Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-12
TELLS OUR FARMERS
THAT BETTER TIMES
MAY SOON Be HERE
Secretary of Agriculture Lays
Much OF Their Position to
High Freights.
NO FOOD EXPORTS SOON
Says Department is Preparing
to Show the Way to lnten-
sive Cropping.

Washington. Dec. 12--lrecly and
frankly discussing the present plight OF
the American farmer Secretary Wallace
tells the President in his first annual
rcport TODAY that there seem to be
rood reasons for believing that the worst
il over and that we may reasonably hope
for Gradual improvement from now on.
lie adds that 'clear recognition OF the
conditions AS they exist should help us
to realize this hope.
In large part the troubles oil the farmer
today are due 10 worldwide conditions
and the inevitable result of the world
war. the Secretary of Agriculture says,
adding that II is no. TO be expected that
bv some miraculous transformation
the period of adversely may be turned
over night into period Of prosperity. :,
High freight rates, big crops produced
in the face of high costs, unemployment
in other industries in the country with
attendant lessenng in buying OF food
stufis, and the lack Of foreign markets
for the farm surplus are gwen py the
Secretary rs the more immediate causes
for present conditions in agriculture.
He laws particular stress upon the lack
of foreign markets and high freight rates.
az IS terrible indictment OF modern
civilization" ne asserts, that with such
abundance here there are millions oi
people overseas suffering ior the pare
necessities and other millions starving
TO death. Aud surely we are sadly iack-
! imp in our understanding oi economic
laws or in our adjustment to them when
| the production Of bounteous crops grown
sklsfk r..
by the hard labor OF l3,0OO,ooO farmers
and farm workers and their families IS
permitted TO play such large part IN
paralyzing our industries and business
at home.
large advances in freight rates, while
bearnble i'm time of high prices, Mr..
Wallace saws. If continued are bound
to involve n remaking of the American
agricultural map.
"rhe simple process Of marking up
the TRANSFORMATION cost few cents a
hundred rounds" the Secretary writes,
''hns the same effect ON the surplus
producing state ns picking IT up ana
setting il down 100 to 800 miles farther
from The market Agriculture rs de-
pressed until the rates t~e lowered OF
until population and industry shilt 10
| meet this new conntloh.
With the heavy consuming popuia-
ton Of the country massed near INC
eastcrn,coastIong distances from the pro
dhcing areas, Mr. Wallace says, sub
siantinl advances in the transportation
costs have the effect of imposing diiier-
entlnl against American producers m
favor of their competitors IN foreign
lands. particularly those to tho South
of this country, who have the advantage
of chenp water transportation.
The agriculture secretary thinks that
when the country finally emergcs from
the present condition IT will hnd itseil
nj the beginning Of n new agricultural
era. pointing 10 the large increase IN tho
country's population and the fact tint
most of the easily cultivated land has
been taken up, he says the time IS moi
far distant when home needs Will re
quire practically all that Amerlca'
farms produce in the average years.
"This means" he adds, "a more IN
tcnsive agriculture, with larger produc
ton per acre and lesscned cost, IT W
are TO meet foreign competition and sti
maintain our standard of living.
The department is planning TO NEE
these new conditions, MIR. Wallace con
tinues. by strengthening certain phase
of its work, more especially the scientlli
research, the applications of the resul
of research to farm practice, more eA
tended studies OF marketing farm cror
with a view To reducing costs, invest
cation of both production and consumT
= ton at home and abroad Tor the pun
; pose of better adjusting American prt
! duction to market needs, and studio
!, looking toward making available to tn
l farmer those devices of modern buslne'
Y which provide needed credit on eas
4 terms and which may help to distrlDu'
production risks more equitablX
1 The amount asked for this work
e the coming fiscal year have been IN
e duced to the minimum" the Secretar
[ saws. adding that in the future the al
4 preparations should be increased lu
e as rapidly as needed.
q In this connection, MIR. Wallace draw
: attention to the advisability of Congre
= granting permission for the comblnlr
/. of the Bureaus of Markets and Gro
= Estimates and the Office of Farm Maj
I, agement. into which would be merge
y all the forces of the department that a
:. engaged in agricultural economic wor
y In his discussion of present condition
{ Mr.. Wallace declares that the difficulty
II of the farmers are "A matter of nation
o concern and one that should be give
n attention by every thoughtful citize
,, I'VE must accept the cold fact"
d declares, "that agricultural produstiC
in adequate measure can not be col
y tinued for any length of time on bas
e which does not give the producer ia
: price," and proceeds to show how i
1t adequate prices to the farmer less
d the nations buying power, thrown
h men out. of employment and creatil
IS what he calls "a vicious circle" that it
d difficult to break. through.
: Congress has aided in improving t
a, situation, he says, by passing at t
h special session legislation of &C
Ia structive character that will be mc
helpful than is now realized" He poir
n to the extension of the power of the W
70 Finance Corporation; the increase
q the capital of the Federal farm la
- banks, and the bringing of the pack
=, and market agencies and the grain ,
y !. changes under government supervise
~ Reviewing the work of the varic
's bureaus of the department, Mr.. Walls
a. says that during the past year mt
n improved roads were built under I
to federal aid road act than during q
o. similar period, the mileage complei
baino mora than three times as or,