The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-20
DAWES DEFENDS PROPOSED CHECK
 ON IRRIGATION
COolidge's Mate FOresees Elimination Of Polit-
 ical Quack
(By Associated Press.)

/ 0AOO@b Y oAAAAA1t tSs A<anap CSHSs AO' Declaring the agricultural situation to be of such a serious nature "that by common consent there is turning away from political quack doctors" Charles G. Dawes, republican vice presidential candidate, speaking here tonight, urged that it receive com mon sense consideration, free from po- htical poison"
 Such consideration, Mr.. Dawes as- serted, could come only through ap- pointment of an impartial, non-partisan commission such as contemplated by President Coolidge and put forward as the republican plan for bringing about agricultural relief.
 The vice presidential nominee de clared John w. Davis, democratic can didate for president, has chosen to dis cuss the agricultural problem in poli- tical manner, and conterded that the proper course was that discussion which may result in a constructive sO- lution, without side-stepping embarrass- ing facts in certain localities to gain votes."
 Answers Critics
 Notice was taken by MT. Dawes of the critical comment arounsed not only in the Democratic party but from some in the republican ranks by his declara- tion on irrigation and reclamation in his recent Lincoln speech. He repeated the statement that every irrigation and reclamation project opened up tended to add to over-productiOn in farm products, driving down prices, and de- clared that his critics ''if they as pub lie servants desire really to protect the interests of irrigation and reclamation, should present it's just claims in a proper and non-political way, from the basis of facts, and as part of the great problem which must be solved for agricultural relief.
 /"I note that Mir. Davis in his Oma- ha speech, discussing the question chiefly as a political problem" Mir. Dawes continued. He says: If we eliminate from political debate every question that is either national in its scope or economic in it's character, we will reach the millennium when govern. ment through political parties will cease to exist He therefore main tains, in general, that the Democratic party will solve the agricultural prob- lem.
 "Now, no one can make a proper statement of the facts involved in the solution of the agricultural problem without referring to some of the in yolved and conflicting economic inter- ests of our people. The course of the politician, in discussing the solution, is primarily from the standpoint of getting votes. The proper course Is that discussion which may result in . constructive solution without side-step- ping embarrassing facts in certain To- calities to gain votes.
 .'Mr. Davis, for political purposes, has seized upon a reference which l made in my Lincoln speech, to the tendency of reclamation and irrigation projects to increase the supply of az ricultural products, which under the law of supply and demand, tends to in crease the selling price of farm prod- nets. and which must be studied in any honest economic consideration of the problem. Evidently he does not re- gard political commitment, before q fuIl and careful consideration Of-all the elements involved in the problem, as injurious to the chances for progress towards the proper and economic sOlu- tion of agricultural difficulties. If so, I agree with him.
 To Meet Difficulties
 1.-The non partisan, economic and practical agricultural commission, which the President is about to appoint in an endeavor to find solution of com plex and difficult question. will face numerous situations of this kind in which there are conflicting interests. The farmers desire high prices for beef on the hoOf; the consumers desire low Irices for what they buy, while the farmer justly demands higher prices tor what he sells.
 'In it's endeavor to reach a proper solution of this national problem, the commission can not start in as the politicians do with pledges to conflict ing interests, designed to satisfy both sides in advance. This would mean certain failure.
 My objection to putting the agri- cultural problem in politics is that it involves wholesale preliminary com. mitments from candidates after votes in certain localities, which tend to pre- clnde, afterwards, impartial considera- tion of constructive remedies for the agricultural industry as a whole.
 '1n my speech at Lincoln, en.
 (COntinued on page two)