The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-12-06

trntlon, and recommendation for log.
islation should DO given the highest
preference.
Al present thoro arc $500 vacant
beds in government hospitals, 1 rec.
ommend that all hospitals be author,
iEed at once TO receive and caro- for
without hospital pay. tho veterans OF
all wars needing such care. whenever
thorc arc vacant beds. and that i'm.
mediate steps NO taken 20 enlarge
and build new hospitals 20 serve all
such cases.
Tho American Legion will present
70 tho congress legislative program
TOO extensive for detailed discussion
here. II IL n carefully matured plan.
While some OF II I do not favor with
much OF IL am In hearty accord.
and l recommend that n most pains.
taking effort be made 10 provide rom.
edies for any defects In tho admins.
.tration OF tho present laws which
their experience has revealed. Tho
attitude OF the government toward
these proposals should DO ono OF gen.
oroaity.
But do not favor tho granting OF
bonus.
AGRICULTURE
Aided by the sound principles
adopted by tho government. the bust.
ness of tho country has had an ex.
traordlnary revival. Looked ut as a
whole. the nation In In tho enjoy
ment OF remarkable prosperity. In
dustry and commerce are thriving.
For tho most part agriculture Ia sue.
eessfnl. IL staples having risen in
value from about $1,000. ooo, 900 two
years ago to about $1,000. 900, 900 for
tho current year. But range cattle
arc stu low In price. and some sec.
tons Of the wheat area, notably Min.
nesota. North Dakota. and on west,
have many cases or actual distress.
With his products not selling on "A
parity with tho products OF industry.
every sound remedy that can bo de.
vised should DO applied for tho relief
OF tho farmer. He represents char.
acter. n type OF citizenship. and n
public necessity that must DO pro.
served and afforded every facility for
rcgaining prosperity.
The distress Is most acute among
those wholly dependent upon ono
crop. Wheat acreage was greatly
expanded and has not yet been SUI.
ficiently reduced. A large amount Is
raised for export. which has to meet
the competition in tho world market
OF large amounts raised on land
much cheaper and much moro pro-
ductiye.
No complicated scheme OF relief.
no plan for government fixing OF
prices. no resort 10 tho public treas.
ury viii be OF any permanent value
In establishing agriculture. Simple
and direct methods put into opera.
ton by The farmer himself arc the
only real sources for restoration.
Indirectly tho farmer must be
relieved by reduction OF national
and local taxation. He must be as.
sisted by the reorganization OF tho
freightrate structure. which could
reduce charges on his production.
To mako this fully effective there
ought 10 ba railroad consultations.
Cheaper fertilizers must be provided.
He must have organization. Its
customer with whom he exchanges
products OF tho farm for those OF
industry Is organized. labor In organ.
lied. business Is organized. and there
Is no way for agriculture to meet
this unless II. too. II organized. The
acreage Of wheat Is too large. Tn.
less we can meet the world market
at profit. NO must stop raising for
export. Organization would help 10
reduce acreage. Systems OF cooper.
alive marketing created BY the farm.
ers themselves. supervised by com.
petent management. without doubt
would be OF assistance. but they can
not wholly solve the problem. Our
agricultural schools ought 10 have
thoro courses IN the theory OF organ.
ization and cooperative marketing.
Disqualification is necessary. Those
farmers who raise their living on
their land are not ==zs= -; IN distress
Such loans as are wisely needed to
assist buying stock and other ma.
tcrials 10 start in this direction
should DO financed thru n govern.
ment agency as a temporary and
emergency expedient.
The remaining difficulty n the
disposition OF expor;able wheat. I
do not favor tho permanent interfer-
ence OF the government in this prob.
lem. That probably would Increase
the trouble by increasing production.
But II seems feasible to provide gov.
eminent assistance TO exports. and
authority should be given the War
Finance corporation TO grant. in its
discretion. tho most liberal terms OF
payment for fats and grains export.
ed for the direct benefit OF the farm.
PROHIBITION
Tho prohibition amendment 20
the constitution requires congress
and the president TO provide ade-
auate laws to prevent It's violation.
II Is my duty to enforce such laws.
For that purpose. treaty Is being
negotiated with Great Britain with
respect TO tho right OF search OF
lowering vessels. To prevent SNUG
Cling. the coast guard should be
greatly strengthened, and n supply
Of swift power boats should BIO pro-
vided. The major sources Of produc.
ton should be rigidly regulated, and
every effort should DO made to sup
press interstate traffic. With this
action on tho part OF the national
government. and the cooperation
which II usually rendered by munich.
pal and state authorities. prohibition
should BE made effective. Free gov.