The Washington times., 1922-01-23
SECTIONAL
GROUPINGS
DECR|ED As.
INJURIOUS
Government Aid for AgricuItur'
Urged to Help Industrial
Activities Of Nation
~ WARREN w. WHEATON,,
= xrsernationsIy News service.

President Harding departed
from his set speech before the ag-
ricultural conference here today
to take q fling at the "agricul-
tural bloc" in the Senate.
"The whole country" the Presi-
dent said, "has an acute concern
with the conditions and problems
you are met to consider. It is
truly q national interest, and not
entitled to be regarded as pri-
marily the concern of either q
class or q section-or bloc"
The "bloc" was pronounced with
considerable emphasis. 1t was
greeted with cheers.
National Aid Urged.
Agriculture must be lifted from the
chaotic depths of imminent disaster
and placed firmly on a thriving basis
Of governmental aid. IL industrial and
commercial America Is to survive
President Harding warned the nation
In opening the conference, called by
the Executive to effect adoption of
a definite Federal policy Of encouraP.
ing the farmer. .H
The farmer, 'in his hour Of dis
aster," Is entitled to every support
and assistance the Government can
give him, the President declared TO
400 delegates gathered here from all
over the country.
"If we fail him, we will precipi.
tate q disaster that will affect every
industry and commercial activity of
the nation" the President asserted.
The Government must do every
thing possible to ameliorate the
critical condition" Of agriculture
and it's action must be immediate,
the President warned. Greater finan-
cial aid. he said, should be extended
to the farmer, transportation facili-
ties, rail and water, must be eN
panded to meet farming needs and
every practical proposal for watering
arid land. for reclaiming cut-over
forest areas, and for protecting fer.
tile valleys from inundations, should
be given full encouragement.
"An this" said the President.
should be a part of recognized per-
manent policy. Not otherwise will
Il be possible to keep the nation self
supporting and as nearly self-con-
tained as It has been In the past"
Must Do Something.
Speaking in the ballroom Of the
New Willard Hotel. the President told
the delegates--men and women
that conference recommendations can
not be accepted as final. and that
the farmer must do something to aid
himself
1T cannot be too strongly urged
that the farmer must be ready to help
himself. This conference would do
most lasting good IL II would find
ways 70 impress the great mass OF
farmers to avail themselves of the
best methods. BY this 1 mean that,
In the last analysis, legislation can
do little more than give the farmer
the chance to organize and help him.
self"
The President advocated co-opers-
tive marketing. He urged develop
ment Of all water resources for both
transportation and power and came
out strongly for prosecution OF the
st. Lawrence waterway project, de-
signed TO permit access OF ocean
going vessels to all Great Lakes ports
Certainty OF long.term farm loan
credits, he suggested as one means OF
encouraging the farming industry
Conference aims were outlined by
Secretary Of Agriculture Wallace. He
explained that II was the hope OF the
Administration that the conference
might result In establishing more
amicable relations between the Gov.
ernment and the farmer and devise
permanent policy toward asricul.
ture.
Low price returns for farm products