The Washington times., 1924-08-15

ton Of such Importance as to be
worthy OF the utmost solIcitudO
and concern.
One Of our first thoughts in
1921 was for its relief and revival.
As many as fifteen laws have
been passed to assist and SUD-
port this fundamental Industry.
through the War Finance Corpo.
ration. II has been extended cred
Its OF between $500. 100000 ami
In addition 70 this, Government
activity provided about $500 ,OO0.-
600 from private sources for the
relief OF the cattle industry, and
In the early spring Of this year
$1O,OOO.O00 corporation was
formed, which 1t was estimated,
could furnish 500, 100000 for
dtversification and financial relief
IN the Northwest. The inter.
mediate credit banks have loaned
over $S6,00O,000 to individuals and
cooperative marketing associa-
tions, which assisted directly and
indirectly over 10000 farmers.
Notwithstanding all this, agri.
culture was subjected to an era OF
most serious depression. Several
OF It's great staples like cotton.
cattle. hogs, corn and wheat suf.
Tered from low prices, due to
overproduction, unbalanced condi.
Tons between costs and oa,a
prices In agriculture, industry and
labor ana the Differentiation Of
the markets Of the world. Hut
Tor the enormous buyinr nover
which the high wages of industrv
put Denind the market for Amer.
Acan 1000 products, especially
meat. the agricultural regions
would have experienced even q
rAr more severe financial crisis.
Due 20 q change in the world
supply, prices of products have
begun to improve so far "a to
increase land values. The Govern.
ment rendered great deal OF
assistance ana private enterprise
co'operated, but the Fundamental
remedy was provided, as II al.
ways must be provided, not No
much through the enactment Of
legislative laws as through the
WORKING out OF economic laws.
Because the farmers have thor.
oughly realized this. they have on
the whole opposed price fixing
by legislation. While maintainin9
that sound position, they have
seen q partial relief come In A
natural way, as It was bound to
come.
Needs Of Agriculture.
. We now need in agriculture
more organization, cooperation.
and diversification. The farmer
should have the benefit of leRis.
lation providing for Hood control
ana development Of inland water
ways, better navigation east and
soutn from the Great Lakes.
reclamation. and especially relief
Tor those who can not meet their
payments on irrigation projects.
But the main problem is mar.
keting. Cooperative effort, reor.
ganization of the freight.rate
structure, good business, and good
wages In manufacturing, and the
settlement of European affairs
viii all help to provide better
market conditions.
The Republican platform recog.
nizes that agriculture should be
on basis of economic equality
with other industries. This IL
easy to say, but the farmers
themselves and their advisers
have never been able to agree on
q plan to provide 1t by law.
NOW that nature and economic
law have given some temporary
relief. propose, therefore, to
appoint a committee to investi.
gate and report measures to the
Congress In December that may
help secure this result which we
all desire. want profitable aR.
riculture established permanently.
] want to see the dollar Of the
farmer always purchase as much
as any other dollar.
A wise, skilled, and unseflish
leadership can do more than any.
thing else to rescue agriculture.
The farmer needs leaders who
will stay with him. who have the
tact and the courage necessary
for management, and who have
the fidelity to refuse political
preferment and business oppor.
tunity. There are such leaders.
In the sacrifices they make tn
serve the farmer lies the greatest
hope for his salvation.
Condition Of Labor.
Those who toll have always
profited from Republican control
of Government. Under the polS
Icy Of protection and restrictive
immigration no defIation Of wages
has occurred.
While the cost Of living has
gone down, wages have advanced.
The twelve-hour day and the
seven-day week have practically
been abolished. The uninterrupted
operation of public utilities with
mutually satisfactory and legally
established methods Of adjusting
labor questions have been sought.
Collective bargaining and volun-
tary arbitration have been encour.
aged.
Republican rule has raised the
wage Garner to q higher stand.
ard than he ever occupied before
anywhere in the world.
The war left us with many
evils. One result was the tire.
mendous wastage Of wealth. The
people of this country were re,
quired to re-cr, ate very nearly
one.fifth of our national resources.
All of this stupendous sum has
to be earned.
When SO large O part Of the
work Of 500 years Is swept away,
1t Is not easily recovered. 1t
takes all the tremendous energy
of men, OF enterprise, of the vast
properties represented by invested
capital, and Of material, working
through years, to repair the dam
age and replace the values de.
stroyed by war.
The only method by which
we can make up this loss is