Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-11-24
FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
HOLDS GREAT SESSIONS
Promise of Favorable Legis-
Iation and Tour of Georgia
Are Developments of Inn
portanCe

Farmers troubles throughout the
United States are economical and not
political, and until the time comes
when the farm is carried on along
pure business lines their troubles
will continue, Henry c. Wallace,
United States secretary of agricul-
ture, told the delegates to the third
annual convention of the American
Farm Bureau federation in his adj
dress to them Wednesday morning in
the auditorium.
Secretary Wallace said he believed
the great work that the department
of agriculture should do now to help
the farmer was not along production
lines. but along economical lines.
He said it was the departments duty
to help the farmer follow his crop
from the time the seeds were plant
ed until they reached the consumer.
He said the farmer should study all
angles Of the agricultural business,
lust as other industrial leaders fol-
lowed every angle of their businesses
and should follow his crops from the
time they were marketed until they
reached the ultimate consumer.
In addition to Secretary Wallace
address the morning session was fea-
tured by an address by Mrs, lzetta
Brown, of Kingwood, w. Va, on
'rWhither," in which she told of the
part women were to play in farm
bureau activities in the future. Re
ports from various state declarations
were also heard.
Towards the end of the morning
session an attempt was made to have
the afternoon session turned into an
executive session. However, after
considerable debate on the floor, the
motion was defeated. The conven'
ton is to come to a close with meet
ings during Wednesday afternoon
and night.
Discusses Legislation
Secretary Wallace discussed in de-
tail the reorganization of the depart
ment of agriculture; the recent agrl-
cultural legislation enacted by con-
,gress, and what the department pro-
poses to do to alb the farmers
throughout the Unified States. He
said he considered the present agrl-
cultural depression the worst in the
history of the country.
ST have sold corn for fifteen cents
a bushel before now" Secretary
Wallace said, "but in my day, the
revenue from a bushel of corn would
buy a great deal more than it will
now. Farm prices have gone back
Spre-war prices, and less, but
prices on other commodities have
not yet receded, and that is why l
think the present depression is
worst than any we have ever had
"This condition has been realized
by congress, and during the past
eight months it has passed more
LEGISLATION to help the farmer than
any other congress has ever done
in the same length OF time. More
hills are pending, and I believe tha'
much additional agricultural leglsla
ton will be passed"
Secretary Wallace said that the
talk in some quarters of agricultural
legislation being termed a class leg
islation, made him tired" He
pointed out that 40 per cent of the
Aountry's population lived on the
farms, and that legislation for them
most assuredly was not class leglsla
ton.
Discussing the war finance cor
poration, he said that while it hao
not been functioning as rapidly as
most people had hoped it was max
ing progress. He said the sloWness
Of banks throughout the country tt
grasp the realization that the cor
poration wanted the money Loaned
where it would do the most good
hindered the work a great deal.
Money to Lend
'The War Finance corporation
has a billion dollar to lend, and /
wants the money loaned where
will do the most good. OF course,
is not a charity organization an
the money advanced must be re
turned, but the object Of the corpc
ration is to help tide over the pres
ent depression by expanding credl
and not holding it back. grea
many bankers seem to think tina
this is not the time to lend NOR
money, but the time to get bac
what they have loaned. To dat
the corporation has loaned $15,OO0
900 on wheat, $10,000,000 on cottor
$4,000, 900 on live stock and $lO,OOO
900 for miscellaneous purposes.
present it is making loans at IN
rate of one to two million. per day.
Discussing the packer and stoc
wards law, recently passed by cor
eress and placed under the depart
ment of agriculture to admlnistel
Secretary Wallace said be thought
was entirely strong enough now. ii
said a great many people seemed I
think that all the teeth of the la'
had been extracted by amendment:
but that in his opinion it was Ell
tirely adequate.
He said that the law gave NIL
the right to go into any packer
business and investigate it, and
also investigate the stock yards. II
said that if prices charged at tn
stock yards were not, in the depar
ment's opinion, reasonable. the d
partment's opinion, reasonable, tn
department had the power to. pas
upon them.
He said the grain exchange az
was another piece of legislation d
signed to help the farmers, as it pra
tically di daway with gambling e.
changes. He said that all exchange
had TO be recognized as contraC
markets, and that enabled the d
partment to do away with specul;
ton and gambling on grain.
La did he did not favor the al