Evening star., 1922-12-11
ME proposal Of the farm bloc
that tho government should

TINE proposal Of the farm oioc
that tho government sheuld
organise q corporation which
would be. under government
management, and which would 60
into tho business Of developing Muscle
Shoals for the manufacture of
farm fertiliser, IL an indication that
tho farm bloc Is impreEnated with
socialistic ideas. rather than with
plans merely for the upbuilding Of
agriculture. The fundamental thought
Of the bill introduced in the House
by Representative Dickerson (repub-
lioan) Of Iowa Is that not even Henry
Ford 10 q big enough manufacturer
to develop Muscle Shoals for the good
has proved practical in government
control OF railroads. through the In
terstate Commerce Commission. Would
be inadequate protection OF farmers
IN the economical production OF fer
filizer; Therefore the bill would select
by the President to function as great
engineers and business managers and
draw big salaries. and the farmers
are to trust to their efficiency. rather
than that Of Rovernment-controll
but private, enterprise.
y
None but expert engineers and cor
poration lawyers Of the highest type
are competent TO comprehend the
merits of so great a proposition. But
son bill are apparent to the most
casual reader. Proeressiyism is not
socialism. and should not be confused
with socialistic ventures. The gov
eminent is not organized to function
as manufacturer. It should not he
called upon to enter into business
such as employ the energies Of pri-
vate individuals. II It is safe and
proper for the federal government to
go into Alabama as a manufacturer
Of fertilizer. then the same principles
pes1 p.a 10 'ns n. w MAKING sY Io.s be Se
manufacture OF woolen goods for
clothing. or even TO carrying on great
farming enterprises in the effort to
reduce the high cost Of living.
X + \ +
All over America farms are being
abandoned: the farmers complain that
they cannot make a financial success
a. farming under present market con-
ditions It is only the exceptional
farmers. or those exceptionally we'll
situated az to markets. who can make
farming pay. II the old eeudal srs-
ten, were revived. AMI the govern
ment took charge of all FERNS. and
made serfs out Of the farmers. profit
therefore identicslly the setne argu-
mcnts that defend the governments
being socialized in the manufa cture
OF fe!tilizer-and later probably Fl
making farm machinery and clothing
would Justify the governments un.
America. since the present farmers
are no, making a sncrAss at r.
trust that I shall not be mis-
construed as saying that the feudal
system is a good thing. nor that I
favor making serfs OF the most in
telliRent farmers that the world has
ever seen. Far from It; the incon
s!stency OF asking the government
to go into the manufacture Of fer
tilizer. and not go into other indus
trial enterprises: is all that I am
government is made for.
X X 4 x
Having published and edited a farm
weekly OF large circulation for over
twenty years in the northwest. I be-
lieve I am most deeply in sympathy
with the struggles Of farmers. But
this agricultural socialism. which de-
veloped first in North Dakota. 8 the
''non-partisan league" so-called. and
spread its socialistic vasaries into
adjoining states. is not proRressivism
and is not newt Is just plain social
with failure in North Dakota. where
it built state-owned -four mills and
elevators. organised all state and
county public funds into a state bank.
subsidized strings Of local county
newspapers and undertook to instil
schools. Now II comes to the Ma
tional Capital with the same IDEAS