Evening star., 1925-01-20
URGES REDUCTION
|NFARM OUTPUT
Hoover Also Wants Home
Market Stimulated to Aid
Agriculture.

As b6IlonaI poilCN FOR balanCin e
American agricultural production and
consuming power would offer the best
assurance o of prosperity for the Ameri-
can farmer, in the opinion of Secre-
tary Hoover
Presently he viewpoint of com
mercial aN 4 dustriaI interests on
the farm pru0iem before the Presi-
deHts agricultural commission yester-
dayyjMr. Hoover declared the present
eXportb BILE surplus of agricultural
products tended to hold the price re-
ceived by the American farmer down
10 the world level.
With imports of farm products
which could be better produced at
home working to the same end. he
said, the American farmer suffers in
both directions from competi tition of
cheaper labor and lower standards of
living abroad"
Reduction of Output.
Reduction of output and stimula-
ton of domestic demand for products,
of which there is now an eXportablc
surplus and adequate tariff protec-
tIon as to imports, were presented by
the Secretary as the two essential
steps in the policy advanced.
Outlining the factors on which the
balanced domestic production and
consumption of agricultural products
might rest, Mr.. Hoover declared that
as to consumption, our population is
increasing at the rate of 100000
mouths for every decade.
Increase in Standards.
Moreover he said. per capita
consumption can be still further in
creased by sound economic policies.
There are vast numbers of our peo-
pic who with a. larger buying power
would consume more animal products,
both dairy and meat; more fruit and
vegetables. The one sure way TO in
crease the living standards is to in
crease the efficiency and eliminate the
waste out of our whole production
and distribution system, and I mean
tho whole system, not the distribu-
tion of farm products alone. If we
conduct the Nation wisely our in
creased consumption of agricultural
products in 10 years should be much
larger than is even indicated by the
fifteen million increase in population.
"On the side of production our cas-
lily accessible and cultivatable lands
are now for the first time pretty gen
orally under cultivation. Any further
production must come from the mar
sinal lands and by more intensive
cultivation. This could not be in
duccd without a further margin of
proht TO the existing farmers, and
thereby he gets his proper return.
Need of Tariff.
Turning to economic policies neces-
sary to bring about the desired re-
suits, the Secretary continued:
There are two very definite dircc-
tions in which these policies can be
supported and in large measure ac-
CompliShed. The first is to maintain
4. tariff on agricultural products on
such a basis as will stimulate domes-
tic production. and, / may add, this
may be done at no consequential
charge upon the consumer in pro-
portion to his gains from a national
policy OF this character
THE second direction must be the
development of increased domestic
consumption Of agricultural products
per capita of population. This can
only take place through development
Of higher general buying power.
In other words, a higher standard of
living of the whole population In
turn, this can only be brought about
by the elimination of waste and in
crease in efficiency in our whole pro
ductfon and distribution system. There
is room for 20 or 80 per cent increase
IN our standards Of living today
THE elimination of waste and in
crease in general economic efficiency
directly helps the farmer i'll three