Evening star., 1922-12-08
UContinued from First PageD


farmer. The first distress of read
justment came to the farmer. and
1t will not be a readjustment ft to
abide until he is relieved. The dis
tress brought to the farmer does
not affect him alone. Agricultural
i'll fortune is a national i'll fortune.
That one-fourth of our population
which produces the food of the
republic and adds so largely to our
export commerce must participate
in the good fortunes of the nation.
else there is none worth retaining.
Agriculture is vital activity in
our national life. In IL We had our
be. .nning. and its westward
march with the star of the en-
pire has reflected the growth of
the republic. 1t has it's visissitudes
which no Legislation will prevent.
its hardships for which no law can
provide escape. But the Congress
can make available to the farmer
the financial facilities which have
been built up under government
diu anu supervisor LOT OlleT cOui-
merc;al and Industrial enterprises
1t may be done on the same solid
fundamentals and make the vitally
important agricultural industry
more secure. and ii must be done.
This Congress already has taken
cog enhance Of The misfortune pre-
Ciritat" drfati"n brought t"
American agriculture. Your meas
ur-S OF relief and the reduction of
the federal reserve discount rate
undoubtedly saved the country
from widespread disaster. The
very proof of helpfulnesS already
given is the strongest argument
for the permanent establishment
of Wid-nei credits. heretofore
temporarily extended through the
War Finance Corporation.
The Farm Loan Bureau. which
already has proven its usefulness
through the federal land banks.
may we'll have its powers enlarged
To provide ample farm production
credits as we'll as enlarged land
credits. II is entirely practical I"
create division in the federal
land banks to deal With production
credits. with the limitations of
time 50 ad juSted To the farm turn
over as the Federal Reserve Sys-
TEN provides for the turnover i'll
the manufacturing and mercan;ile
world Special provision must he
made fo- live stock production
credits. and the limit of land loans
may he safely enlarged Various
measures are pending before YOU.
and the best Judgment of Congress
ought To be expire in Il prompt
enactment at the present session.
But American agriculture needs
more than added credit facilities.
The credits viii help To solve the
pressing problems growing ou1 of
war-intiat.d land values and the
drastic det1ati"n of three Years
ago. hut permanent and deserved
agricultural good fortune depends
on better and cheaper transporta-
ton.
Here is an outstanding. problem,
demanding the most rigorous con-
sidcration of the Congress and the
country. 1t has to do with more
than agriculture. 1t provides the
channel for the flow "f the roun-
try's commerce. But the farmer IS
particularly hard hit. His market.
80 affected by the world consump-
tion does not admit of the price
adjustment to meet carrying
charges. In the last half of the
wear now closing the railways.
in carrying c3D3citN be
cause of motive power and rolling
stock out of order. though insist
emily declaring TO the contrary.
emhargoed his shipments or de-
MED him cars when fortunate mar
kets We're calling. To" frequently
ishable products were turning
from possible profit to losses
counted i'll tens of millions.
Problem Of TranspOrtntiOn.
know Of no problem exceeding
in importance this one of trans
pcrtat tion In our complex and in
1crdependent modern life trans
rOrta ton is essential to our very
existence. Let us pass Tor the
moment the menace in the possible
paralysis of such service as we
have and note the failure. Tor
whatever reason. to expand our
TRANSFORMATION to meet the ma
TONS needs.
The census of 1880 recorded
pcpulatiou of 50.o00.000. In two
d. Cades more we may reasonably
expect to count thrice that mum
her. In the three decades ending
in 1920 the ccuntry'S freight by
rail increased from 63 100000 tons
to la. 100000 tons: that is t" say.
while our population was incrcas-
ing less than 10 per cent. the
freight movement increased more
than 80 per cent.
Railway Mileage Inadequate.
We have built 10 per cent of tn"
worlds railroad mileage. and yet
find it Inadequate to our present
requirements When we c"ntchi-
ulate the inadeUuacy of today IT is
easy to believe that the next few
decades will witness the paralysis
of our transportation using Sorlal
scheme or complete rc"reanlIa.
tivu on some new basis Mlndfui
of the tremendous costs OF bctter-
ments. extensions and expansions.
and mindful of the staggering
debts of the world today. the diff
frulty is maGnified. Here is
nroblem demanding wide vision
and the avoidance of mere make
shifts No matter what the errors
of the past. no matter now we
acclaimed construction ana thcn
condemned operations in the past.
we have the transportation and the
honest Investment in the trans
nortation which sped us on to what
we are. and we face conditions
which reflect its inadcHuacy today.
it's greater inadequacy tomorrow.
and We contemplate transportation
costs which much of the traffic
cannot and will not continue to
pay.
Manifestly. we have need to be-
gin on plans to coordinate an
transportation facilities. we
should more effectively connect
mn our rail lines with our carriers