Evening star., 1923-10-29
COOLIDGE TAKES Up
|GRA|N SALE ABROAD
Considers PROPOSAL for War
Finance Corporation to
Make Arrangements.

DESTROYS of being able to present to
| Congress, in December, a concrete
program Of agricultural relief. Pres
| ident Coolidge has begun serious con-
sideration of the proposal that the
War Finance Corporation finance the
sale Of surplus wheat to Europe.
Two steps in this program already
have been taken by the Chief Execu-
tive through direction given the spe-
cfal commission headed by Eugene
Meyer, 5r., director OF the Finance
Corporation. now in the northwest,
to promote formation of cooperative
marketing associations, and through
the request made of railroad execu-
tives to consider reductions in the
feright rates on export grain and
grain products.
The proposal that the Finance
Corporations machinery be used as a
wheat export sales agency was laid
before Secretary Wallace in detail
several days ago by group OF mid
die western grain men. and later out
lined briefly to the President.
Prior to the visit of the grainmen,
Mr.. Coolidge had been acquainted
with the general features of which a
plan by c. H. March of Litchfleld,
Minn., who through his large land in
terests in the northwest has made q
special study of the problems Of the
wheat growers of that section and Of
farmers generally.
Long Conferences.
Mr.. Coolidge Saturday held two
long conferences with Mr.. March,
who is a White House guest for the
| talked with the Minnesotan and Sec
retary Wallace, who said that the
proposal appeared to have strong
support, probably will discuss the
plan within a few days with the
Executive.
The principal question in tho mind
of the President is understood to be
| whe ther such a plan would meet his
requirement that all relief measures
be economically sound. On this ooin.
Another question involved Is
whether such an operation could be
taken over by the War Finance Cor
poration without further authority
| to the President the view that action
needed.
I'VE have three principal classes
In the United States-the manufac-
! turing class. the laboring class and
serted in his statement. With the
end of the world war deflation in
| money return faced all, of these
| classes. To aid the manufacturers.
Congress passed a tariff act and
to help the workers meet the de-
f1ation an immigration law protecting
! labor from the influx of cheap work.
ers from Europe was enacted. Some
| thing still must be done for the third
class-the farmer.
Real Distress i'm West.
Because adequate steps to aid tho
farmers have not been taken, there
| Is real distress in the West. This
cannot be disputed by any one who
knows the situation. 1t Is best Illus
trated by the fact that q farmer could
go to town just before the world war
and buy a pair of shoes with three
| bushels of wheat, and a binder with
115 bushels, whereas the cost Of q
| pair of shoes now is equal to six
bushels Of wheat and a binder to
| ESQ bushels"
| Mr.. March, who was chairman of
| the. agricultural stabilization confer
| ence held last February at st. Paul
7 told the President that approximately
800, 900 farmers left the farm in 1922
and that from 100000 to a $500, 600
| would leave this year unless some
thing was done by the government
1 to relieve the situation.
| Approximately 200,000.000 bushels
| of wheat would be available for ex-
port as Americas surplus in event
the finance corporation undertakes to
| finance foreign shipments ACCORDING
| to Mr.. Marchs estimate.