The Washington herald., 1921-12-26

ouently vote with the bloc are not
ship. and the local reader in the
States from which these Senators
come should be warned against
making ANAL political conclusions
on what is here said.
Little to Critfcise In Legislation.
In turning to a fair examination
OF what the bloc has done with its
power. It must be said hat so far
as those measures are concerned.
which they initiated or advocated.
little can be said in the nature Of
criticism. even by those who are
mostly disposed to deplore the un-
derlying principle OF group action
in politics. AS regards the meas
ures which the farmer bloc is given
credit for opposing or defeating,
probably somewhat less is to be
said for them. There Is not space
in the present article for any min
ute examination OF the bloc's legis
lative program. either of advocacy
or OF opposition.
Perhaps the chief measure for
which the bloc is responsible was
the appropriation of $500, 900. 900 to
be used by an agency OF the Treas
ury for the relief of farm condi-
tins. 1t Is true that the form in
which this measure ultimately
passed was very different and much
less radical than the form in which
the farmers originally proposed IT.
But In the form In which this fund
finally became available for the
relief of distress in the farming
fct
able measure considered as an
emergency action. and In its sp-
p'tca'ion has done great COOL.
Fund Furnishes Relief.
The fund was intrusted to a
representative OF the Treasury in
the person of a New York banker,
Eugene Meyer, together with sew
eral associates, who are business
men from various sections OF the
country. Mr.. Meyer turned out to
be a man of energy and resource.
He has travelled up and down the
country. finding out the spots
where there was need OF relief.
The relief has taken the form OF
advancing money to local bankers
and to others who, IN their turn,
had previously lent money to farm
cEs anu 6tOCh TalBeTS.
In these cases the original Dor
rowers among the farmers and
stock raisers were utterly unable
came due. If the lenders had
foreclosed there would have been
widespread distress. not only to the
farmers but to the entire local
business communities involved. The
relief furnished by the Treasury
was in the shape of advancing
money and taking . prior lien on
the collateral or other form of Sc
cnrity Involved. There is no rea-
son to anticipate that the govern
ment will lose any considera bl e
amount Of the money advanced
and the net result Of the operation
as whole has Internationally
been &c prevent the sacrifice Of live
stock and crops In . panicky mar
ket. and otherwise to stabilize
business in the farming States.
Future Legislative Program.
The rest of the Affirmative pro-
gram OF the farmer bloc, both In
the past and sfor the future. has
been and is largely in the same
general direction of providing bet
ter credit and market conditions
for the farmers. For the i'm
mediate future the program Of the
bloc includes q measure legalisir,e
and otherwise making provision for
cooperative selling on the part Of
the farmer: the creation of q rural
credit institution, which will per-
init the loaning Of money on conf
modities in the same way in which
the government already loans
money on farm land, and. finally, a
somewhat more dubious proposal to
require that 4 farmer shall sit on
the Federal Reserve Board. Also as
regards the tariff the farmer bloc
will act as q unit. and 1t has al
ready been given assurances thst