The New York herald., 1922-01-25


ricultural bloc opened new avenues for
the development of\ the idea. The
processes favored by President Har-
ding were regarded as being too slow
to provide relief. Thereupon the ag-
ricultural bloc in the Senate proceeded
to pass Judgment on all classes of
legislation and to assert special privi-
leges for the farming interests of the
country.
First Notable Triumph.
The first notable triumph of the
bloc was in compelling revision OF the
revenue bill SO as TO keep up surtaxes.
which the Administration opposed.
The leaders OF the bloc followed this
advantage by manipulating legislation
in a manner calculated to provide the
maximum OF privileges for the farm
ing elements TO exclusion of the ne
cessities oe citizens engaged in other
vocations.
The victory of the agricultural bloc
II, forcing q compromise over the or
ganization of the Federal Reserve law
so as to provide for the appointment
OF a dirt farmer added tremendously
to the prestige OF the bloc. The most
immediate effect of it was to popular
ize the movement in the lower house
OF Congress. The result OF a poll of
the lower house printed in THE New
YORK HERALD yesterday clearly indi-
Gated the complete dominance of that
body by the agricultural groups.
The poll showed that the Federal
Reserve bill as amended by the Senate
agricultural bloc would pass the lower
house by an overwhelming majority.
Realization Of the formidable propor-
tions to which the bloc idea has de-
veloped created CONSERVATION among
not only the leaders of the Republican
party, but those of the national Demo-
cratic organization as we'll.
President Harding, who has indi-
Gated his sympathy with the ambitions
OF the farming elements and expressed
the hope that means might be found to
remove oppressive conditions, sensed
the danger Of encouraging the bloc
idea not only to his own party but to
the country.
He conceived the idea Of organizing
a conference composed of farmers Of
all closes and representing allied in
terests connected with the storing,
transportation and distribution Of farm
products. Secretary of Agriculture
Wallace invited more than 500 men to
gather at Washington to take sur
vey of agricultural conditions and if
possible to propose remedies for ex-
isting evils.
Bryan and Baruch There.
Among the delegates are both Re-
publicans and Democrats, so that the
conference to all intents and purposes
has an impartial character. Among
the representatives are men of such
pronounced Democratic sympathies as
William J. Bryan and Bernard Nj.
Baruch. These two men, who repre-
sent distinct schools OF Democratic pol
icies. have committed themselves un-
reservedly to the bloc idea. Some or
Mr. Bryans friends credit him with
the ambition to lead O. new party COM
posed of agricultural and labor ele-
rnents possibly as Presidential candi-
date for the fourth time.
Mr.. Baruch, whose interests In agri-
culture appear to be genuinely altru-
istic, nevertheless is credited with the
ambition to advance the Presidential
aspiration of William G.. McAdoo.
whose actual agricultural experience
has been little less extensive than
that of Mr.. Bryan.
In his address at the opening ses-
sion Of the conference yesterday Pres
ident Harding revealed his sincere con-
cern over the demoralizing conditions
OF the agricultural interests. His re-
view of these conditions made a bet
ter impression on the conference dele
gates than among the promoters Of
the agricultural bloc in Congress.
The President appealed to the con-
ference delegates to set aside partisan
considerations and make n determined
effort to develop program for ameli-
Grating the conditions of agriculture.
He pledged himself to lend the fullest
support to any plan calculated to ac-
complish the result. The chief criti-
cism Of the Presidents address among
delegates was that his suggestions
were not radical enough to suit varl-
Gus groups which have seized on the
opportunity to urge the creation Of a
new political party, entirely independ-
ent Of both Republican and Democratic
doctrines.
Placing BIam con Congress.