Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-08-28
IMPORTANT CHANGE
IN FARM FORECAST
POLICIES EXPECTED
BY HARDEN COLFAN
Copyright, 1929.
LEASED Wire Service to The Journal

transferred from the department OF
agriculture to the department of
commerce under the administration
of President Coolidge, unless Score
tary Wallace can speedily reorgan-
lie the economic activities of his de-
partment so as to placate the farm
er leaders.
Moreover. it would not be surpris-
ing if two men heretofore considered
Secretary Wallace's right and left
hand men, would resign. They are
DR.. II. c. Taylor, chief of the bureau
of agricultural economics, and DIR.
E. D. Ball, director of scientific
swork.
a. A determined effort TO effect the
transfer of the bureau OF markets
to the department of commerce was
made at the outset of the Harding
!ests generally favored it. Secretary
>. of Commerce Hoover has always
been credited with the desire to have
this bureau under his direct super
NlSlOh. CtCtSI0lS w cAlclOe was elOAS
to triumph, however, mainly because
he had the undivided support of the
agricultural interests.
Farm Leaders Alienated
That support now is entirely lack
ing, according to expressions of ag-
ricultural leaders heEe. 1t is charg
ed that the economic agencies of the
government, under the department
of agriculture, have made hash of
the farmers interests at critical
time and that crop estimating,
warehouse regulation and other &C
tivities affecting the farmers finan-
Q ces, would probably be improved by
permitting the markets work to go
to the department of commerce. Inc
agricultural forces probably will not
Join forces with the commercial IN
terests to bring about this transfer,
but will assume a hands-off attitude.
The bureau of which DR.. Taylor
In chief was formed more than
year ago by the consolidation of the
bureau of markets, the bureau OF
crop estimates, and the office OF
farm management. In large meas
ure, the consolidation was a dlpIo-
matte move to surround the markets
work with other activities In Such
way that reassembling the old blu,
reau of markets and transferring It
to HooVer's department, would be
difficult. The move was successful,
and DR.. TAYLOR, who is credited with
having engineered it, IS said to have
become Secretary Wallace's chief
.official adviser.
= DIR, Ball, on the surface, has naO
very little direct connection with
the economic activities of the de-
partment He was an associate sec
rotary for a few months at the end
of Secretary Meredith's term. When
that administra ton ended, DR.. Ball
. prepared to return to his home in
the northwest and publicly announc-
ed his departure. A shift occurred
overnight and DR.. Ball emerged as
the supervisor of the chiefs of vari-.
Gus scientific bureaus. Sentries in
Washington do not hesitate to say
that DR.. Balls appointment came
at the behest of DR.. Taylor.
Effect of Wheat Situation
The bureau of agricultural econo-
mics, which includes the bureau of
markets, has not worked to the sat
isfaction of those whose business it
ties for the benefit of farmers. Not
great deal was said about dissatis-
faction until the wheat situation be-
came acute. Wheat farmers had ex-
pected to put a large part of their
surplus grain in warehouses and to
borrow money on the warehouse re-
ceipts. An amendment to the ware
mouse law, passed at the last ses-
sion of congress, provided for CO.
Operative warehousing and the in
termediate credits act provided the
money for financing it.
When the price of wheat dropped
below a dollar a bushel and the farm
ers We're ready to warehouse, they
found that they were unable to do
so because the department of agri
culture had failed to promulgate
regulations as provided for in the
law. All efforts to speed up the is
euance OF the regulations thus far
have failed. A note of bitterness
crept into the complaints a few days
ago when it became known that,
with an over-supply of wheat pour
ing from the thresher spouts, the
bureau of agricultural economics
was concerning itself with ware
house regulations for peanuts,
I-crop that is still in the ground.
Dissatisfaction With Forecasts
Dissa tisfa ction was expressed, too
with the crop forecasting work
which was merged into the bureau
.oyer which DR.. Taylor presides. The
American Cotton Growers associa-
ton has hammered this work con.
sistently ever since DR.. Taylor took
charge. Recently some of the big
: agricultural journals Of the east
have Joined in the attack. However,
the middle west expressed no dis
satisfaction until dollar wheat be.
gan to hurt. Now there are rum
blings from that section that the de-
partment over-estimated production
at a time when the forecast helped
to depress the market to the farm
er's ruin. Secretary Wallace him
self has said that thousands of farm
ers in his section will be rendered
bankrupt on the present crop of
wheat.
The departments August esti-
mate of production was $4,000, 900
bushels below the July estimate, but
representatives Of the wheat farm
ers say that it was the July esti-
mate which slumped the price be-
yond recovery. They also say that
the latest estimate is too high. both
for this years production in the
United States and world production
and carry-OVer.
y No Resentment Toward Wallace
So it comes about that many
farmers spokesman are willing to
let Mr.. Hoover take the markets to
his orphan asylum in the hope that
Mr.. Wallace can then do a better
Job by crop estimates and warehouse
regulations. There is, apparently,
very little resentment toward Sec
rotary Wallace himself. Nobody
among the sentries here doubts the