French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1916-1919, 1917-05-10
MR.. HOUSTON OUTLINES
FOOD CROP PLANS.
me Secretary Of Agriculture Tells
Of Contemplated Steps to Boost
Agricultural Activity.
nv II. e. G. Bryant in Raleigh News
and Observer.

and observer.
Secretary of Agriculture Houston
last week gave the House commltlee
on agriculture his plans for organizlng
the. various government and pr1Vdte
agencies to stimulate agriculture anu
facilitate the distribution OF agrlcultuI-
al products as provided for IN the al
ministration bill. Summed up tue
first work done in expend1ng q ap-
preparation of $25, 100000 could be:
+ % To Great a centralState BOARD IL
each State.
~ To increase the number OF u
lty agricultural agents.
(3) To establish a labor comm1sslon
in conjunction with the Department OF
Labor to study the problems OF labor IN
various localities.
DR.. r. A. Pearson, president OF iowa
State College, and Dr.. Alonzo +. a
Tor of the University of Pennsylvania,
who are serving in the as
assistants to Secretary Houston. We're
hefore the committee and gave expert
~oninions on economic conditions and
food prices.
mittee that quick action on the bill Is
necessary, because of the planting
Deriod. He said that v e if the wal
should soon end, it would still be nee
essary for some action. by the govern
ment.
"The food situation in Europe and
throughout the world indicates" he
said that there would be a shortage,
even if peace were declared at an earlv
date"
He said the recommendations5he has
made to Congress are based upon reso-
buttons adopted Immediately after the
declaration Of the war when he con-
ferred in st. Louis with the presidents
of agricultural colleges of the country,
State commissioners of agriculture and
editors of farm papers which reach
10, 900, 900 readers.
"The plan to be-established," he said.
"embodies a central State board in
each State to be made up of the au-
thorities of that State and including
representatives of different Industrial
activities, agricultural, banking and
business. The committee between the
Federal departments and State &C.
tivities."
Mr.. Houston referred to the labor
difficulties facing certain sections of
the country that must be dealt with.
These were pointed to as the principal
factors in crop production. These are
most serious in the East, where there
is much manufacturing, and in some
sections of the South. from which the
negroes have. been emigrating. Mr.
Houston proposed to place a represen-
tatiVe of hefDepartment in each State
to give special attention to the labor
situation and to assist in modifying
commissions to work in cooperation
with the labor department..
AT the same time to stimulate agri-
culture and to give information the
county agricultural agents would be in
cerased throughout the entire country.
They would be in direct touch with the
farmers and help the departments to
carry it's plans direct to the men it
wants to reach. The assistance of the
women in economical efforts is to be
secured. Mr.. Houston said the food
waste of the country is $780, 00, 900.
The housewife, he declared, has control
of over 80 per cent of the expenses con-
nected with the household.
In cooperation with the Department
of Commerce concentrations are to be
given the women of the country on
canning.
DR.. Pearson told the committee that
if minimum prices are to be fixed on
products of agriculture on average of
the prices obtained for products in
peace years should be taken, and then
add a percent to cover the increased
cost of seed and labor.
DR.. Taylor said the fixing of a mini
mum price would hold down the prices
to the consumer because it would tend
to bring the producer and consumer
close together. eliminating the middle
man and his profits.
Secretary Houston told the commit
tee today he wanted to distribute seeds
to the farmers in certain sections that
have been injured by floods.
He had in mind the floods in North
Carolina and other Southern States last
summer. So