Evening star., 1923-08-26
Farm Discomfort Reyives
Talk of Transfer From
Agriculture.
MOVE ONCE PREVENTED
BY CONSOLIDATION PLAN
Commerce Department Said to Be
Eager to Gain Control
of Service.
BY HARDEN COLFAN.

Agriculture Is said to be brewing.
The machinery OF markets will be
transferred from the Department Of
Agriculture to the Department OF
Commerce under the administration
Of President Coolidge unless Secre-
tary Wallace can speedily reorganize
the economic activities OF his depart
ment SO as to placate the farmer
leaders.
Moreover. 1t would not be surpris-
ing IL two men heretofore considered
Secretary Wallace's right and left
hand men would resign. They are
DR.. H. c. Taylor. chief of the bureau
of agricultural economics, and DR.. E.
D. Ball, director of scientific work.
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
administration. Commercial interests
generally favored 1t. Secretary OF
Commerce Hoover has always been
credited with the desire to have this
bureau under his direct supervision.
Secretary Wallace was able to tri-
umph, however. mainly because he
had the undivided support of the
agricultural interests.
support Withdrawn.
That support now Is entirely lack
ing, according to expressions OF agri-
cultural leaders here. 1t IS charged
that the economic agencies OF the
government, under the Department OF
Agriculture. have made hash OF the
farmers interests at a critical time,
and that crop estimating, warehouse
regulation and other activities affect
ing the farmers finances would prob
ably be improved by permitting the
| markets work to go to the Depart
ment of Commerce. The agricultural
forces probably will not join forces
with the commercial interests to
| bring about this transfer. but Will
assume hands-off attitude
The bureau of which DR.. Taylor is
chief was formed something over a
year ago by the consolidation of the
bureau of markets. the bureau OF crop
estimates and the office of farm man.
agement. In large measure. the con-
solidation was a diplomatic move to
| surround the market work with other
activities in such a way that reas-
sembling the old bureau of markets
and transferring IL to Hoover's de-
partment would be difficult. The
move was successful and DIR. Taylor,
who is credited with having engineered
| it. Is said to have become Secretary
/ Wallace's chief official adviser.
DIR. Balls Career.
DR.. Ball, on the surface, has had
very little direct connection with the
| economic activities of the department.
He was assistant secretary for a few
months at the end of Secretary Mere
dith's term. When that administra-
ton ended DR.. Ball prepared to return
| to his home in the northwest and pub
| licly announced his departure. shift
occurred overnight and DIR. Ball en-
| tered as the superior of the chiefs of
various scientific bureaus. Sentries in
! Washington do not hesitate to say that
Dr. Balls appointment came at the
behest of DR.. Taylor.
| The bureau of agricultural economics,
which includes the bureau of markets.
| has not worked to the satisfaction of
/ those whose business 1t is to interpret
governmental activities for the benefit
of farmers Not great deal was said
about dissatisfaction until the wheat
situation became acute. Wheat farmers
had expected to put large part of
their surplus grain in warehouses and
to borrow money on the warehouse re-
ceipts. An amendment to the ware
1o,r,
Of Congress. provided for co-operativr
ywarehousing and the intermediat
credits act provided the money fo
financing 1t.
Regulations Missing
When the price of wheat droppei
below a dollar a bushel and the farm,
ers were ready to warehouse, they
found that they were unable to do sc
because the Department of Agricul
ture had failed to promulgate regu-
lations as provided for in the law. All
efforts to speed up the issuance of the
regulations thus far have failed. 4
note of bitterness crept into the com
plants a few days ago when 1t be
came known that, with an oversuppll
of wheat pouring from the threshe
spouts. the bureau Of agriculture
economics was concerning itself wit
warehouse regulations for peanuts.
crop that is still in the ground.
Dissatisfaction was expressed. too,
with the crop forecasting work which
was merged into the bureau over
which DR.. Taylor presides. The Amer
lean Cotton Growers Association has
hammered this work consistent!
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 dissatisfaction until dol
lar wheat began to hurt. Now there
are rumblings from that section that
the department overestimated produc-
tion at a time when the forecast help
ed to depress the market to the farm
er's ruin. Secretary Wallace himself
has said that thousands Of farmers
in his section will be rendered bank
rupt on the present crop of wheat.
Claim Estimates Wrong.
The departments August estimate
of production was 2s.Ooo.000 bushels
Il D Tol. 4 \