The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-12-05

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-Amerlcan
| farmers, comprising about one-third of
the country's population, find them
selves, Notwithstanding their hard
work and large production this year,
still laboring under a serious disad-
vantage as compared with other
groups of workers because of the dis
tortionate relationship of prices, Sec
rotary Wallace of the department or
agriculture, told President Harding
and the congress in his annual report.
There is food in superabundance,
Mr.. Wallace said, land this contrib
utes to the prosperity of business and
| industry for a time, but the made
quate return which the farmer Is re-
ceiving and has for three years, in
eYitably must result in readjustments
In the number of people In the farms
and in the cities, which will not be
| for the continuing good of the nation.
| There has been a greatly acceler-
ated movement of farmers, and espe-
cially farmers sons from the farms
| to the cities and industrial centers,
the secretary reported, asserting that
best estimates indicate that during
July, August and September twice as
| MANY IatISOlo 4SAI tAO A|A 49,
cities as normally"
The secretary renewed his recon-
mendation for rural credits leglsla-
ton, asserting that action should De
taken promptly to increase the max
imum which a farm loan bank may
lend to an individual from $4,000 to
i $25, 900. He advocates also read
| iustment of the term loans may run,
saying a system should be establish
ed by which the farmer could borrow
i for periods of from six months to
/ three years. Creation of new bu-
reau of home economics was urged
by the secretary to enable the depart
lment to extend its efforts toward bet
ter economics systems in the rural
community.
/ Needs Immediate Attention
Another problem requiring immedt
! ate attention, the secretary said, was
"the necessity of working out and ap
! plying a comprehensive plan of pro
: tecting, regrowing and utilizing oul
forests" He said forest Legislation
should be enacted extending fedora
i cooperation to the states in the pro
. lection of forests, co-ordinating state
and federal service in the growing anG
distribution of forest planting mate
rial, extending purchase of timberlanC
cas- rapidly as the condition of tht
treasury will permit" and covering in
to national forests some areas now
: COMPRISED in Indian reservations.
The secretary reported good prog
| ress in organization of the packers anC
stockyards administration and thu
grain futures administration, in thu
campaign against plant pests, and il
the various other lines of service il
. which his department is interested.
Wrong Relationship
5 This year would be a prosperous
| wear for agriculture, and consequent!
r prosperous year for the nation, i
the relationship of prices now wa:
!. such as existed before the war, secre
t tary Wallace said. There has beer
/ some increase in prices of farm pro
5 ducts, but there has not been mucf
improvement in the general relation
: ship between the prices of the thing:
!, the farmer produces and the thing:
!. he buys.
Among the causes which contribut,
to the abnormal relationship of farm
prices to the prices of other things
Secretary Wallace mentioned these:
Overproduction of many farm crops
Continued high freight rates.
: Maintenance of industrial wages a
: near wartime levels.
/, Economic depression and depreciat
t ed currency of European countries.
| Interference with the efficient func
: tioning of necessary industries.
D Unreasonably high costs of distri
: button of some farm products.
1 Picturing the plight of American
: farmers Secretary Wallace said tn
1 production records of this year Civ
4 vivid illustration of the vitality o
4 American agriculture and of the cour
age and hopefulness of the American
: farmer.
4 Some Hopeful Aspects.
S Certainly no other industry coul
( have taken the losses agriculture ha
j taken and maintain production" b
said, "and we have no evidence t