Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-01-28
EVENTS OF A WEEK.

SATURDAY EVENING, JANUARY Is, 1922.
EVENTS OF A WEEK.
The farm congress at Washington has rather
superseded the arms conference in having public
attention concentrated upon it. Called BY the pres
ident, it is attended by representatives from all over
the United States, not of farmers alone, but of 9TH
ers who may be supposed to have useful informa-
ton to give or valuable suggestions to offer. Its
purpose is to devise means, if possible, to set in mo-
ton forces which will improve the condition of the
farming industry, especially in the matter of farm
prices as related to the prices of other commodities.
N y Y X
Concurrent with the assembling Of the congress
there has been made a very loud and %insistent de-
mand for a government guarantee of price for farm
products, with the inclination apparent in the wheat
growing states to confne the guarantee to wheat.
A few, Secretary Wallace among them, have come
out frankly to the guarantee plan, declaring it I'M
scientific and deceptive. certain to be disappointing
in not producing the benefits hoped for. AS a rule
there has been a disposition to deal gently with this
phase of the subject, and those who do not recon-
mend the guarantee are found, as a rule, recon-
mending earnest consideration of the subject, as
well as OF all other plans proposed for the relief of
the farmer.
1t was quite in line with a very common atti-
ltude on the subject for Mr.. Wannamaker, a North
Carolina friend of the farmer, two days after the
farm congress had convened, to denounce it as a
failure because it had not vet produced results. Ap-
iparently this gentleman could see no reason why
1.-THE congress should not at its first session straighten
out all the complicated phases of the subject and
send the delegates home happy in the assurance
that they had completed the job. The conference
thusiasrn. Its action thus far has been confined to
general recommendations to congress to take steps
to bring about a parity between the prices of farm
and other products, and for action on a number Of
details IN marketing, tariff legislation, etc, which,
however valuable, can scarcely be considered as
emergency measures which will bring immediate
relief. The reason for this is, doubtless, >that most
OF the delegates realize that no such thing as i'm
mediate relief by any suddenly devised method of
procedure is possible, either in relation to the farm
!'ng industry or to any other.
The foreign debt funding bill, which has been
IN process OF formulation for some time, has reached
the stage of debate in the senate, and Senator Nc
Cumber, as the chairman of the senate finance
committee, has presented arguments for the refund
ing of the debts owed to the United States on ac-
count OF war loans through a commission created
Tor that purpose and having very large powers.
The bill is essentially an administration bill. and is
vigorously supported by the treasury department..
Secretary Mellon, while strongly urging the pass
age OF the bill, urges as strongly against proposed
amendments which would attach to it provisions
tor the payment of a soldiers bonus out of the in
terest which will be received on account of this for
eign Indebtedness. In a long letter to Congress-
man Fordney, of the house ways and means com
nittee, he declares that this is unsound and would
" SAAiOd 1doSlnS, dHQ ne nO1dS that II a bonus bill
IS passed the money payments for which it provides
must come from new and direct taxation.
x X X +
Proceedings at the arms conference have been
almost at a ~standstill so far as any publicly observ-
able activity is concerned. The CLOSING ~ If +h-
business awaits completion of the UNDERSTANDINGS
on Sh1nese affairs. President Harding has conferred
directly with Chinese and Japanese representatives
urging the speedy adjustment of their remaining
dif1cult'es: AS a good many people foresaw, the
Il SHADING or the work OF the cOnferap~o h,ele-o~5.l
hnaily on the adjustment of Far Eastern questions.
JaPan,s reluctance to r%elinquish her hold on China
mas been very apparent, and every concession which
she has made has been wrung from her. 1t is prob
aDie that a fairly satisfactory adjustment Of the
onantung problem, and of that of railway control
wnl pc reached within a very short time. When
Etraf is done the work will be rounded do in a few
days and the conference will be over.
At this time no announcement has. been made
q the American decision with reference to the
Genoa conference. There has been a general i'm
that Washington would accept provided
Il France agreed to participate fully. France has not
I announced her decision except that her premier has
would not consider the Versailles treaty binding
and final.
@ While Collins, Griffith and their associates n
DnDlln have been wrestling with the problems Of
I ttle Irish provisional government, there has been IN
Esession - Paris an Irish congress called ostensibly
stnf the purpose OF promoting Irish trade through
ct fhe world, and the general revival Of Irish Ia
AAqet1y, but which seems to have devoted much Of
III attention to discussion 81 political questions from
- standpoint Of the irreconciiiable Be Vaiera fac
ttion. u Ireland itself the work Of organization IN
1he new government has proceeded quietly. md
snm1lly successfully. The cooperation 81 the
E1t4A ~ has been tendered the new administration,
SNSthzt he Lifting OF the boycott against Ulster sales
.E&5