 90 per cent of parity.

He told the Noble county grangers that "we are pleased by recent developments in Washington which indicate that members of both political parties in congress favor retaining farm price supports at a fixed level not lower than 90 per cent of parity."

Fichter said that under the provisions of the Aiken law, price supports next January would be flexible, dropping as low as 60 percent of parity on some farm commodities and as low as zero on others.

"Since last summer," Fichter said, "the Ohio state grange has vigorously urged that the law be revised so as to provide fixed supports at levels not lower than 90 percent of parity. We feel it is not fair to have legislation which in effect means that farmers receive 60 cents an hour for their services while other income groups receive $1.00 per hour."

Mrs. Chloe Pierce, lecturer of Olive grange and Mrs. Winnie Ogle, lecturer of Jackson grange, were in charge of the program. Rev. Reese McGoldrick, master of Olive grange and Sherman Darrah, master of Jackson grange, gave a history of each organization.

Mrs. Fichter, wife of the state master, also gave an interesting talk on the work of the grange and more specifically the work of the grange relative to its young people.

Prior to the program, a covered dish dinner was enjoyed in the basement of the Methodist church with Rev. O. O. Wilson giving the invocation. Guests and members, numbering over 100, were seated at long tables, with appointments and decorations in keeping with the grange colors of rose and green.

Several members of Jackson Olive grange appeared on the program, including Miss Doris Way, Miss Norah Darrah, Mrs. Winnie Ogle, Mr. and Mrs. James Hill and Mrs. Bertha Ullman.