The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-07-03
AGGRRICULiORE MUST. BE MAIN SUPPORT 0F ALL COUNTRIES
American Farmer Must Now Cultivate the Home Mar
 ket, as It Is All He f Has Left
By RALPH BARTON Special Correspondent of The Age-Herald Copyright. 1e2j by The Age -Herald)

Oopyright, lsZl py The Age Heraiup
 Washington, July 2.-(Special)- Europe has learned one all-important lesson from the war--the lesson that each nation must be as nearly self suppor ting as possible and that self support is possible only when agri- culture is flourishing. It was due largely to the efficiency of German agriculture that the Kaiser was able to continue the fight as long IS he did, and France, England and the other nations of the old world are now de- vising schemes for the promotion of agriculture among their own peoples.
 All this has a very direct bearing on the American farmer, and the cir cumstance is partly responsible for his somewhat unfortunate economic position at the present. Before and during the war Europe was a great market for surplus American produce. But now foreign trade Is dwindling particularly foreign trade in produce. The American farmer must cultivate the home market, for it Is about all he has left-the nations abroad are raising so much more than ever Tn the past of their food supplies.
 Moreover, Argentina and Brazil are coming into prominence as sources of farm products. But perhaps, after all, the greatest cause of trouble for the farmer lies in the fact that his is the most speculative of business and that so much inevitably has to be left to chance. Storms, hot anu dry weather, floods and lightning are among the forces with which the farmers must gamble, and in many of the middle western states damage ho; entire crop.
 American Agriculture
 Henry c. Wallace, Secretary of Agriculture, has recognized the situa- ton that confronts American agri- culture and believes that the remedy lies mainly with the agricultural col leges. They have, he points out, done admirably on one very important Jon that of increasing and making more efficient farm production.
 "The farmer needs all the training in production that the colleges can give him." says Mir. Wallace. but tue most urgent need now is the develop ment of an entirely new realm or organized knowledge of the economic factors which will enable him to cheapen his production and improve his distribution.
 "Our period of exploitation Is prac-
 
 ticalIy at an end. If our production ss to be maintained, agriculture must bs put on a thoroughly sound busi- ness basis. This means that we must not only increase our production but learn better methods of distribution. find less burdensome schemes of finance and in addition learn how to take same of the speculative risks out of farming"
 Farmer and His Products
 The farmer is not only at the mercy of tho weather, but unlike the manufacturer, he cannot control his production, nor can he say much about the price of his product. He cannot forecast public demand, nor can he adjust his production of diff ferent crops to meet the needs of the consumer.
 i Several farm organizations have recognized these facts and believe mat the plan of Senator Capper to eliminate gambling on the grain ex- changes will do much to eliminate artificial speculative risks from the industry of agriculture. They also