The Washington herald., 1921-07-10
FARM COMMISSION WILL BEGIN
VITAL HEARINGS TOMORROW
Seeks to Develop Basis for National Policy
for Upbuilding of Agriculture.

survey OF economic conditions in
agriculture,
The scope Of the investigation, as
suggested by tho early discussions
OF the Commission. will probably
widen until Il includes all of the
economic factors In connection with
the production and marketing Of
the food supply. While the occasion
for projecting such an effort at this
time has been to call attention to
the serious needs OF agriculture, a
nationwide study of the food sup
ply and the conditions of the farm
ers II has been recommended IRE
uuently during recent years. Two
years ago the idea was suggested
by Secretary OF Agriculture Hous-
ton in his report and 1t was gen.
orally understood that some sort of
national conference, similar, per-
haps to the Industrial Conference,
would be called by the President.
Nothing materialized, however,
though several agricultural bodies
recommended that the time was
ripe for a comprehensive survey
for agricultural conditions with a
view to the development of nat
ional policy.
1hiS dsllallOH leu dSIiCuilut al
leaders everywhere to formulate
plans for such a conference or to
at least think about the matter, so
that they are now prepared to meet
the call of the congressional com
mission with data bearing upon the
subject of natioal farm and food
policies. The depression in agricri-
ture. beginning last fall. and its
menacinE aspects as related to the
nations food supply and commercial
condition. have not been overlooked
by the agricultural economists and
variety of analyses and recon-
mendations have been prepared. The
congressional commission is rapidly
gathering these together and has
employed DR.. Clyde L. King of the
University of Pennsylvania as an aid
in preparing this data for the con-
sideration of the commission. A
preliminary summary of the condi-
tion of agriculture was presented to
the committee in executive session
Friday.
The chairman of the commission,
Representative Sidney Anderson Of
Minnesota, is calling upon the vari-
Gus departments and bureaus for
! data bearing upon the agricultural
situation and is determined to make
/ the study as comprehensive and
thorough as his resources will al
low. Mr.. Anderson, as a former
| member of the Agricultural Com
| mittee of the House and as chair
man of the subcommittee on appro-
priations for the Department of
Agriculture, has had occasion to
study the agricultural conditions
quite thoroughly during the past
two years. This experience supple
| menting his close contact with agri-
| culture in his own district in Min
| nesota, qualities him for the position
he now holds. or the other Repre-
sentatives on the commission, Ogden
L. Mills and Peter G. Ten Eyck,
both of New York, have been identi-
fed with agricultural affairs. Hat
!, ton w. Summers, of Texas, has for
a number of years been advocating
improvements in the marketing of
farm products, and Representative
Frank H. Funk, of Illinois, Is the
owner and operator of large farms
and thoroughly familiar with con-
ditions in the Middle West.
The Senatorial wing of the COM
mission includes Senators I. L. Len
root of Wisconsin, Arthur Capper
of Kansas. Pat Harrison of Missis-
sipppi, c. L. McNary of Oregon and
]. T. Robinson of Arkansas, all of
whom have intimate knowledge of
agricultural affairs through activi-
ties in the Senate as well as con-
tact. in their own State. The per-
sonnel of the committee includes
men from all of the most important
agricultural regions, as well as in
dividuals who are Intimately ac-
quainted with our more important
agricultural industries.
Judging from the trend of recent
hearings at which agricultural in
terests have been represented, Ahe
great weight of testimony and data
to be presented to the commission