Middletown transcript., 1921-12-17
THE FARMERS PLIGHT
Depression Soon at an End Sec.
Wallace Says
SEES PROSPERITY In SIGHT

WASHINGTON, Dec 11-Freely anc
frankly discussing the present plight OF
the American farmer, Secretary Wal.
lace tells the President in his first an.
nual report today that there ''seems to
be good reasons for believing that the
worst is over and that we may reason.
ably hope for gradual improvement
from now en-" He adds that "a clear
recognition of the condition. as they
exist should help US to realize this
hope"
In large part the troubles of the
farmer today are due to worldwide
conditions and the inevitable result of
the world war, the Secretary of Agri-
culture say-. adding that it is not to be
expected that by some miraculous
transformation" the period of adversely
may be turLed over night into a period
of prosperity.
duced in the face of nigh costs, unem-
country with attendant lessening in
buving of foodstuffs. and the lack Of
foreign markets for the farm surplus
are given by the secretary as the more
Immediate causes for present conditions
in agriculture tie lays particular
stress on the lack of foreign markets
and high freight rates.
1T is terrible indictment of mod
ern civilization" he asserts, ''that with
such abundance here there are millions
of people overseas suffering for the,
bare necessities and other millions
starving to death And surely we are
sadly lacking in our understanding of
economic laws or IN our adjustment to
them when the production of hounteous
crops grown by the hard labor of 49,
OJ0, 600 farmers and farm workers and
their families is permitted to play such
large part in paralyzing our industries
and business at home "
FREIGHT RATES7OO HIGH
Large advances in freight rates,
while bearable in time of high prices.
A'r. Wallace says, if continued are
bound to involve remaking of the
American agriculture! map
1.-The simple process1of marking up
the transportation cost few cents a
hundred p'dn1s." the secretary writes,
''has the same effect on the surplus
producing state as picking it up and
setting it down 100 to 800 miles farther
from the market. Agriculture IS de-
pressed until the rates are low cred or
until population and industry shift to
meet this new condition.
With the heavv consuming population
of the country massed near the eastern
coast, long distances from the produc-
ing areas, Mr.. Wallace says, substantial
advances in the transportation costs
have the effect of imposing differen-
tial against American producers in
favor OF their competitors in foreign
lands. particularly those to the south of
this country, VINO have the advantage
of cheap water transportation.
The agriculture secretary thinks that
when the country finally emerges from
the present condition it will find itself
at the beginning of a new agricultural
era, pointing to the large increase in
the country's population and the fact
that most of the easily accumulated
land has been taken up, he said the
time is not far distant when home needs
will require practically all that Ameri-
can farms produce in the average years.
This MEANS" he adds, more in
tensive agriculture, with larger produc-
tion per acre and !essened cost; if we
are to meet foreign competition and
still maintain our standard of living"
The department is planning to meet
these new conditions. Mr.. Wallace con-
tinues by strengthening certain phases
of It's work. more especially the scien-
tific research. the application of the re-
suit of research to farm practice, more
extended studies nf marketing farm
crops with view to reducing costs. in
vestigation Of both reduction and con-
sumption at home and abroad for the
purpose of better adjusting American
production to marke needs. and studies
looking toward making available to the
farmer those devices of modern busi-
ness which provide needed credit on
easy terms and which may help to dis
tribute production risks more equitablv.
The amounts asked for this work in
the coming fiscal year have been "re-
duced to the minimum. the secretary
says, adding that in the future the ap-
should be increased just as
rapidly as needed.