The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-12-08
FARMERS FACING
VARIED PROBLEMS
Laboring Under the Most
Serious Disadvantages
RETURNS FROM FIELDS
Secretary Wallace Discusses Sub
ject in Annual Report
To Congress J.
ASSOCIATED Press DispatchJ

I Associated Press D1SpatchJ
Washington, December 5.-Ameri,
can farmers, comprising about one
third of the country's population,
| find themselves, Notwithstanding
their hard work and large production
this year, still laboring under a SER
| ious disadvantage as compared with
other groups of workers because of
the distortionate relationship of
prices, Secretary Wallace of the de-
partment of agriculture told Presi-
dent Harding and Congress in his
annual report.
There is food in superabun
dance" Mr.. Wallace said, land this
contributes to the prosperity of bust
ness and industry for a time, but the
inadequate return which the farmer
| is receiving, and has for three years,
inevitably must result in readjust-
ments in the number of people on
the farms and in the cities, (which
will not be for the continuing good
Of the nation"
There has been a greatly accel-
Grated movement of farmers, and
especially farmers sons from the
, farms to the cities and industrial
centers, the secretary reported, de-
claring that best estimates indicate
that during July, August and Sep
TENDER twice as many persons left
the farms for the cities as normally"
For Rural Credits Laws
The secretary renewed his re-
commentator for rural credits leg
| islation, asserting that action should
be taken promptly to increase the
maximum which Farm Loan bank
may loan to an individual from So,
- od, tod nlo n
| readjustment of the term loans may
run, saying a system. should be es-
tablished by which the farmer could
borrow for periods. of from six
months to three years. Creation of
a news bureau of home economics
was urged by the secretary, to en-
able the department to extend its eff
| forts toward better economic syS
Mems in the rural community.
Another problem requiring immed-
| late attention, the Secretary said,
was 1.-THE necessity of working out
and applying comprehensive plan
of protecting, Tegrowing and utiliZ-
! ing our forests" He declared forest
! legislation should be enacted extend
ing federal cooperation to the states
| in the protection of forests, coor
| dinating state and federal service in
/
est planting material, extending pur-
chase of timberIand "as rapidly as
the condition of the Treasury will
permit, and covering into national
forests some areas now comprised
| in Indian reservations.
The. secretary reported good pro-
gross in organization OF the packers
and stockyards administration and
the grain futures administration, in
the campaign against plant pests.
and in the various other lines OF SER
vice in which his Department is in
terested. -.. d
Crops Were Bountious
This year would be prosperous
year for agriculture, and consequent
~ a prosperous year for the nation,
ii the relationship of prices now was
such as existed before the war,
Secretary Wallace said. There has
been some INCREASE in prices OF farm
products, but there has not been
much improvement in the general
the things the farmer produces and
the things he buys. Among the
causes which contribute to the alb
normal relationship of farm prices 20
the prices of other things, Secretary
Wallace mentioned these: "
Overproduction of many farm
crops. i. -
Continued high freight rates,
Maintenance of industrial wages
at near war time levels. ..r
Economic depression and depre-
ciated currency in European coun-
| tries.
Interference with the efficient
functioning of necessary industries.
Unreasonably high costs of distri-
button of some farm products.
Some contend there is no such
thing as overproduction of farm
there are people in the world who
suffer for food and clothing" said
Secretary. Wallace. "One the same
line of reasoning it can be argued
that the production of automobiles
will be inadequate until every man
Ard woman and every boy and girl
of high school age owns one. There is
overproduction, as far as the pro-
Queer is concerned, whenever the
quantity produced can not be mar
keted at a price which will cover all
costs and leave the producer enough
to tempt him to continue production.
And whenever there is such over
production the output will be re-
duced either by conscious effort on
the part of the producers or by the
operation of economic laws which
drive the less efficient producers out
OF business. The fact is that for
three years in succession the far-
mers of the United States have pro-
duced more Of some crops than
could be sold at prices high enough
to cover producing costs.
g.. Cannot Control Elements
ut will never be possible for the
| farmers to relate their production to
profitable demand with the nicely of
| the manufacturer, both because they
can not control the elements which
influence production and cannot es-
| innate demand SO closely. Neither
will the farmers ever be able to or
ganize as have the labor unions, and
/ by rules and regulations and disc1p-
| linary measures compel obedience to
policies adopted. They can, however,
bring about better adjustment of
production, and especially of mar
keting, to the needs and purchasing
ability of possible customers, If they
will perfect their organizations and
call to their aid men skilled in in
| terpreting conditions which in
fuence supply and demand. Better
adjustment of farm production is
worth striving for. Both the farmers
and the consuming, public would be
! benefited through more stable pro-
iuctfon and therefore more stable
prices.
Picturing the plight of American
| farmers Secretary Wallace said the
yoduntion records of this year
50 a