Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-17
HELP FARM ADVICE
TO BUSINESS MAN
Member of Reserve Board
Asks Credit Facilities
for Production.

How the business man in the CITY
must stand behind the farmer bv sun
plying the money and credit required
10 produce the things needed to feed
and clothe the world has been en-
phasized by Henry A. Moehlenpah Of
the Federal Reserve Board IN a state
ment which members of Congress are
sending into theif districts
At no time has the world been far
removed from famine" Mr.. Moehlen-
pan points out, but today conditions
are grave. Indications are that the
grain acreage this year in the corn
belt will be smaller than for many
years. The farm labor situation is
acute throughout the country. MANY
farmers in the best sections of Hi
nois. Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota and
Missouri are seeding down their
corn land TO hay. because hay can
be harvested and marketed with less
labor than corn.
New York Farm Record
Investigations made by the New
york state Agricultural College and
the United States bureau Of crop es-
inmates show that the number of
persons on New York farms decreased
8 per cent between February l. 1919
and the corresponding date in 1920
ti'i' 'h' huiHUeT OF nlreu men en-
pioEed on the farms decreased ! per
cent during the same period Percent
ages probably would be as large, if
Aot larger. In the western states.
Early reports indicate that crop
conditions are below normal in many
districts. Reports from the western
district indicate that pasturage is in
relatively bad condition. being only
about - per cent. as compared with
SO per cent last year. The Southw est
reports decrease in acreage of win
ter wheat OF at least a million acres
as compared with 1919. In the irri-
gated section of the west winter
wheat is reported about so per
cent of normal. In the St Louis dis
trict much winter wheat has been
killed by alternate freezing and
thawing. In Oklahoma the condition
of winter wheat is estimated at about
55 per cent of normal.
The situation in Europe is not
such as to warrant the expectation
that there Will be an early return to
normal production of food crops. Any
considerable shortage in any one sec
ton of the world will mean hard
ship the world over during the COM
ing winter.
Money and credits should be mo-
bliized and swung to the weakest
place in our whole economic pro-
gram and put behind the farmer In
sufficient amount. as he goes 10 ms
summers work, to make 1t possible
for him to make good on the TASK We
have laid upon him.
Duty of Country Banker.
Our government. through the oper-
alton Of the federal land banks and
the Joint stock land banks. can do
much by way of extending credit Tor
long time at low rates. But II re-
mains for the country banker 10 use
these longtime credit fac1l1ties OF
the government so that he always
which to meet the short-time credit
demands of the farmer and other
legitimate demands of his community
'As the farmer must depend upon
power machinery to take up In part
the slack caused by the shortage OF
credit be provided to enable him to
buy machinery.
THE farmer is the corner stone Of
our whole industrial structure. The
farmer produces hides: the manufac-
turer makes the shoes, The farmer
produces the cotton and the wool:
the manufacturer makes the clothing.
While all this is elementary. it is
often forgotten that so many in
dustries are dependent upon agricul-
ture. Greater production in all lines
is urged by statesmen and economists.
Financiers are admonished that every
available American dollar should be
turned into productive channels. But
il we are to increase the nations out
put of essential products we must
begin by making it possible for the
farmer to handle the job we have cut
out for him. Otherwise. not only will
there be shortage of food and
clothing. but there will also be stag
nation In many related Industries. So
let's get behind the farmer"