Evening star., 1922-10-18
WARNS
AGAINST CROP CUT
Tells Wallace Union of Farm
ers to Boost Food Prices
CaIamitous.
LETTER IS READ IN OHIO
Says Administration Has Done
Much to Help Agriculturist
Get Back to Normally.
LETTER is READ IN OHIO

1t would be real calamity II the
farmers should unite to bring about
a diminution of production. such as
would force famine prices, President
Harding said, in letter to Secretary
Wallace of the Department OF Aeri-
culture, which was read by the Sec
retary during an address today at
Washington Courthouse. Ohio.
The President said a farmer had
told him recently that farmers could
themselves rehaDilitate agriculture
promptly If they would unite on a
program of reduced production.
Among the worlds industries, that
Of agriculture has been most rapidly
rehabiiitated since the war. the
President said. He congratulated the
farmer on his leadership in bringing
the world back to normal conditions
and declared that the farmer would
get substantial recognition of what
he needs.
The text of the Presidents letter
follows:
My dear Secretary Wallace:
cabinet meeting this morning that
you were going out to Washington
Courthouse, Ohio, to. address a farm
ers' gathering there. I am going to
ask you to convey my greetings to
the meeting, in which ] know there
will be a good many of the friends
l have SO greatly priced.
Tribute to Wallace.
eff you, Mr.. Secretary, were not
going to be present at the meeting,
I should feel freer to say what is in
my mind. Your well known modesty
causes me to hesitate in paying my
tribute to the service you have rem
dered to American agriculture since
you have been at the head of the
department. But even at the risk
Of embarrassing you. am going to
say that the department, in the past
two years. has rendered a particular
ly notable service along a somewhat
new line.
There was a time when the De-
partment OF Agriculture was looked
ducing constantly larger and larger
production from the farmers. rather
regardless of the questions o. ,narket
and marketing, OF transportation. Of
financing and other things of that
sort. Latterly We have come upon
a time when these other questions
demand attention, and l think the
country owes great deal to the
fact that we have had a new d.
rection given to important activities
of the department. mean that
these broaIer questions have been
given a consideration and attention
which formerly was not always
recognized as due to them.
sWould BE a Calamity"
"The other day a farmer said to
me that the farmers could them
selves rehabilitate agriculture very
promptly if they would just unite on
a program of reduced production.
I replied that the farmer would
never unite on such program be-
cause of the peculiar economic cir
cumstances of their industry. Every
farm is an economic energy by itself.
Every farmer is a captain of indus
try. The elimination of competition
among them would be impnss hle
without sacrificing that fine individ-
ualism that still keeps the farm the
real reservoir from which the nation
draws so many or the finest elements
of it's citizenship
"Noreoyer, 1t would be a calamity
II the farmer should unite in such
diminution of production as would
force famine prices, or something ap-
nroximate to them. The world can
get along without a good many other
things. but it cannot get along with
ont the products OF the farm
On Way to New Era.
.1t Is rather a striking fact that
amone the worlds industries that of
Dapriculture has been most rapidly re-
hehritated since the war. The crop
statistics of the world for the past
two seasons are proof Of this. We
NAV attribute it to that very indi-
v,dualism and -sufficiency Of the
farmer to which / have referred.
Agricultural production Is very nearly
restored. taking the world as whole;
hut agricultural prices are so low
that it is apparent to an OF us tnat the
farmer is not being adequately COM
pensated.
racoon,zed this condition and has
done everything in its powers to re-
store a normal balance between prices
and cost of production.
"A great deal has been accomplish
ed and / am glad to say that the
trend is strongly toward better con-
i ditions for the farmer. He has been
the leader in the difficult task of
hrineinp the whole industrial world oack
to normal conditions. and that con-
tribution is everywhere recognized.
"Our own country, as evident by
avery index of business and CONNER
ciaI conditions, is on the way now to
a new era of activity and prosperity.
| In that new era we can be very sure
( that the farmer will be among the
| tion which he needs and must nave
, Tor what he has done to make these
improyed circumstances possible.
SMost sincerely yours,