The Washington herald., 1921-04-01
Home Agriculture Needs
Protection From For
eign Competition.
FREIGHT RATES ACT
AS DIFFERENTIALS
Relief. in Present Situa-
ton Deemed Essential
to Aid Markets.

Practically all agricultural prod
ucts should at once be given ade-
quate protection against foreign
competition, and the most effective
way to do this is to add to any tariff
rates which may be imposed now.
an amount equal to the extra freight
charges in getting products to the
consuming centers.
A statement to this effect was is
sued yesterday by Secretary OF Agri-
culture Henry C. Wallace, who ex-
pressed the belief that the proposed
emergency would be of some relief
in the present situation. directly and
Indirectly.
Freight Rates Factor.
I'VE have not considered as W.
must the heavy burdens imposed
upon producers by the increased
freight rates and the large increase
in other marketing changes" said
the Secretary. These increased
rates are a differential against our
producers beneftting foreign com
petitors. Take corn. for example.
The freight on corn from Omaha
to Chicago is now SAG cents greater
than II was in 1918. an increase of
ss per cent. and from Chicago 10
New York the rate is almost. 23
cents bushel. The Argentine
grower can lay his corn down on
our Eastern coast for about one
third OF the shipping cost imposed
upon our Western corn grower. 1t
is true that imports have not been
large. but every cargo of Argentine
corn which reaches our coast is
used to depress prices.
The increased freight and other
marketing changes on wheat are
practically the same as on corn"
the Secretary said. On wheat the
items are of even more Importance
because of the larger amount ex-
ported. Tho freight rate on cotton
from -Memphis to New York is I?2
per cent greater than in 1913. On
livestock from the producing Sec
tions to the East the rates are very
nearly double what they were be-
fore the war; The same burden has
been imposed on potatoes. rice, to-
,bacco. fruits and all other farm
products.
DstIex Need stsay.
There is talk of establishing the
old import duties on farm products.
In many cases these duties would
not equal the cost of marketing.
The sooner we get down to studying
this whole national situation, the
better IL is going to be for all OF
Us. II is important to the indus
trial sections that our agriculture
be put upon thoroughly sound
permit the breaking down of its ag-
can buy food and farm products
cheaper from someone else. Just
now we have a great surplus Nbe-
cause Of large crops and reduced
but this condition will
not continue. Our population is
Decreased production
might mean exorbitantly high
prices within a few years" :
Secretary Wallace said that dur
ing the next six months the admin
istration would either consciously
Or unconsciously lay the faunda-
tion for a national policy. and
what Is done during that peEiod is
very likely to determine whether
We shall make of ourselves "a self
independent, self
reliant nation agriculturaIly, in
fastrially and politically" or
'whsthef we shall continue to ex-
pioH our agricultural resources for
the benefit of our Industrial and
life"
Nations which used to buy most
of our surplus, he said, are in a.
bad condition, need their money,
and are making desperate efforts
to grow their own food. Conse-
uuently they are buying as little
as possible from US. and are try-
CONTINUED on PAGE FIVE