Evening star., 1921-03-13
TALK Of PRE-WAR
PRICES IS WRONG,
WALLACE ASSERTS
Secretary of Agriculture Is
sues Appeal for Nation to
Help Farmers.

An appeal for every good citizen
TO DO what he can to help the farm
crs through ;he period of depression,
au; for the sake of helping the farm
er alone. but for the sake of help
ing himself" was made yesterday Y
by Secretary of Agriculture Wallace
in his first formal statement
Prices of farm products must rise
and prices of other products come
tween them has been restored. Mr..
Wallace asserted. Talk Of bringing
prices back to pre-war level, he
declared. is morally wrong and eco
Romically impossible, adding that
everybody would he better off, if
an effort were made to bring about
a. price level say 30 per cent above
the pre-war normal
Farmers Suffering.
Secretary Wallace said he doubted
whether the people in the east
realize just what has happened TO
the farmers Of the producing sec
tions" Citing conditions in the CEN
tral west as an example. he said that
there. notwithstanding that we have
the finest rural civilization. taken as
a whole. the world has ever seen.
the farmers are now in "a most try
ing period and are suffering severe
financial losses" Farmers through
out. the nation, especially those in
the south and west. he added, are
experiencing exactly the same trou-
BILE
This widespread agricultural depres-
sion results from the high cost OF pro-
ri far
dropped ''out of all proportion TO the
prices OF other things, Mr. Wallace said.
while the farmer" he continued, lis
selling the things he produces at prices
no higher and for great surplus crops
lower than the pre-war normal. he must
prices from 30 to $50 per cent above the
pre-war normal. AS long as such d
condition continues he added, the Sc
we're agricultural depression is fsnevi-
table" and II will certainly be COM
municated Ito industry and business
generally"
Department Would Aid.
1T is terrible indictment of our
modern civilization" Mr.. Wallace as
serted. when this great country is in
the period of what might almost be
called economic chaos because of our
great surplus food supply, while across
the world is suffering for want of food.
II our statesmen had given more thought
10 getting the world back on a sound
economic basis, and perhaps had spent
less time on idealistic schemes and
theories, they would have rendered a
great contribution TO the peace and
orderliness and happiness of the people
of the earth
The department. the Secretary said.
would do everything possible to find
an outlet for the great food surplus,
Ways of producing more cheaply,
new uses for surplus crops and bet
ter marketing systems, he said
would help the situation.
Everything which influences pro-
duction and price must be consd :
cred, the Secretary said-competi-
tion from foreign lands where the
standards of living are lower than
here. world conditions of supply and
demand. administration of the credit
machinery and of the transportation
system. Those who control the
finances of the country have the
power TO influence, either directly or
Indirectly. through credit extension.
a large amount of control over prices
of arm products, he asserted, add
ing:
I'm short. the people of the nation
must come to understand that our
prosperity as nation depends upon
a prosperous and wholesome agri-
culture"