The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1922-06-16
OVER PRODUCTION
A JOKE

A n article in Wednesdays Herald concerning
u the position Of the Smith MeNary reclama-
= ton measure in congress presented the
principal grounds that have been offered for
the unexpected opposition 20 the measure, and
the obvious answers to this opposition
Obstruction from eastern representatives was
not unexpected. The average eastern congress-
man is almost as ignorant of the great west and
It's needs AS he is concerning the political
situation in China This opposition has always
presented itself &c every broad development
measure for the west. Organized irrigation
forces were forced TO work for a decade before
that opposition could he broken down so as to
permit the erection of the federal reclamation
service. Some people believed that the u.St
had become educated to the reciprocal advan-
tagcs of western development. Apparently the
hope was unjustificd. The same moss grown
obstruction has appeared in the house of repre-
sentatives where the Smith cNary bill, long
since passed by the senate. is now reposing be-
hind the barriers of the rules and steering COM
mittees. Unless the west bestirs itself the bill
may stay there.
The unexpected opposition in this legislation
is that of the secretary of agriculture. Mr.,
Wallace. Wallace knows the west, or he should
know II. lie knows its possibilities, or should,
and its problems of transportation and food
supply. If he has been correctly quoted. and
there seems no question about il, the secretary
of agriculture holds that reclamation of the
western irripable lands should stop-for fear
of overproduction of farm products.
In other words the national director of agri-
culture takes the position that the way to hold
up the price Of farm products is to limit pro-
duction.
Overproduction of foodstuffs. Of any per
manent duration, is an economic Joke. Man
kind has been tilling a steadily increasing por-
ton Of the earth 5 surface with steadily increas-
ing intensiveness for thousands of years. Dur
ing those thousands Of years the world has
known many sustained aud terrible periods of
famine. II has never known a long sustained
period of oyer-supply of food. 1t never will.
Even a temporary restriction Of production
Of f0odstuffs would be economic foolishness
The farmers os the nation recognize this IN
Stinctively and 90 ahead with their normal
activities in spite Of various kinds Of organized
effort TO limit production.
As The Herald writer pointed out very
clearly, the inter-mountain region must find
ways TO feed itself. II must, il il is 20 attain
its full measure of growth and prosperity, be
freed Of the long and costly freight hauls which
now burden its food costs. Aside from this
however. the reclamation that will be made
possible by the aid proposed in the Smjth-Mc.
Nary bill would require from three TO ten years
TO evolve from the construction into the pro
| duction stage. In that period no one doubts
thai tue complete rcsiofhliOu ol Horhldi Noriu
markets will occur, while the steadily increas'
ing demands Of our own increasing population
| are obvious.
The western states now standing in urgent
need Of aid for reclamation should send their
| representatives down 20 Washington. New
| Mexico should be among the leaders. Thes'
representatives should sit down in council with
Secretary Wallace. They should show hin
how far wrong he is. Showing congressmer
1 gr... a.. AsI.,t.. g.uI..r1 at.ta. - a Ifffi.ult
perhaps an impossible job. II is possible onl,
TO outvote them. They understand that. Bu
Mr.. Wallace is a western man. lie should b.
able TO understand a proposition in national de
velopnent that is as plain in It's vast construc
tive value as a business proposition can be.
The sheriff's office is lucky. II seems Il
have a fund TO draw on that does not require
prorating among the creditors.
Wonder if the new Imperial Potentaie ear
' perform on a ukulelef